Guide

The Easy Guide for Applying to LITHMORE
If you're thinking, "Man, this is a lot to read just to apply to a game," then here's the good news: you don't have to read all of it! This wiki is here as a permanent reference and resource, not as a bunch of stuff you have to memorize before writing your application. You can refer back to whatever you need to refer back to whenever you need to. Let's walk through the application step-by-step, now, and we'll direct you to the articles you'll need in order to fill it out.

Why do you need my name as the player?
It doesn't have to be your real name. It can be your online handle or nickname or anything you want. We just need a name by which to refer to you.

Why do you need my contact information?
In case there's an issue with your application or we need to get in contact with you for some reason. What method of contact you give us is up to you. It could be your e-mail address, your AIM screenname, your plurk name, a private journal we can PM, your full address and social security number...Whatever you please.

Why do I have to be over 18 to join this game?
Because this is an adult game with adult concepts and will likely include adult imagery. It may not be pornographic in nature, but we would rather not make our players feel uncomfortable or feel the need to self-censor because children might be reading.

How do I write my character's name?
In Western order: (given name) (surname). Even if your character's name is written another way in their canon, this is the order to be used within the setting of the game. It is, however, common for a person to be referred to by surname alone - or in the case of nobility, by lands (e.g. the Earl of Surrey would be called "Surrey" by his peers). For this section of the application, however, just give us their given name and surname.

But my character doesn't have a surname at all!
Then it's your character's lucky day - you're about to give them one! Invent a surname for your character. If your character is a noble, their surname likely matches their House. If a peasant or freeman, it probably describes their profession or their father's profession (e.g. Taylor, Smith). A surname can also be patronymical (Johannson, Robinson) or describe a location close to their family's home (Hill, Pitt).

What do you mean by "CANON"?
The book/webcomic/movie/show/series your character is originally from. This is an AU game, but we would just like to know for reference.

But this is my own character!
Then instead of naming a canon, you should write "original". Original characters are allowed in the game.

My character looks 10 but is actually 300 years old.
For the purposes of this game, they must now actually be 10 years old. Immortals do not exist within the setting of the game, even among the mage population. Even the undead are only capable of surviving for about five years before the magic that sustains them begins to fail. Mages also do not have the ability to alter their appearance for long periods of time. Short answer: your character must be as old as they look.

How do I figure out my character's ethnicity?
Choose a region that best suits them. If you've decided they should be of mixed race, go ahead and choose several. This can describe both their racial background and their cultural background, the place they were born. If your character is Daravi, they should keep that fact secret or risk imprisonment (or worse); pretending to be Farin is a good cover for them. Choose only regions from the game setting and do not write something like "Caucasian" or "Japanese".

My character isn't even human. What now?
Congratulations! Your character is now human. Humans are the only playable species in the game. If alterations to their appearance are necessary, note that in the APPEARANCE section below.

What do you mean by "CLASS"?
This refers to social class, which is an important aspect of the game's theme. Those in a higher class enjoy more political benefits but are limited socially when it comes to things like marrying for love or behaving promiscuously. If your character is born to a low class, it's not likely they'll ever advance higher. The few who manage it usually do so by joining the Holy Order or the Knights Lithmorran. For the purposes of this section of the application, mention only the social class they were born into.

What do you mean by "PROFESSION"?
This is what your character does for a living. It could be anything conceivable in 16th Century Europe. If your character is the head of a noble House, mention that. Guild leaders must be mod-approved, and any applications that mention a character's existing membership in a guild will be approved by the leader of that guild. For example, if your character has been a Knight for ten years, your application will have to be approved by the Knights' guild leader as well as the application team. If your character wants to become a Knight but is not one yet, then guild leader approval is not necessary.

What even is the deal with guild leaders?
Guild leaders are kind of like helper mods. They're extremely powerful characters, but they're also responsible for any trouble their subordinates get into, and they have to keep their guild organized and sometimes run events. Guild leaders are usually mod-appointed trusted players who have a history of showing responsibility and dedication to plots. It may be difficult to apply for a guild leader position right off the bat. Speak to a mod before applying.

What is a "played-by"?
When people apply for original characters, book characters or any other characters without existing canon images, they choose a PB or "played-by" representation. That is, an actor or celebrity or an obscure drawn character who will represent the character's appearance in icons and in game. This helps other players to visualize characters who are otherwise text-only.

What counts as a "defect"?
The wording of the Erra Pater is extremely vague and subjective. Dwarfism, albinism, heterochromia, polydactyly and other mutations may be considered "defects" in the eyes of the Inquisition. Supernatural traits such as wings or horns would arouse even more suspicion. If your character has these traits in canon but you would like to eliminate them in game, make note of that in the APPEARANCE section. Luckily, defects alone are not proof enough of magery (after all, the character could be an unfortunate victim of magic). However, if your character ever falls under suspicion, a defect may be included in a list of proof against them. Count it as an automatic "one strike" against them.

But my character has weird anime hair!
Colorful hair dye happens to be in fashion, especially in Tubor. You do not need to alter your character's hair color.

What should I include in "HISTORY"?
This is a summary of your character's life story within the setting of the game. Where they were born, maybe who their parents are, what it was like for them growing up and how they came to their current profession or situation in life. Meticulous detail is unnecessary; this is a summary after all. Avoid including other playable characters in your character's history as much as possible unless you have obtained permission from that player to include them. This is to ensure that no one feels obligated to write a history that matches yours. This is an AU game, after all, and the AU can be as different from canon as you like. This section should be between 300 and 500 words.

What should I include in "PERSONALITY"?
Describe your character's behavior, habits, strengths, weaknesses, and general psychology. This is the real meat of the character, and even though they may be AU, their personality should match their canon characterization, even if the details of their emotional journey are changed to fit the setting. This section should be between 500 and 700 words.

What even is a "SAMPLE THREAD"?
Unlike most games, LITHMORE relies primarily on face-to-face interaction and not on any sort of "online network". Rather than the standard "1st person" and "3rd person" application sample, you must post to the game's test post, where you will thread with another player within the game's setting as a sample of how you would actually play that character in game. When you link to this thread in your application, the team will judge how closely the character in play matches the described personality. Your character must have made at least 10 comments to the thread before you submit your application. It's up to you whether you want the thread to be "prose" style or "action" style. Characterization is the key.

But what if no one tags my character in the test post?!
Don't worry. Someone from the application team will jump in and thread with you.

Am I finished yet?
Yes, unless you want your character to be a mage.

So what if I want my character to be a mage?
There is an extra application to fill out in addition to the normal one. The mage application can be filled out when you're first applying or even well after your character has already been in game. In fact, you might want to try playing a regular character for a while before leaping in to the dangerous aspect of magery. After all, mages are actively hunted by the population and death is permanent unless your character becomes undead through gameplay (and that ain't pretty). So make sure you're really, really sure you want to do this.

What is this "MOON" thing?
All magic in the game is tied to the moons. You have to select one (and only one) to align your mage character with. Each moon provides a different set of abilities, so choose carefully. You can't switch later.

How do spells work?
Basically, your mage character draws a sigil with their blood. It could be anywhere. On a wall, on a cobblestone, on their arm, on a piece of paper... Anywhere. The point is that this sigil is the conduit through which they harness their moon's power. When the blood dries, or if the sigil is destroyed (e.g. by washing away or tearing up), the effects of the spell immediately vanish.

What do sigils look like?
That is unique to every mage. Google "magic sigils" and you'll see thousands of them. If you don't want to draw your own sigils for your mage application, you can steal an image from the internet. The variations are literally countless.

What kind of spells can my character have?
Anything. Well, with a few limitations. They only get three spells to begin with and each spell must relate to the sort of magic associated with their moon. Thus, a mage aligned with Elliueh cannot have a fire spell. Also, a spell cannot have unlimited range. A spell meant for a single target will be much more effective than a spell cast on an entire room of people. For example, if your mage tries to cause an earthquake to destroy the whole Cathedral of Lithmore during the height of mass, they'll only manage a slight tremor. Sneak up on a pastor by himself and use the same spell on him alone, and your mage might manage to make the earth split open and swallow him up. Use discretion when you come up with your spells. And remember: the spell wears off when the blood sigil dries or is destroyed. This gives spells a limit of 5 minutes or so.

What is this "NOTES" section?
We assume you want to keep your character's magery a secret, so if there's something about their history or personality you didn't mention in their original application, here is the place to include it.