Characters

Character Types

As MU* veterans will know, the term "alternate characters" (usually shortened to "alts") refers to all of the characters one plays on a game. These characters are generally considered in two broad types: Feature Characters, meaning characters adapted from previously published material, and Original Characters, meaning characters who have not appeared in published material and were (generally) created by the player apping for them on the game.

Feature Characters

Feature Characters (FCs) are characters you did not personally create. Usually, they have appeared in published works and are played by fans of the original work. In these cases, it is important to note that portraying these FCs is intended as appreciation of the original, and no challenge is intended to the copyright holders. (It is similar to the way such characters might be used in parody works or published critique.) Feature Characters should be designed to fit one of the worlds from the setting, and they should fit within our concept limits. (See Also: Canon.)

Note that since our game features a multiverse of worlds, when appropriate we will allow alternate versions of characters. For example, if Barry Allen is being played on the game but you also want to play him, then you can play Barry Allen from "Earth 2" and do your own take on the character. (This is not necessarily the specific Earth 2 from any DC canon, just a label to indicate the character is from a second version of Earth.) This works well for comic book characters, but it may be allowed for other FCs on a case-by-case basis.

While we understand that playing an FC is often an act of love for characters we already know, we need to place some limits on how they are played in order to maintain the game's Theme. As such, please note that all Feature Characters, even FCs from "approved" sources but especially those from outside them, must adapt to fit the game rather than expecting the game to reimagine itself to allow them to exist in a holistically canonical form. In other words, FCs should not attempt to carry the full weight of their setting and continuity from canon onto the game. This means that FCs should be apped minimalistically, only drawing on what is essential from their canonical In Character history to establish their IC history on the game.

For instance, it is essential for the character of Superman to have been born on the planet Krypton, found by Martha and Jonathan Kent, raised to be a moral and upstanding young man, and then to have gotten a job at the Daily Planet and become well-known as a superhero. However, it is not necessary to pre-establish his history with members of his supporting cast, even characters as closely tied to him as Lex Luthor or Lois Lane, because they aren't absolutely essential to his origin. Superman has had no end of canonical adventures in his history, and trying to act as though every one of those events, or even a significant portion of them, had all happened in Superia would create an impossible glut of history that no one can be expected to sort out.

Think of it like this: FCs on the game should be telling their story here, on the game, not trying to continue the story that has already been told elsewhere. The only exception to this is Visitor Characters, who may have continuity from our sister games, but even then, that continuity exists as approved on those games, not as imported from a completely exterior canon. Importing an excess of canon is not only unwieldy, but it also tends to define too much about other characters and aspects of the world, which may conflict with what is established by the game's theme and by other characters, so keeping a narrow focus on the essentials of the FC, rather than trying to pull everything in, is what we ask of all FC appers.

Original Characters

Original characters may be nearly anything that an FC can be. In addition, they may be directly inspired by any of the source materials suited to FCs on the game, or they may be more original concepts--but please note that they must still be generally compatible with the themes of the game. (See also: Setting, Concept Limits.)

Players creating an original character may very well want to connect their character to an existing FC in their background. So long as this does not fundamentally alter the FC in some fashion, it is usually acceptable. The player must contact staff about the issue as well as seek permission from any existing player of the character first, however.

Additional Character Types

Adapted Characters

Adapted characters are something of a half-step between OC and FC. Generally, they are counted as OCs in terms of all game rules and policies. However, an AC is a character who was not created by the player but has been written in a generally original way. This in most cases refers to characters from sources that predate contemporary popular culture, whether they be mythological figures, characters from classical literature, or characters who have otherwise entered the public domain. (For example, this might allow a player to adapt their own version of Herakles rather than going with the DC or Marvel comics character, Hercules.)

Traveler Characters

Main article: Traveling

Some characters lack a specific "home" world and, instead, exist as Travelers Between Worlds. Traveler Characters are noted here. Some travelers are born in one of the worlds, then become Travelers over time and cease to have a particular world they primarily call home, while others may have been actually born Between Worlds and so have never called any one world home. Some non-Traveler characters may be able to move between worlds, but this ability must be enabled by staff.

Visitor Characters

Main article: Visitors

Since our setting involves the idea of multiple worlds, somewhat akin to the DC Comics concept known as Hypertime, the idea of characters moving between worlds is almost inevitable. To that end, where appropriate, staff has partnered with the admins of other games with sufficiently compatible themes, creating conceptual bridges that allow characters to coexist with shared continuity across both our game and those other games. These characters are known as Visitors.

Character Applications and Updates

Character applications may be completed via the character generation rooms (or "chargen"), located in the game's OOC area. Just follow the steps, be sure to complete all sections, and ask staff if you have any questions. For character updates, just do the same.

However, please note that staff asks not to be flooded with character applications and updates. The more character applications you submit in a short span of time (say, within the same week or month) the longer staff is likely to take in responding to those apps. Similarly, any major character updates should be spaced a minimum of 30 days apart, starting after the player initially enters role-play with a character.

Companion Characters

In some cases, there may be unplayed characters connected to your own who are highly important to your character's life. In these cases, it may be appropriate for you to emit those characters as NPCs when they are needed. To do so, you must have specific staff permission (such as a +request or as part of an approved plot), and one way to have that in an ongoing manner is to submit the NPC as a "Companion Character" for your character. (Check out the final chargen room on the game for instructions.) When another character is approved as a Companion Character for your character, you may emit that character freely within the following guidelines:

• All Companion Characters must have approved character objects and +sheets on the game. If one does not yet exist, you can work with staff to get one created. (You may need to write the app if staff lacks the knowledge or ability to do so.)

• All Companion Characters must be unplayed characters. If someone picks up the character, then you lose the privilege of running the character as a Companion Character for as long as that character is being played.

• Companion Characters must be run in a way that leaves them essentially intact and easily accessible for future appers. Outside of approved plots, they should not undergo any lasting changes so that they will remain as accessible as possible to future potential players.

Concept Limits

This isn't going to be a huge list. Since we fundamentally want to be inclusive and let people play the concepts they want, most things aren't banned until or unless we decide they really don't fit. This is usually because they just don't fit the settings and wouldn't be very fun to play, or because of concern about the character concept itself being potentially problematic.

It is advised that your characters do have some weaknesses, especially if those characters have major powers. Being the best and the strongest and able to do anything and everything without ever a chance of failure isn't very fun, and it isn't very fun to play with. Likewise, it's worthwhile to consider that some character concepts are inherently limited by a game of this premise, and what might be compelling to watch in the form of a TV series or read as a comic might be very limited and not much fun to play.

If you want to ask about the possibility of any character, just send staff a message in the form of a +request! Just read +help +request and feel free to page staff if you have any further questions.

Character Gender

While players of any gender are very welcome on Wilde Adventures MUSH, the game was created as an environment where male/male-oriented role-play, particularly where romantic leanings are concerned, is foregrounded. There are many spaces elsewhere in MU*dom where heterosexual characters and even a more broad sampling of queer characters are welcome, and we celebrate that. This game, though, is intended to serve as a haven for the gay male experience. Non-gay male characters are also welcomed here, of course, but player characters are by default assumed to be male. Non-male NPCs are perfectly welcome, of course, and in certain specific circumstances, non-male characters may be allowed on a limited basis.

The game's staff also wants to make it clear that we fully affirm that trans men are men. In keeping with this, it should be noted that so long as a character is established as male, staff will not be exploring what gender that character was assigned at birth. Frankly, that would be none of our business. It should also be noted that in every one of our game worlds, there is plentifully available magic and/or technology (depending on the setting) that makes physical transition especially easy and easily attainable. In our world, we prefer that no character suffer from discrimination, dysphoria, or other difficulties that trans folk may be confronted with in real life.

As a final note, we want to be clear that staff will not tolerate seeing trans men on the game treated in any way as fetish objects. There are plenty of other games where that kind of thing is accepted, but that is not the purpose of this game.

In this case, kids, don't be like Batman.

Banned Concepts

Banned concepts may not be played on the game.

• Characters from the Doctor Who franchise.

Restricted Concepts

Restricted concepts are usually more difficult to get approved on the game without being outright banned. Staff strongly urges players not to attempt a restricted concept as their first character, as this tends to be much more difficult until you better know the lay of the land on the game. While we will do our best to work with players on their restricted concepts, staff certainly does not guarantee that they will be approved.

• Angels, Demons

Overused Concepts

Overused concepts are subject to somewhat more scrutiny than others.

• Tragic, especially arbitrarily tragic, character backstories.

Canon

Since we have a largely original setting, we obviously aren't too bothered about canon. However, there are a few things to remember since this is supposed to be a game where everyone has fun.

You can choose what you want to take as canon. If you want to play Bucky Barnes as he was in 1942, but in the present day, that's fine! If you want to drop certain elements or storylines from your character, go ahead! You should play the character the way you want to play him. What matters to us is finding a way to take your vision of the character and fit it into the world of the game.

If a character is being played by someone new after he was played by someone else, the new player doesn't have to incorporate the previous player's RP. It is courteous, and it would be nice, if the new player tries to do their best to accommodate the people depending on the character, especially if plots are unresolved. However, it's also important to be fair to the new player and to allow them to enjoy playing the character.

Relationships from the comics are not necessarily going to be maintained. That depends on the players of the characters in question. Work it out with another character before assuming that they would like to engage in a relationship with you.

Be careful about assuming certain things about other characters. Since it is allowed to pick and choose from canon, try not to incorporate aspects in your background that force other characters into situations that they may not choose to accept. Never assume a character's death or incapacitation. Leave it vague, if nothing else, so that it is easy to handwave or overlook if it needs to be.

NPCs

Running unplayed characters as Non-Player Characters

Here at WAM, we believe it's important to have a living world. Just because a character isn't played doesn't mean that character isn't off doing something! That character might take part in everyday scenes, or even plots! There are a few things to keep in mind though:

• Try to stick with consistent characters. You can easily emit Brainiac as the big villain of your plot, because Brainiac tends to operate in the same basic way every time. Magneto? Not so much.

• If you're emitting a character, don't do anything that would change or define them significantly without staff approval. Having Lois Lane going for the big scoop and getting into trouble she needs to be rescued from? Sure! She does that all the time. Having Lois decide to quit the Daily Planet and marry Comet the Super-Horse? That would require (unlikely) staff approval.

• If you have a character who's very important to your character, you can seek staff approval to have that character made a "companion character" to your own. This allows you to routinely emit that character whenever you need them, so long as they remain unplayed. If they end up being picked up by another player, then you will have to work out between you when or if you can still emit that character when the player is not available. (If there are any special circumstances for this, please contact staff about it.)

• Don't define other characters in your background. Keep it vague. If a character is essential to your background, run it by staff before submitting your app. You'll still probably be asked to keep it as vague as possible, so as to avoid pre-defining unplayed characters.

• You can use alternate-Earth characters to avoid strict definition, if you want to. This is still something you'll want to run by staff first. But Superia allows for alternate versions of characters. Generally, only two versions of the same character who is the same person will be allowed, but it's worth considering.

• Communicate what you're doing with characters you emit. Other players may want to emit the same character, and letting them know what's been established as having happened will help them to do that. WAM is not a sandbox environment, as flexible as we are, and it is important to keep characters consistent between appearances.

Working together can help us all create a living, thriving environment. While this especially pertains to the goings-on in the world of Superia, it's useful to know for all of our settings that may allow for FC types.

Character Sheets

Generally, all character traits are role-play only. However, in cases where players may find it necessary, there is a purely optional Dice System that they may opt to use.

Skills

Skills are rated at each of the following levels. If a character does not have a skill listed, then they are considered "Untrained" in that skill.

• Novice - This level indicates useful trained ability in a skill, but it acknowledges that the character still has much to learn before becoming fully proficient in using it. They can often get results, but it can be a challenge.

• Competent - This level indicates greater experience and refinement in a skill, up to the level of a seasoned professional. The competent character knows exactly what he is doing and can usually get solid results every time.

• Expert - This level indicates ability beyond what most will ever attain in a skill. The true expert excels at the skill to the point that they may be a true master of their craft. They are almost always able to get results, if results are possible.

Abilities

Character special abilities (or "powers") come in many varieties. So, when you add them you should always set a "type" as well as a "rating." For Type, this should be a descriptor that identifies the basic nature of the ability: Power, Magic, Force Power, Tech, etc. The rating for abilities is explained below.

Special abilities are rated at the following levels. Note that these levels are intentionally broad; as such, there may be characters who in their source canon fall more at the "low" or "high" end of a range, but for game mechanic simplicity, these are the scales we're working with. You can fudge the details as needed in your skill and power descriptions, but in general characters in the same "weight class" are assumed to be on fairly even footing. Also, please note that when statting abilities you should err on the lower side; characters may have moments of big, splashy effects that go beyond their normal limits, but that is more of a narrative device than an everyday ability. Think of this as the character's more moderate ability level, working well within their limitations, and try to avoid grabbing for higher power levels than are needed. (This way, we can focus on storytelling instead of power-gaming.) High power is certainly not bad, but the main goal is to make interesting characters who can interact with others in a fun way--not to just dominate everyone they encounter.

• Basic - For abilities that are empowered human traits, Basic is considered equal to Human-level. (So, you never need to add a Strength or similar power rated at Basic. That is assumed unless otherwise stated.) However, for a power like Telepathy, which baseline humans usually lack, Basic is a feasible power level. At a Basic level, powers are generally "street-level" and can potentially be resisted by exceptional but not supernormal human beings.

• Enhanced - Many supernatural creatures tend to have Enhanced level physical traits. For non-physical powers, this is the level of a potent, lower-end superhuman power. At Enhanced level, powers generally easily affect even exceptional human beings, and while they will affect superhumans, those with appropriate superhuman traits have a reasonable chance of resisting those abilities. (Enhanced superhuman Willpower resists Enhanced superhuman Telepathy, etc.)

• Supreme - The Supreme level is reserved for the strongest of the strong. Other powers enhanced to this level tend to affect an unusually large area or have extreme potency. Good examples are the Strength of Superman or Thor, the Speed of The Flash or Quicksilver, the Spiritual potency and Wisdom of Galadriel, or the Sorcery of Merlin. Few others can even begin to compare to them. (Characters should limit how many Supreme level abilities they take.)

Note that the specifics of Abilities vary based on the world a character is in.

Additionally note that in some cases, at staff discretion, powers may have other ratings than the ones listed above. Occasionally, for example, they may not need ratings if they are purely descriptive in nature. Also, if staff determines that based on the description in a power, they fall toward the upper end of the range between Basic and Enhanced level, which is depicted as a Basic+ rating, or between Enhanced and Supreme, which is noted as an Enhanced+ level, per the standards noted above. In some cases, a trait may also be rated at "Plot-level," meaning its effects are such that it can only be used as part of a staff-approved Plot.

Signature Abilities

A signature ability is a specific trait that is inherently tied to who the character is. It's not a power fully under their command, as it only surfaces in particular situations, and in many ways it is often bigger than they are. It might be based on their personal powers, abilities, or skills--but it can just as easily be something that happens around them, as nature itself or the world around them responds to something that might be a feature of their abilities or might just be impossible to really quantify.

Something fairly specific must happen to trigger the activation of a signature ability. It might be that the character must be supremely angry, beyond what any normal circumstance would allow, or that a loved one must be in mortal danger. Generally, the more powerful the ability, the more specific its trigger must be. These abilities generally don't last for long, so much as they cause one immediate or short-term effect, but in some cases they may last longer, depending on the particulars of the ability.

Signature abilities have no set power level, as they can be as powerful as a particular situation requires, but they don't grant automatic success, either. Essentially, when they kick in some significant aspect of the immediate circumstances of a scene will shift in response to the ability. The specific effect of a signature ability must be defined on the character sheet, but it should always fit closely with who the character is, what triggers the ability, and any other aspects that define the ability.

In adding such an ability to your sheet, as per the instructions in the game's chargen area, be sure to explain what triggers the ability, what it does or allows them to do, and how long it generally lasts. Staff will approve each ability on a case-by-case basis, considering how the ability fits the character and reflects their identity, how balanced it is in terms of impact on the character and the game, and how much it seems designed to enhance storytelling rather than simply being an extra power for the character.

Activity

Approved characters must log into the game a minimum of once every 90 days, or they risk going into idle status. Unapproved characters must log in at least once per week. Feature Characters who enter idle status may be placed up for re-adoption by new players if they enter idle status.

Feature Character applications should be completed within two weeks, barring extenuating circumstances. If you're having difficulties, please just contact staff: you can page them or, if none is available, use the +request command (+jhelp request on game). Original Characters may take as long as they need to complete applications.

If a Feature Character is meeting minimum login times but is consistently unavailable for role-play and does not demonstrate some kind of activity, staff may conference with this person and may determine that the character needs to be placed up for re-adoption.

Vacations

Players may avoid idling out when they cannot play by setting a +vacation. This is done using the +vacation command (+help +vacation).

Rules about vacations:

Vacations lasting longer than 90 days should be discussed with staff ahead of time, as that is a long time to leave an FC unplayable.

If you do not post a message to the Vacation and Away Notices board that explains where your character is or what they're doing during this time, staff reserves the right to invent excuses for them so players are not left hanging by their absence, especially if they are a faction leader.

Characters who go more than a week or two past their posted vacation date may be opened up for new players.

If a player loses a character due to inactivity beyond their control, they may re-app it with staff approval. If another player has picked up the alt in the interim, then while we are sorry to see the original player lose access to the character, we must allow the new player to keep the character, as otherwise it is unfair to them.

When possible, we will negotiate and work with players, but staff reserves the right to enforce all vacation and activity rules.

Villains

In this file, we use the terms "hero" and "villain." Note that these are narrative conveniences, not objective moral stances. A "hero" can sometimes function as a "villain" and vice versa, but we're using these terms just for the sake of simplicity.

So, you're considering playing a villain here on Wilde Adventures--that's great! Villains play a huge role in stories to provide the heroes with purpose and to create conflict. However, there are both memorable, well-rendered villains who contribute positively to role-play... and the other sort. This file is here to help you create a villain character who does the former! With this in mind, please consider the following:

Motivation

It has been wisely said that every villain is the hero of their own story. For our purposes, this is the point where we would like all potential villain players to begin. A villain should not be a monster who mindlessly or randomly causes mayhem. Monsters are the sorts of things players emit and usually defeat in a scene or two. What separates a villain from a monster? A villain is an at least somewhat rational person who exhibits clear motivation for their actions. They have purpose and exist for more than merely starting trouble or griefing the heroes. They have goals, likes, dislikes, desires, and all the other elements that make up a plausible character. Make sure that your villain has a motivation more interesting than "I want to kill people!" or possibly "I want to kill Superman!" Well, why? What makes this--and them--interesting? Bear in mind that "good" and "evil" may be real forces in the world, but they seldom exist in pure forms. Most characters exhibit some sort of shades of gray.

Validation

A villain should offer validation to the heroes around them while also validating their own existence. If the only purpose for a villain is to be evil (see "Motivation," above) then they aren't likely to have a very reasonably validated existence. If a villain does have plausible motivation, then what is it they're doing for the game? What do they contribute, and how much can they really participate? Villains may have horrible long-term (or even short-term) goals, but they should also have the means to role-play--after all, that's what we're here for! Some, like Lex Luthor, hide in plain sight and use the system to shield themselves from harm. Others remain in the shadows and only interact with the heroes through villains, perhaps appearing in some disguise or other for social reasons. Sometimes, the best villain is the one who seems like a friend, perhaps even is to some degree a friend, until the critical moment when their true motivation is revealed.

Perspective

One way to test your villain idea is to try altering the point of view. For instance, in a canon-like situation, if a hunter met a werewolf, each might easily view the other as a villain while viewing himself as a hero. This partly reflects motivation and even validation, but it also raises the importance of perspective. Consider perspective not only from an In Character perspective but also from an Out Of Character perspective. Considering that the role of a villain on a game like this is not to "win" but to motivate and challenge the heroes, try to see how your villain character comes across. Are they behaving in a way that makes it impossible for heroes to even be around them without trying to stop them? Will they force every scene they enter to become a combat scene or similar? Considering these perspectives may help you to anticipate what may be the most important aspect of a villain of all: impact.

Impact

How is your villain character designed to impact the game? That is, what influence are they having on the role-play of others around them? Calling to mind again the principle that the purpose behind villains on a game like this is to generate and enhance role-play by motivating and challenging the heroes, how is your villain designed to do this? Is your villain able to appear in scenes of any type, or are they limited in when and how they can appear--not necessarily for In Character reasons but for reasons of role-play impact. For example, does the villain behave in a way that makes it impossible for heroes to even be around them without trying to stop them? Will they force every scene they enter to become a combat scene or similar?

Consequences

Or: "Beating the Bad Guy." While our game, of course, functions by the rules of consent-based role-play, it also follows the principle that In Character Actions merit In Character Consequences. Further, we're a game that tells stories about heroes in extraordinary worlds. While villains certainly play a vital role in these worlds, the game is primarily telling the stories of our "heroes" more than our "villains." In practical terms, this means that at the end of each story arc, the heroes generally win and the villains generally lose. Sometimes the villains may gain the upper hand for a time, and they can certainly be expected to have their own successes along the way. However, sooner or later, the villain's behavior may reach a scope where it cannot realistically be tolerated. At that point, the heroes will very likely take action against the villain, and at some point the villain may need to be defeated. If you aren't sure where that line is, we encourage you to contact staff for help deciding.

Not all villains equally necessitate such ends, of course. A character might be an ongoing villain or antagonist for years while never crossing enough of a line to draw decisive consequences from the heroes. A more cautious villain will last a lot longer in the world by avoiding discovery or confrontation. On other hand, someone who overtly slaughters innocent people is going to have the heroes out to stop them quite quickly, and before long it just makes good sense that they would be able to do so. Now, this does not mean that the villain character needs to die or even be made indefinitely unplayable. They might have to run away, reinvent themselves, find a new hideout, forge a new identity, and even perhaps lie low for a while. The point is, for villain characters "consequences" means that eventually the heroes are going to defeat them.

If playing a villain, please be prepared to face this consequence when it is natural for the story. However, staff will always be willing to help you do what you must to make your character work again, post-defeat, so that their story can continue.