New Player Guide

Developing a Character Concept

When developing a character concept, the most important question you should ask yourself is "What do you want to play?" There is a vast diversity of character concepts that can thrive and grow within Haven. While we always appreciate you trying to fill an empty niche, we also want you to play a character you will truly enjoy.

While you consider what type of character you want to play, take an opportunity to explore our theme. You can be a Noble Huntsman of Arboren, a valiant Knight of Cindravale, a crafty Citizen Senator from Khournas, or the next DaVinci of Oculus. If you need help developing a concept, members of STAFF are happy to brainstorm with you.

If you are looking to fill a desired concept, please see our Wanted page.

Character Generation

This section will provide you a detailed walk-through of our character generation process. Each of these topics are linked in each of their corresponding rooms on the CharGEN grid.

Demographics

  • Naming Conventions: Since our game is based in a futuristic reality, Earth names and their variants are commonly used. Since we are a fantasy medieval game, more traditional fantasy names are also acceptable. However, all individuals have surnames in this particular future. Commonly used pop culture names are strictly off limits (i.e. Luke Skywalker, Malcolm Reynolds, Jon Snow, James T. Kirk, etc.). An excellent name generator: Fantasy Name Generators
  • Age Limitations: Our minimum character age is 18. Since we are a mature rated game, it is essential that we maintain a strict age of majority for all characters. We have no specific maximum age, though your sheet and background will be analyzed based on your age, so keep this in mind when deciding how old your character is.
  • Male vs. Female: Unlike most medieval fantasy themes, women's roles are not as limited nor restricted. Women can be Heads of Houses, knights, Senators, business-owners, and other roles. It is, of course, still acceptable for women to hold more customary medieval roles, such as dedicated wives, mothers, and schemers. Despite this level of gender equality, women and men are still divided by social constructs such as etiquette, fashion, and sexuality. Please see the Culture + Etiquette and Fashion pages for more information.
  • Positions: There are a variety of roles and titles in Haven. Please see Roles + Titles for a complete list and descriptions of our positions.
  • Military Ranks and Knighthood: Knighthood is a minor noble position that both Citizens and nobles can aspire to. Soldiers can begin as Footmen/Crewmen, Sergeants, or Lieutenants. These positions are independent of any title of nobility. See the Knighthood and Haven Military pages for more information.

Abilities

Before you set any Abilities, type +sheet/reset to set your +sheet up. This will set base levels for your abilities, and give you the default language.

Attributes

There are four attributes that describe who your character is: Brawn, Finesse, Will, and Wit. Each of these covers a broad range of defining characteristics, which are generally summarized below:

Brawn - Physical Strength - Strength, toughness, constitution, and endurance, this attribute covers how much your character can lift, how hard he or she is to KO in a fight, how much he or she can drink, and how long he or she can keep up strenuous activity.
Finesse - Physical Flexibility - Dexterity, quickness, eye-hand-coordination, and fine motor control, this attribute covers how fast your character can run, how precise his or her movements are, and how fast his or her fast-twitch reactions are.
Will - Mental Strength - Willpower, charisma, determination, and presence, this attribute covers how able your character is to resist the suggestions of others, how strong his or her personality shines through, how able he or she is to drive through difficulty, and how resistant he or she is to temptation.
Wit - Mental Flexibility - Intelligence, creativity, memory, and speed of thought, this attribute covers your character's ability to understand complex topics, express his or her creativity, and sift through his or her memory quickly and efficiently.

Skill Level Restrictions

Here at THE FIFTH WORLD, we encourage people to create well-rounded characters that are still developing and honing their skills when they come out of Character Generation. It can be challenging to decide what skills are necessary for you character's role, what level they should be at based on your age and experience, and what other character-defining skills you should take. When considering these things, here are a few guiding questions:

1. How does the skill level chosen compared to my character's age, position, access to training, etc.?

There are particular skills — both Action and Background — that require access to proper training and education. You should consider your character's age, wealth level, and role when deciding on skills. It is highly recommended you read through the skill descriptions to fully understand what each skill does.

Since age is the greatest restriction on skill level, here is a general outline to help you determine your characters skill level based on age. Please note that we have a holistic approval process. Particular events in your character's life may earn the ability to have a skill a little bit higher than suggested here, however this is something we monitor closely. Additionally we may ask you to lower or raise a skill within a particular bracket (Novice, Professional, Veteran) to more closely represent your background.

Generally, characters who areā€¦

  • Under 20 Years of Age should not have any Action Skill above 6.
  • Under 25 Years of Age should not have any Action Skill above 7.
  • Under 28 Years of Age should not have any Action Skill above 8.

Please note, skills set at 9 will require a substantial amount of evidence to support them in Chargen.

No character may begin the game with any skill (Action or Background) at 10.
No character may have more than 3 skills at 7 or higher — including after Chargen.

We look for well-rounded characters with depth and potential. Obvious min-maxing will be questioned, and you may be asked to adjust your sheet before you are given approval. Please note, Background Skills should generally follow these same restrictions, but elevated skills will be analyzed on a case by case basis.

2. Am I giving my character hobby skills, skills of interest, or skills that are necessary to my character's upbringing?

Characters should have interests outside of their main skills, be they fiddling with electronics, dancing, studying history, playing an instrument, or something else entirely. A well-rounded character will have hobbies and interests that make them unique and add depth. Consider things that your character enjoys doing when she isn't tending to a family business, or what a knight may do in his free time.

3. Do I want my character to be effective in combat?

Keep in mind that each weapon skill represents both the ability to use weapons of that type and the ability to defend against them, so it is highly suggested that your character have at least some skill with all weapon types if they wish to be effective in combat.

Generally having your character's secondary weapon skills half the rating of your character's primary weapon skill will do for base defenses, but some characters may want to take a more balanced approach to weapon skills.

Knights with melee weapon skills (Swords, Bludgeons, and Polearms) below 4 are deficient in such areas. These characters may be approved on a case-by-case basis, but no knights will be approved with any one of these skills below 3 or more than one of them below 4.

For examples of what a specific level means in a given skill, check our Skill Level Examples page.

Please Note: We do not use social combat skills here (i.e. Deception, Persuasion).

Languages

We have only integrated one language into our skill system. All other languages, including archaic languages such as English, German, French, and others are considered dead languages, and require a certain level of scholarship to assume fluency. These languages are written languages only as they are no longer spoken.

Quirks

Quirks are entirely freeform, but there are some things you should consider when choosing how to phrase your quirks:

  • Space: Quirks should be short, precise, and to the point. Long-winded quirks will get truncated by the +sheet. Two or three words is plenty.
  • Fame + Infamy: Quirks regarding fame or infamy will be approved or denied on a case-by-case basis. Where approved, the cause of that fame or infamy should be noted in +Finger (see +help +finger for more information).
  • Quirks should affect your character, not others. For instance, some characters may not find your character "Charming," but you could still spout "Frequent One-Liners."
  • In-Character Knowledge: Quirks should be what other people know or can find out about your character. Since +sheets are open, any true secrets should be kept in your background.
  • Character, Not Modifiers: Quirks should not suggest benefits to skills, but should provide uniqueness to your character. "Excellent Swordsman" is not an appropriate quirk, even if your character has a 9 Swords, but "Dashing Duelist" might suggest a style of fighting.

Background

When writing a background, please make sure to do so in a typical chronological description or timeline bullet points. The more direct and precise the background, the easier it is for the Approvals Staff to navigate. It is crucial to provide information on how this person got to be who and where they are, creating a complete picture of the character up until this point. It is okay to leave some vague areas that you intend to flesh out as the character evolves, but you may be asked to make adjustments to these post-Chargen if they don't fit your original concept.

Guiding Questions

  • Where was your character born? What type of family were they born into?
  • What was your character's childhood like? Was it happy, sad, typical, atypical? Were there any childhood events that shaped your character's story?
  • Did your character have any good friends that were important to their story?
  • What was your character's early adult life like? If you are applying for a character that is younger than twenty, this is a good place to provide extra detail. If your character is older than thirty, this phase may not be as important anymore. If this was a vital training period, detail what skills your character honed and specialized in.
  • What does your character do professionally, and how did they get to where they are? Are they a Knight? Who did they squire with, what was their time as a squire like? Are they a Senator or a Senator's aide? How did they develop that career path?
  • What major events shaped your character?
  • Are there any skills on your sheet that are at Professional level that you haven't explained in your background? Are there any skills over Veteran level that you haven't thoroughly detailed? All skills that are at 4+ should have at least some mention in your background.

Description

Proper descriptions are required prior to approval process. Descriptions should accurately depict your chosen ability scores and the theme's fashion. To see examples and further information about fashion in Haven, please visit the Fashion page.

Holistic Review Process

After you have submitted your character application for approval, a member of Staff will look over each component of your application. A critical eye is placed on both the background and the character sheet, ensuring that the age and experience of the character matches up with the proposed skills. Discrepancies between sheets and backgrounds are the most common reasons for rejection. You will always be asked to change your sheet to match your background, and not the other way around.

If there are places in your background where a Staff member needs you to revise or expand upon, they will do their best to give you reasons why these revisions are being requested. No matter the character's age, we believe that characters coming out of chargen should always be starting their story, so backgrounds with extensive successes, heroics, and major events may be asked to simplify their concept so that they are not at the end of their story.

As always, you can ask the Staff member assigned to your application to clarify their reasons for rejection.

Restricted Character Concepts

Limited Concepts

Players wishing to create characters from the Limited Concepts list should contact STAFF before creating their character.

Royal Family: Cadet members of the Royal House of Sauveur are considered limited concepts. They can only be part of minor branches. All members of the ruling line are NPCs.

Awakened: Awakened are considered a minority in the population. Those who wish to play an Awakened will need to make sure they have thoroughly read through the theme and present a well-prepared concept. All Awakened applications must specify their particular discipline. See The Awakened for more information.

Criminals: All PC career criminals belong to the Underworld. It primarily operates various brothels and clubs around the Haven System, using the well-organized businesses as a facade for its darker elements. If you are interested in looking into a criminal that does not belong to the Underworld, please contact STAFF. PCs can be muscle, pushers, shakers, assassins, wardens, and more.

Illegitimate Children: We have separated this concept from "bastards," which are designated as "unwanted children born out of wedlock." Illegitimate children are those born to a noble and their Companion. They cannot be integrated into the House hierarchy without being legitimized by the Head of House. There have been exceptionally rare instances of a child being grated legitimacy if they are intended to be the Head of House's heir. See Companions for more information.

Senatorial Aides: This concept is only deemed limited because it requires a well-prepared concept for approval. It is highly recommended you talk with STAFF before creating a Senator's aide.

Royal Navy: As most of the military focus of the game is on the knights and men-at-arms of the ground forces and Marines, and we do not intend to focus on large-scale naval engagements, officers and sailors of the Royal Navy are limited concepts.

Spies: As there is no large-scale organization of spies in the Haven System, all spies report to a particular person, be they Lord, Lady, or Citizen. As STAFF will not usually have the time to run infiltration plots for a single player, it is recommended that spies be of the "listening" type rather than the infiltration type.

Restricted Concepts

Players wishing to create characters on the Restricted Characters list must contact STAFF before creating such a character, and all have some additional restriction placed upon their creation.

Archpriests of the Chantry: An Archpriest is considered to be an OOC and IC leadership role. It requires a special application. If you are interested in playing an Archpriest, contact STAFF for more information. This role is only open to second characters (i.e. alts).

Head of Vassal House: The head of a vassal house (i.e. Larent, Dalton, Ibrahm) require a special application. They are considered to be both IC and OOC leaders of their house, encouraging RP and assisting players. This role is only open to second characters (i.e. alts), and only when the player is starting a player-created House.

Heir of House: The heir of a Paramount or vassal house (i.e. Cindravale, Arboren) require a special application. Particularly in the Paramount Houses, they are considered both IC and OOC leaders of their house, encouraging RP and assisting players. This role is only open to second characters (i.e. alts).

Knight Lieutenants: At this time, we are only permitting Knight Lieutenants to be apped into Houses which do not currently have a Knight Lieutenant. We encourage you to instead make a Knight whose goal is to be promoted to Knight Lieutenant and work to achieve that goal on the grid.

Senators: Like Heads of Vassal Houses and Heirs, Senators are considered to be both IC and OOC leadership positions. There are Senators from all over Haven, and therefore can come from a variety of regions. See the Citizens page for more information.

Bastards: Due to modern medical technology, unwanted children are very rare, and rarer still are those born out of wedlock. Unless this concept is absolutely critical to your concept, it will not be approved.

Underbosses: Because of our desire to have most players come out of Character Generation with a goal and plenty of story under them, creating an Underboss is a highly restricted concept. We encourage you to instead make a Warden whose goal is to move up to Underboss and work to achieve that goal on the grid.

Assassins: Since STAFF cannot focus their attention on solo plots for individual characters (our duty is to the MUSH as a whole), assassinations will generally have to be assumed to happen 'off-screen.' We encourage those who want to play Assassins to also come up with a 'day-job' for their character, since assassinations would happen relatively rarely IC.

Barred Concepts

Aliens: Character concepts involving aliens will not be approved at this time.

Hostiles: All Hostiles are NPCs.

Earthlings: Character concepts that are considered 'From Earth' will not be approved at this time.

Robots: All drones and "AIs" are non-sentient.

Overtly Science Fiction or Fantasy Characters: While there are varying levels of adherence to the Reversion, all characters in our theme are a blending of Science Fiction and Fantasy. A character that is either too Science Fiction or too Fantasy focused will be asked to revise their concept.

Ship Crews: Since starships are obsolete save for military uses due to the instantaneous travel of the Ways, civilian starships (beyond Desolation mining vessels) have no real purpose. We understand the attractive draw to the Serenity-like crew, but it isn't compatible with the rest of our playerbase.

After Character Generation

The WIKI

The WIKI is a vital component of our game. Logs are posted, character pages are tracked, and theme is all updated on our WIKI. If you already have a wikidot user name, you can send it to STAFF via +REQUEST. If you don't have a wikidot user name, you will need to create one. Once you have been given access to the WIKI, you can create your character page from the Dramatis Personae page.

If you need WIKI help, submit a +REQUEST or page an online Staffer.

Dive On In

Once you are all set up, feel free to jump straight into RP. We maintain information on our current story arc on our Where We Are Going page. Also feel free to scan through our RUMORS +BBOARD (+bbread 8).

Welcome to the Fifth World MUSH!

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