Gameplay FAQ

Getting Started

How do I start playing?

The Getting Started portal is probably going to be most helpful in this respect. It will go over how to register, create a sheet, and start your first thread.

I'm having trouble entering the game. Can a mod make a special thread just for my entrance?

You will have to make your own entry thread or participate in an open, multiple-player entry thread. If you're stumped for ideas, just go with the basics: your character enters the city in the usual manner, or, if you're already living in the city, write about your character taking a stroll. But don't wait for the action to come to you! You should have a good idea about where you want to take your character; consider using your entry thread to jump-start your plotline.

Your Character

Can I make a character from another kingdom than Anaxas?

Yes, you are allowed to create a foreign character, even if it's your first one. The only condition to this is the character cannot be played in those locations yet. The Geography page lists all the kingdoms on the continent where the game takes place. The ones with a star beside the name are closed to character creation, but otherwise you can indeed create a character hailing from other locations than Anaxas. If you need any additional information about the country, send the site administrator an email.

Why wasn't my sheet approved?

We want everyone to have full creative control of their character, but sometimes there are continuity problems, or other issues that arise when a character sheet is submitted. A moderator will tell you what you need to work on, whether you need to write more, or be more specific, or fix some spelling mistakes.

To avoid this, please read the wiki and become well acquainted with the world of Vita. The more you know, the better your character will integrate into his or her surroundings and the better the gaming experience will be. Also, make sure to spell-check your sheet and use good grammar; be descriptive and specific, and don't skimp on the sections. (See the sample character sheet for an example.) Please don't get discouraged if you aren't approved right away; most sheets have at least one error or issue that needs editing.

Why do I have to wait TWO WEEKS after making a character to make another?

Because we want you to take character creation seriously and take the time to get your character started in the world. If you're pumping out character sheets like a factory, you're probably not thinking seriously about using your character for roleplay.

I wanted my character to be seen as ______, but instead, everybody seems him as ______. How can I fix this?

This happens far more often than you'd think. You create a character and you want everyone to fear them, or respect them, or like them. But to your surprise, no one feels this way about your character. The fact is, no matter how much you may want everyone to react a certain way to your character, this game is a lot like the real world: you can't control the reactions of others. You can't just say "my character is universally respected"; you're not in control of the whole universe!

In order to gain a specific reaction from other characters and NPCs, your character must earn it. To use an example, you may want your character to be seen as hilarious, but unless you actually play him to be hilarious, no one else is going to see it that way.

If your character is getting the opposite reaction that you wanted, you're probably not playing him with that goal in mind at all times. Read over your backstory and see if you are playing your character in a way that fits the story you wrote for him. If you wrote him to be an incorrigible trickster, are you playing him that way? If you created him to be frightening, but everyone treats him like a joke, are you actually being frightening enough?

Sometimes, trying TOO hard to get a certain reaction can cause the opposite effect. Have you ever met someone who is convinced that they're the funniest guy on earth, but they aren't actually all that funny? Everyone goes out of their way to avoid laughing at their jokes.

Can I change something in my character sheet once I've already started playing?

Once your sheet has been approved, you can't change anything previously established in your character's history (such as important backstory events), but you may update certain sections to reflect new information. For example, if your character drastically changed his appearance or had a change of personality for whatever reason, it is a good idea to alter your sheet. You will also regularly update your Skills, Inventory and possibly Housing, as well as add your Thread Lists.

Plots and Posting

I have a great character, but I'm having trouble coming up with a plotline. Help!

In many cases, you can begin playing by jumping in on the storylines of others, either as a minor character or as a main player. After finishing a few of these you might feel more confident to start a story of your own.

Remember, Thorns is not just an action game! Your story doesn't have to be about politics or warfare. It could be something simpler, like getting a job or falling in love.

If you're really struggling, reach out to one of the Mods or Admin.

Am I allowed to post in more than one thread at a time?

Yes. Please watch the timestamps in the thread titles closely, so you don't overlap, and be careful about contradictions with the timeline (you don't want to have your character be mortally wounded in one thread and perfectly fine an hour later in another thread). Please don't post in too many threads or there will be an increased chance of these contradictions. A good number to shoot for is no more than five at once.

I want to get to Vienda from Brunnhold. Do I have to roleplay that trip?

If you want to, you certainly can! You might meet highwaymen or traveling wicks, or have other adventures. If you don't want to roleplay, just assume your trip was uneventful and arrive at the city. Please allow one whole day for travel, except in certain circumstances (like if your character has an aeroship and needs to be in the city by midnight, or something).

My roleplay is moving to another location in the game. Do I have to start a new thread, or can I keep writing in my thread?

Let's say Sally, Danny, Penny and Kerry are in a library thread together. Sally and Danny decide to go hang out at the coffee house. They would have to create a new thread for the coffee house, with a new location and time, so Penny and Kerry could continue to enjoy the first thread uninterrupted. This is to prevent confusion for other players in the thread.

On the other hand, if Sally and Danny are in a thread by themselves, chatting on a rooftop, and decide to take a walk, a new thread is not necessary. If the action is uninterrupted, and the characters in the thread simply move seamlessly from one spot to the next, it's not necessary to begin a new thread.

If there is a significant time lapse/location change (for example - several hours later, or in a completely different part of the city), you should probably create a new thread. There are several reasons why. A new setting will require a new setting description, for one. The new setting might have a completely different mood. Also, the timestamp in the thread title would be significantly different. If you didn't create a new thread, and your timestamp read "Morning," people reading the thread might be confused when it suddenly becomes nighttime!

Each thread, ideally, should be a moment in time and space. If the location or time changes considerably, the thread should change. Think of it like scenes in a movie.

Why don't you allow OOC posts in RP threads?

Two reasons. One, OOC posts break the continuity of a roleplay, especially if multiple OOC replies are made. Imagine if you were reading a book and suddenly the story was interrupted by a bunch of random people commenting on it.

The Roleplay Discussion forum exists for any and all OOC discussion of roleplay. Please don't hesitate to make a thread to discuss (or comment on) ANY roleplay thread. (The author of the thread in question might appreciate someone taking the time to do this!)

It says I can leave OOC comments on Solo threads. Is it...is it true?

Yes. Feel free to make OOC comments in these threads (using the OOC code, [ooc][/ooc]). Try not to go off-topic. This option is available so that Solo threads do not fall off the board almost as soon as they are written, and also to encourage feedback and discussion of plots and writing. As an author of a Solo thread you have the option of disallowing comments; they are allowed by default. If you don't wish to receive comments on your thread, simply indicate your wishes in an OOC remark.

I see that the Slang page lists a lot of alternative curse words. Do actual curse words exist in the game world, and if so, are they ok to use?

Yes, they do exist. We encourage you to use the specific Thorns curses but you are free to use more "colorful" language if the situation calls for it. We're all adults here.

No one's responding to my thread! How can I get more attention?

Sometimes threads slip between the cracks for one reason or another.

• Your thread might be missing a date or set for a date that is either too far ahead or too far behind the current roleplay date. Check the wiki home page for the current game date, which is set at a general estimate for the current overall time period.
• Your thread might be in an uncertain area. If you don't put a location, no one will know if their character can run into your character; this can happen if you post in Elsewhere. In games like this you need to make yourself as available for RP as possible. Look in the Geography section and click on the cities for some specific locations where people can gather.
• Your thread might be too vague in what you want to accomplish. Sometimes posting "just hanging out" threads will attract others, but it's rare. People want to post in threads where they think there will be some plot, something interesting. If your character is just walking around hoping to run into people, they have little reason to stop and talk to your character. Try posting a thread where your character is looking for someone, trying to accomplish something or doing something interesting.
• You might have forgotten to specify the type of thread in your title, so people might not know if your thread is open to anyone or if you made it for someone specific.
• If you're brand new, it's possible that no one knows you yet! Pop into chat to say hi and meet people; post in General Thorns to introduce yourself, and advertise your new thread in Roleplay Discussion. Meeting people on chat is a good way to arrange for two characters to meet.

It says in here that I shouldn't play to win. Does that mean I can't try to succeed?

Winning is the object of many other games, but not this one. There is no real way to "win" this game. However, players tend to have a natural urge to want to see their character succeed. This is expected, but creates a problem when character oppose one another in RP.

Think of roleplaying like reading your favorite book. If the main character succeeds at everything he or she does, it's a boring story. It's also frustrating for everyone else if your character is always successful; they will lose interest in your story. So while you can certainly try to succeed all the time, you won't always be able to. On the flip side, if you find yourself with a certain level of success, it might be worthwhile to consider creating conflict and challenges for your character.

This also means that your character doesn't always have to act in a manner you approve of. They can have flaws, act without justification and be prey to the same base human urges that we all have - jealousy, vanity, greed, etc. Trying to play a character without any character flaws is one way that some people try to "win", but trust me, people never root for the perfect characters. Readers like to see flawed, human characters that they can relate to.

There's not enough fighting. How can I get into more battles?

In this game, there is no reward for winning fights, apart from survival. Playing and enjoying the game is supposed to be its own reward. As such, we don't have many random encounters or NPCs who exist solely to fight your character.

However, if you're REALLY into combat roleplay, you can always get your character involved in situations where he will have to fight by joining the Seventen, the Bad Brothers or the resistance. Your character might have a dangerous career such as thief or spy.

Other Players

I'm not sure if I can hear/see everything that a player is saying to another player besides myself. Can I assume my character overheard?

If you have any doubts, ask. If the speaking player wrote anything like "whispered," "privately" or "took X aside", it's safe to assume your character is unaware of what is being said.

It is not polite to "overhear" things that are whispered or said in private. Always ask the player if it's all right if your character is eavesdropping - your unawareness might be key to their plot.

Someone in my thread is god-modding!

If your thread is being moderated, the moderator should have seen this and will have told the person to stop. If they do not, you should ignore any god-modded comments they may have made and wait for the mod to step in. If you have concerns about a specific player, contact the thread moderator or the site administrator (Muse, Khymarah, Bard or Morrigan) if your thread has no specific mod.

Someone in my thread is missing in action!

Tell a moderator and they will come up with a roleplay solution. We know that sometimes people have to deal with things in real life and cant be there for a thread, so the moderator will likely explain their absence or, in extreme circumstances, take over their character's actions for a few rounds, playing them as neutrally as possible.

If you enter a thread, please be reasonably sure that you can finish the roleplay. It is difficult to continue a thread when some of the players have stopped posting.

Moderators

What do the moderators do?

The moderators can set the scene, decide the outcome of major actions, and create NPCs for your character to interact with. Moderators add an element of unpredictability to the game, and make you think on your feet.

Mods will also act as mentors, and give advice if you need it. They will answer any question you have to the best of their ability. If you need help with your writing or plot development, send a private message to any moderator and they'll help you out. They also have many other duties, such as writing plots, working on the wiki and the game world, creating game events, and a myriad of other responsibilities.

Moderators are not there to write your story for you, write long involved posts specifically for your character or create a cast of NPCs for your convenience. You are in charge of your own story direction.

The moderator is writing a lot of things. Does my character see, hear and know all of this?

You may assume that your character knows everything the moderator describes, unless he or she directs a comment at a specific person. (If the moderator writes about the innermost thoughts of an NPC, you may not assume to know those thoughts, same as with any other player.) Sometimes moderators will point out specific things that your character might notice.

What does "decanonized" mean?

This is a measure taken by the mods when someone's post is no longer considered canon. If they broke the rules, assumed outcomes or wrote something totally not in keeping with the game world, a mod will decanonize (by writing a reply indicating that the thread is no longer canon) and lock the thread. We will then move the thread to the "Non-Canon" forum.

We do this in lieu of deleting threads because we recognize that while a post might be against the rules or not in keeping with the game world, it is still a creative endeavor and we want to give the writer a chance to save his or her writing before we delete the thread.

You may request that a decanonized thread be deleted if you don't want it to be in the Non-Canon forum.

There was no good reason for my action to fail. Why didn't the mod let my character succeed?

Sometimes the mods make decisions for broader story reasons that aren't immediately apparent. Sometimes, mods just want to shake things up a bit. The uncertainty of the game can be fun. Ask the moderator if you really want to know.

I don't like the decisions this mod is making. Can I get another mod instead?

First of all, mods make many decisions by consensus. We talk behind the scenes about threads, storylines and players. If a moderator has made a decision that you don't like, you can't simply ask for another moderator to take over, because in most situations the decision has been agreed upon by all the mods. It's a bit like running to dad when mom says no. It's disrespectful and it won't work.

Talk to the moderator in question if you feel a decision was unfair, explain your point of view calmly and respectfully, and don't beg or order them to change their minds.

If there is still an issue, reach out to one of the Admin to discuss further.

Can I request a specific moderator for a thread?

You must ask the mod in question first if they would mind moderating for you. The mods are very busy and might have many threads going on. If you are looking for a moderated NPC, reach out to a mod. Unmoderated NPC's can be controlled with some conditions.

How do mods make difficult decisions?

We use a combination of techniques; some mods prefer to go based on pure gut instinct when moderating close calls (such as two equally matched people fighting each other), while others refer to past threads and make what they deem to be the fairest decision. Some mods choose to make an unusual decision just to shake things up. Many of us employ dice or coin tosses in order when there is no obvious choice.

Whatever we do, we strive to make unbiased decisions that are in the best interests of the story.

What's in the secret mod forum?

If we told you, we'd have to kill you.

Actually it's not a secret. We have a general section where we discuss future game events and general policies, along with contests, promotions and anything else we're planning. We have a section where we discuss players and characters, which is mainly used for approving character sheets (each sheet gets its own mod thread for discussion and edits) and discussing any issues with players. We have a section where we discuss individual plotlines and threads. It's very boring and very practical, and not at all mysterious.

Non-Player Characters

Am I allowed to control any NPCs?

A player may control certain NPCs in a thread to move the action along or add flavor. These minor NPCs are known as greenshirts. The proper use of a greenshirt is to make minor adjustments to your character's actions that would be otherwise unexplainable - a stranger can direct your character to someone's house, for example, or tell him a piece of news that would have logically traveled to him. They also exist for convenience; if your character wants to buy a bagel at a bagel place, and you don't want to wait for a moderator to actually HAND him the bagel, it is acceptable to assume that he was successful.

For more information, and the rules on greenshirt usage, see the article on greenshirts.

I need my character to encounter a certain NPC. Can I ask a mod to play the NPC I need?

You can always ask a moderator to play a general type of NPC, such as a greengrocer or a clerk, if your character needs to interact with that sort of person. You can also ask to speak to a member of a certain orgaization, such as the Seventen or the Bad Brothers. Additionally, you can request to interact with an established NPC.

An NPC was really mean to my character for no apparent reason - why?

Don't take it personally. Some of the settings in this game are not idyllic; your character will run into a lot of people who are just plain jerks. You might also encounter people who are needlessly violent or even a little crazy. Be prepared for anything.