Rules/FAQ

[allthescience]

RULES and FAQ

RULES

1. No wank. You are not here to hurt other players. If we find that you are doing so in any fashion, you will be permanently banned from the game. You should be able to communicate with one another and/or make use of a person's HMD if you have issues with them. Only serious matters should be taken to the mods, as we would prefer you work out your own issues without relying on a mod to mediate. We will if necessary, but it shouldn't be the first resort.

2. No infomodding. If you have the player's permission, only then is it permissible. Otherwise, we try not to out villains without player permission, because we enjoy their evil sneaky shenanigans.

3. No godmodding. You do not get to decide how another character reacts to or is influenced by your character's actions.

4. Adult content is limited. The game is primarily PG-13. If your post contains particularly violent or sexual material, lock it and label it. Failure to do so will result in deletion of the post.

5. Stay IC. The premise of the dressing room allows characters a lot of leeway in terms of character growth and you can put them in unique situations they otherwise wouldn't really see otherwise. However, it's important that your character retains their core personality and values. This is the one rule that's more of a suggestion, just keep it in mind as players are less likely to tag characters who behave OOCly. Do your best!

FAQ

Can I create my own faction?
Yes! As long as you have at least two characters (played by different people) who are willing to participate, you are allowed to apply for and create a faction or sub-faction. The mods will ask for a write-up as to what the faction is about and who's ICly involved in order to include the information on the Factions page. Try not to duplicate the roles of any existing factions. If the goals are too similar, consider a subfaction. For instance, the Peacekeepers could have a specialized division of healing characters that they dispatch to troubled areas, or The Alliance may have a specialized division of spies or thieves. They're still technically members of the main faction, but they have their own leader. Factions are a great way to generate plots and CR, and we highly encourage people to join one or create their own.

How much mod involvement can we expect? How much freedom do we have as players?
Mod direction is minimal. We will post events sporadically, on average about once a month, but the majority of the RP and gameplay should come from the players. Please communicate and plot with each other, and do so often!

Can I app in with CRAU from other games?
Sure!

How often do characters get affected by reality shifts when visiting different worlds? Will I turn into a pony *EVERY* time I visit Equestria?
This is completely up to the player. Occasionally, if someone is running a plot they may ask that characters be changed for a specific purpose, but in general the change is OOCly optional. The type of form your character takes is optional as well. For example, if Harry Dresden and Sailor Mars rush to the world of Pokemon, Harry might emerge as a 12-year-old Pokemon trainer, and Sailor Mars might be a very angry Psyduck. There are only two limitations: 1) You won't be changed into a non-living or inanimate object (so you don't have to worry about changing into a local port-a-potty); and 2) You won't be changed into a character that already exists in that world (no Snoopy clones).

Are there IC rules? Can my character break them?
Central City's primary rule is 'No violence.' Robots will shoot lasers at anyone causing damage to people or property. This doesn't mean your character will be immediately jailed or killed, but if you plan to inflict damage, please make sure you have OOC permission first. The factions have their own sets of rules, which can be found on the Factions page. If it would be IC for your character to break the rules, go right ahead! Just make sure you're OOCly okay with any reasonable consequences that may result.

What if I have an idea for a plot or event?
You should speak up, we love plots! You can contact the mods privately (please send a PM to allthescience with your idea, and if it's suitable for the dressing room, you can expect to see it go up soon. While the mods tentatively plan on having one unique event/theme a month, there could easily be more if there's a lot of event ideas in the queue.

Can my character visit a non-fandom world that I just made up?
Of course! Feel free to world-build all you wish. We encourage creativity, so if there isn't an existing setting that suits your needs, you know what to do.

Are there power limits? Or do superpowered dudes get to keep all their superpowers? No powers? Some powers? Random powers?
There are no power limits beyond what you, the player, impose upon your character. As long as you aren't godmoding or finding ways to break the game just because you can, you're allowed to play your character as they are in canon.

Do characters get to keep their original forms while in the Central City? Even if it isn't entirely human, like, say, someone composed of energy, or a talking sponge, or a sassy cat?
Yes, you get to keep your original form. If your character would have a tough time navigating Central City in that form, you can assume that talking to Kit Walker (the science NPC) resulted in the creation of a device that temporarily "normalized" them to a comfortable degree.

Can my character meet the same character played by someone else?
If that's what shakes your happy tree, go for it.

What if I want to apply for a character who died previously in canon?
Science will make it work. The SDDT is a fairly neutral faction that may find some 'convenient' way to bring in your character before he or she died. Alternatively, The Alliance might have found a way to revive your character if they think that person would be useful for their purposes. Flex your creative muscles, we try not to be too hardheaded about this.

How long has the ability to travel been established?
Officially, five years. The discovery was made earlier than that, but the scientific process that formalizes inter-reality relations was set in place five years ago. As such, there are some worlds that have grown accustomed to having visitors pass through. Some have organized vacation agencies or school field trips to take advantage of inter-reality travel.

What about my character's world, how long have they known about this?
It's up to you! The character's world might have been the first one contacted, or range all the way to complete and utter ignorance to this day.

How does the radio work?
Once your character joins a faction, they are generally issued a radio at no charge and allowed access to that faction's secure frequency. If your character is unaffiliated, they can buy a radio in Central City. Communications for faction-specific channels are considered unhackable by default, but if everyone involved is okay with a communication being hacked, you're free to have it happen. A character who belongs to more than one faction may have access to multiple channels.

A yellow sash/scarf won't work for my character. Can I get a substitute?
You can ask a member of the SDDT to design something specifically for your character, but it may take up to two weeks to get it finished depending on what you want done.

I'm playing a villain. Can my character still travel through Central City, or create a faction?
Yes, and yes. As long as the character abides by the rules of Central City (no violence/destruction), there's nothing preventing them from moving through the area. Peacekeepers and other law-enforcement factions are encouraged to carry out arrests outside of Central City, as too many civilians would be endangered as the result of a struggle. There's also the problem of being located in what appears to be a giant cave. Lots of violence, rocks fall, everyone dies. No one wants that. As for factions, there is no IC regulating overseer regarding faction creation. Many factions choose to place their HQ in Central City because of its policy of strict neutrality, so a villainous faction could very well place their HQ across the street from the Peacekeepers just to be a bunch of dicks. Characters who want to create a subfaction generally need the head faction's approval or permission, however.

Is there a mayor, or some sort of government involvement in Central City?
No, Central City is a free city. The Peacekeepers are volunteers, and though governments from other worlds may fund their efforts in order to keep their worlds safe from external criminals, anyone can live or work in Central City.

Locations

[allthescience]

LOCATIONS

Central City

An enormous city of steel structures and gleaming floors. One would be hard-pressed to call this place beautiful, but as far as functionality goes, it does what it was meant to do. There is no sky; it appears to be located in an enormous cavern of dark stone, illuminated by a large flood light fixed to the ceiling meant to simulate the light of the sun. It dims to a moonlight setting at 8:00 p.m. sharp, and gradually grows back to brightness between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. The streets are spotted with lamps, and in the deeper parts of the cave, one can see luminescent ores that radiate a soft yellow glow.

The main spread of the city lies in the center, where most people gather to trade, live, and rest. Here one can find restaurants, small shops, a branch of the Peacekeeper Headquarters, a job board, and several sturdy (if starkly decorated) apartment buildings. It costs nothing to stay here, whether the lodging is temporary or permanent. There's a currency exchange stall where travelers can trade in their cash for the preferred currency of other worlds. Someone seems to have tried to add a little greenery and life to the area, as there are flower planters and hangers here and there. But further investigation reveals that the plants are plastic, and the flowers are silk.

Finally, to the north is the biggest building, where the ambassadors from different worlds meet, form treaties, and set up trade routes. As more and more worlds become aligned, the busier this location becomes. There are four floors to this enormous place, which is fitted with several conference rooms designed to accommodate even large-sized ambassadors. Those who are still too large can either send a proxy with a recording device to transmit messages to and from the ambassador, or they can see Kit Walker in the tech department about being temporarily shrunken. ...It's usually temporary.

In order to travel to and from other worlds and realities, there are rail cars extending over the vast ravines separating the main "island" from the others. Instead of swinging doors, there are large circular pads for one or several people to stand on, with a terminal to type in your destination. After entering your destination, a picture of the world will appear (or several) with the words 'CONFIRM?' to let you touch whichever picture best matches your intended location. After selecting the picture, teleportation takes place in exactly ten seconds. Unless you're wearing your scarf, you will not be able to transfer yourself to any other reality.

Troublemakers, be warned. Any acts of violence will immediately bring out the automated security force: floating machines that will shoot at you with lasers. A first offense will receive the stun setting, but if this becomes habit, the attacks will be far harsher, possibly even lethal. There is zero tolerance for murder and mayhem in Central; it is neutral ground, and all who enter here are expected to respect it as such.

Unique Threats: Flying Laser Robots
Factions Present: Peacekeepers (HQ), SDDT (HQ)
Inhabitants: No native inhabitants; residents either temporarily or permanently relocate from their home worlds.

Earth (Buso Renkin)

The Earth setting of Buso Renkin is very similar to modern-day Earth, with a few supernatural elements to it. The presence of homunculi, for one thing, is a big difference, as is the presence of The Alchemical Army which was created to combat the L.X.E. organization. Those who possess a kakugane, a hexagonal emblem, are able to manifest a weapon that is shaped by its user's personality. For many years The Alchemical Army fought against homunculi, as they dined primarily upon humans. Most homunculi now dwell upon the moon, safe and far away from people, and the Alchemical Army's new goal is to research a method to revert a homunculus back into a human being. If one is lucky, one might catch a glimpse of the flamboyant local celebrity Papillon, an enigmatic man in an alarmingly tight bodysuit who wears a butterfly mask.

Unique Threats: Homunculi
Inhabitants: Primarily humans, some homunculi

Realm of Monsters

Access to this realm is restricted, as the way is not well known by most denizens of the world. But those who are unlucky enough to find the entrance, as well as strong enough to open the way, and ballsy enough to just jump right down the seemingly endless chute, will find themselves surrounded by the strangely beautiful dark and neon colors of the Realm of Monsters. All manner of creatures dwell within this place, and every single one of them poses a deadly threat, even to each other. The monsters hate humans in particular and won't hesitate to eat them. It is within this terrible place that Tamatoa has made his lair. But why would you go here? It's much better to explore the islands up above where the mortals live and enjoy a nice tropical vacation.

Unique Threats: Assorted carnivorous monsters
Inhabitants: See above


* * * * *

To add a world, please fill out the following form. Don't be afraid to elaborate, and feel free to include links and pictures! You may also go spartan with your description if there's not much to say. This is just a template, you can eliminate, edit, or add what you need. If you want to make a straight up copy-paste HTML code, use the 'textarea' tags when pasting your comment.

<b>Location Name:</b> [The name of your world, country, city, etc. If it's a world that shares it's name with other worlds (such as Earth), include the canon version beside it. 'Earth (Buso Renkin)' for example.] <b>Description:</b> [What kind of technology would the average person expect to find? Are there any notable threats? How would you sum up the local populace?] <b>Reality Rules:</b> [If a character were to travel to this world, how would it change them? What sort of options are there?] <b>Current Inhabitants:</b> [List any native sentient species who live here.] <b>Headquarters:</b> [If any factions have an outpost or headquarters stationed here, please let us know.] <b>OOC Notes:</b> [Anything you want players to know, put info here.] <b>Miscellaneous:</b> [Anything else you want to say? If not, you can remove this section.]

Factions

[allthescience]

FACTIONS

Having existed for over five years, it's only natural that a few factions and organizations have formed during that time. The currently existing factions are listed below. Keep in mind that, for the most part, this information is on an OOC basis only. Your character wouldn't automatically know where a villain faction's secret base is located, for example.

Peacekeepers

Headquarters Location: Central City
Role: The Peacekeepers serve as the official law enforcement agency of the united worlds and realities. Their job is to preserve the sanctity of a world's reality as best they can, provide aid to those in need, and fight the threat of invasion from evil forces. Though they are primarily combat-oriented, there are those who join as diplomats, healers, and even the occasional lawyer or shopkeeper might join if it seems necessary and beneficial.
Rules:
1. As an organization, it is not a peacekeeper's job to interfere in the internal affairs of another world. Peacekeepers are expected to protect worlds from the undue and/or negative influence of external forces. While the members of the Peacekeepers will not be restrained from fighting the battles of their own world, or offering aid to the worlds of others, they cannot do so wearing the emblem of the Peacekeepers, or acting as an elected representative.
2. Respect the laws, religions, and traditions of the other worlds. If they request that you alter your physical reality to fit theirs before visiting, please honor this request.
3. Minimize collateral damage. Avoid injuring civilians whenever possible.
4. If you destroy or damage something, do everything in your power to fix it. A Peacekeeper cleans up after his/her own mess.
5. If you do not label your food in the community refrigerator, it will be thrown out on Friday.
6. Give aid when it is requested. Do not force technology or assistance where it is not wanted, or where it could harm a world's culture.
7. Report unusual or suspicious activity. After completing a mission, please submit an incident report at your earliest opportunity.
8. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Science & Development Dispatch Team (SDDT)

Led By: Kit Walker (Informal)
Headquarters Location: Central City
Role: The SDDT's mission is to improve the technology used to travel between worlds. Often the SDDT is the first to explore new worlds to collect data about the geography and inhabitants. They also provide helpful information to people and government bodies, when requested.
Rules:
1. The SDDT does not engage in conflict. Self-defense is permitted, but members of the SDDT should entrust matters of conflict to Peacekeepers or other combat-designated factions.
2. Do not harm the natives of a place where you are assigned to collect data and samples. This includes the flora and fauna.
3. If a world is judged too primitive to benefit from inter-reality travel, or if a world would be put at enormous risk from receiving visitors, it must be removed from the travel network. All data regarding these worlds is considered classified and must not be shared outside of the SDDT.
4. Never navigate a new world alone. You must have at least one other teammate with you to ensure the maximum safety of yourself and others.
5. You are not required to share sensitive information when it is requested. If you feel threatened, or suspicious of someone else's motives concerning their request for knowledge, speak with an authorized SDDT team member before proceeding to share information and records.
6. Be professional and courteous to your fellow teammates.

The Alliance

Headquarters Location: TBD
Role: The Alliance is a loosely organized group of villains, marauders, thieves. Overall they're a fairly chaotic bunch interested in exploiting the possibility of new worlds, whether it's to harvest rare minerals or straight up conquer nations, and they figured it was better to do so in a loosely organized group rather than acting alone and getting stomped by the Peacekeepers. Cooperation isn't guaranteed, but it does have its advantages, and most keep a currency of favors.
Rules:
1. Work out your own problems. If two members don't like each other, tough it out or beat each other up. No one is obligated to play mediator.
2. Don't betray each other. You don't necessarily have to help each other, but traitors will be punished.
3. No romantic relations with Peacekeepers. That's only going to get messy, and confidential information may get leaked.
4. Keep each other's information confidential. You don't want someone else revealing your secret plans? Don't reveal theirs.
5. Communicate. Make reports if other members of the Alliance should be warned of potential hazards and Peacekeeper interference.
6. Potential recruits must undergo a one-month trial period before being officially admitted to The Alliance and given access to our base. If any member has a serious objection (i.e. 'this person is likely a spy', not 'I don't like him wehhhhhh'), the application will be rejected. Feel free to make use of the recruits as your own personal lackeys or accomplices, but they are to be treated as a potential future resource, not a disposable scapegoat.