So, you've found yourself tumbling through a portal...
You may be slightly disoriented, but don't worry. We're here to help you settle in and make yourself at home.
Character Creation:
* Like every other RP, characters will be posted and free for players to claim. Each player must have two active characters in the game (minimum) and they must be opposite in some way. One of the things that harms RPs is a lack of balance. So, for instance, if you have a female character, make your second one a male. If you create a strong, dashing hero, make your second character walk on the dark side. We want to see you stretch your imaginations and skills as writers, and generally have more fun by creating not just "characters you'd usually play".
* For those bringing characters from Blood And Ice (or other pre-existing OCs, with permission), you have a choice. You can claim one of the roles from the list of available roles with that character, or you can create a custom role for your Blood And Ice character. Your character will need a job/role in the town, and will be given a secret magical power. There is no royalty in this story, so if you played the Prince, you may think about becoming the town's Mayor. If you came from a poor house, perhaps your job is baking the best pastries in Ashenbourne! Of course, you can change it up and have fun thinking how your medieval character would adapt to the more modern-ish world. Do they maintain their old traditions and ways of thinking, or embrace new ideas?
* Once you fall through the portal, you change a bit. In addition to immortality for as long as you remain on the Isle, you will discover you have a power you didn't have before. The power will be one that's kind of random, but also suited to your character's persona. Nope, you don't get to pick your own. You'll have to learn to use your newfound talent to your advantage. Some may choose to be supernatural beings with traditional supernatural being powers and weaknesses. (Vampires can't hang out in the sun, faeries can fly around when no one's watching, mages can learn the secret of traveling from Ashenbourne to Earth and back). This is a totally optional thing meant to spice up the game. All characters are always in adult human form in public. You may not play someone's dog or cat. :P However, you may secretly be a shifter.
* There are no cell phones, wi-fi, automobiles, or cable services in Ashenbourne. This place is about 20 years behind the times for the most technologically adept. When you fill out your character application, there will be a space that says "Technology (1-5).
Level 1 means you're still in the medieval era. Level 2 is for our Baroque and Victorian-type friends (18th and 19th century). Level 3 is Prohibition and Great Gatsby-inspired (Belle Epoque through 1940's). Level 4 puts you smack in the middle of Pleasantville, with the black and white world of the 1950's. Level 5, the most advanced, is from 1980's-the current day. Your technology level corresponds with when your character stepped through the portal, for the most part. However, if you want to play a blacksmith who is a tech genius, go for it! For the most part, the most technologically advanced characters will have landlines in their homes and a TV with a DVD player, or maybe a computer that still sports cutting edge Windows 98!
* Ashenbourne has developed its own economy, with a thriving black market run by those who find enterprising ways to get things, and goods usually brought in by those characters who travel back to Earth. This is not a modern-day RP. Things we take for granted in our world may be luxuries in Ashenbourne. On your application, you'll be asked to rank "Wealth" from 1-5, taking into account what you do in Ashenbourne, what you had with you upon arrival, and the connections you have to get/buy/trade things. Everyone can't be rich, and everyone can't be poor, so keep that in mind. We want to have a great assortment of people.
* Throughout history, some figures have been more well-known than others. On your application, you'll be asked to give yourself a "Notoriety" ranking, from 1-5. Has your character been a talented performer on Ashenbourne for the past few centuries, or were you a movie star on Earth? Were you a leader or military general trying to escape death? Did your disappearance make headlines? "Notoriety" can change how people treat you and how you behave towards others, so choose carefully. Not everyone can be famous, or infamous, so don't give us a world full of rich, powerful, spoiled brats--but one or two, we can live with.
*Some characters will specify jobs, talents, or relationships. These are just guidelines, but we do expect everyone to play all the aspects of the character bio. We had too many on the last RP who ignored what they didn't like even though it was a part of the plot. Don't do this. I work very hard on writing characters that aren't tropes and have something interesting to do, so please keep everything in the short character bio as part of your character, while still making it your own.
* How did you get to Ashenbourne? Did you fall into a portal when it looked like that earthquake was definitely going to kill you, wander into a field while looking at the stars, or did you have a friend who whispered the knowledge of how to disappear and get away from an uncomfortable situation? The story of how you arrived and who or what you brought with you is a fascinating part of the tale, so make it interesting!
* Characters do not age on Ashenbourne. If you were unfortunate enough to arrive with a crying infant in your arms, you will have a crying infant forever unless you find out the secret of how to take a short visit to Earth every now and then. This means characters do not die of old age. You may count your age from the year you were born to 2020, but you'll always be the age you were when you arrived. For those who travel to Earth, you'll age a year for every week you're traveling outside of Ashenbourne.
Now that you have your Ashenbourne ID and passport, it's time to get to know the town's infamous landmarks!