Defines character consistency, earned development, emotes, player agency, physical interaction, scene pacing, consequence realism, contested actions, dice and narrative continuity.

Introduction

BOOK II
Character Integrity, Emotes & Storytelling
Portray the Character You Have Actually Built

Book II governs how characters are portrayed after creation. It covers consistency, earned development, player agency, emotes, physical interaction, scene pacing, consequence realism, dice and narrative continuity.

CORE PRINCIPLE
Believability over performance
A strong character is not defined by how powerful or dramatic they appear. They are defined by whether their actions, abilities, fears and development remain believable from one scene to the next.
01
The Foundation

CHARACTER
Consistency
Portray the history, abilities, flaws and relationships you have actually established.
AGENCY
Shared Control
Describe your character's intent without deciding another player's reactions or outcomes.
STORY
Earned Change
Growth, injury, failure and recovery should become visible parts of the character's journey.
RELATED BOOKS
Related books
Character creation limits are in Book VI. Mechanical PvP and combat procedure are in Book III. Consent for sensitive or permanent outcomes is in Book VII.
Ash & Blood Principle
The best development is witnessed through play, not announced after the fact.

CHAPTER I — Character Consistency & Integrity

CHAPTER I
Character Consistency & Integrity
Established Traits Should Matter

Established Traits Should Matter. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

01
Character Foundations

01.01
Portray the established character
Act consistently with the background, temperament, culture, beliefs, relationships and experiences already established through roleplay.
01.02
Do not rewrite inconvenient history
Previous scenes, promises, grudges, injuries and relationships do not disappear because remembering them creates a disadvantage.
01.03
Do not invent convenient expertise
A character may not suddenly possess a rare profession, combat discipline, language, political connection or specialist knowledge that has never been established.
01.04
Do not retroactively upgrade your backstory
Hidden royalty, forgotten legendary training, secret titles or major revelations cannot be introduced merely to gain influence or win a scene.
01.05
Established weaknesses still count
Fears, limitations, illiteracy, inexperience, injuries and other meaningful flaws matter until roleplay gives them a believable reason to change.
CROSS-REFERENCE
Creation and portrayal are separate
Book VI decides whether a concept is valid at creation. Book II decides whether you portray that approved concept consistently afterward.

CHAPTER II — Growth, Skills & Earned Development

CHAPTER II
Growth, Skills & Earned Development
Progression Should Happen in the World

Progression Should Happen in the World. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

02
Earned Development

02.01
Growth should be visible
Major improvements in skill, influence, confidence or knowledge should come from events other players can reasonably witness, participate in or learn about.
02.02
Training requires time and context
One lesson does not normally create mastery. Significant skills should develop gradually and proportionately.
02.03
Failure is part of progression
Training, research and risky experimentation may fail. Do not treat every attempt as guaranteed advancement.
02.04
Do not stack elite expertise without justification
Avoid portraying one character as highly skilled in many unrelated elite disciplines without substantial development and a believable history.
02.05
Influence must be maintained
Reputation, authority and loyalty come from ongoing relationships. They are not permanent powers that exist independently of roleplay.
02.06
Approval still applies where required
If another book or server system requires approval for a major status, physical or supernatural change, obtain it before treating that change as established.
REMEMBER
A backstory explains where you began
It does not grant unlimited competence in the present. The most important abilities are the ones your character demonstrates and develops through actual roleplay.

CHAPTER III — Emotes & Player Agency

CHAPTER III
Emotes & Player Agency
Describe Intent, Not Guaranteed Outcomes

Describe Intent, Not Guaranteed Outcomes. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

03
Emote Standards

03.01
Use /me or clear action formatting
Use /me or *asterisk formatting* when text is needed to communicate actions beyond the game's animations.
03.02
Emote attempts, not forced results
You may attempt to strike, grab, shove, restrain or disarm someone. Do not write that the action automatically succeeds.
03.03
Control only your own character
Do not dictate another character's movement, thoughts, emotions, injuries, speech or decisions unless that player has already agreed to the outcome.
03.04
Do not declare what another character knows
Describe visible behavior and your own character's internal state. Do not state what another character notices, believes or understands.
03.05
Give others time to respond
Do not stack several consequential actions into one emote or flood the scene before another player has a reasonable chance to react.
03.06
Mechanics do not replace necessary roleplay
When an important action requires clear intent, establish that intent through roleplay before using the corresponding mechanic.
EXAMPLE
Correct attempt
/me steps inside Hakon's guard, driving the dagger forward in an attempt to slash across his chest.
NOT ALLOWED
Powergaming
/me grabs Hakon, breaks his arm and throws him to the floor before he can react.
DEFINITION
Powergaming
Powergaming removes another player's reasonable ability to respond, forces an outcome, or grants your character control they have not earned through the agreed resolution method.

CHAPTER IV — Physical Contact & Forced Actions

CHAPTER IV
Physical Contact & Forced Actions
Minor Contact Is Different From Physical Control

Minor Contact Is Different From Physical Control. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

04
Physical Interaction

04.01
Ordinary contact may be offered through roleplay
A handshake, hand on a shoulder, helping someone stand, brushing hair aside or similar non-forceful contact may be emoted.
04.02
The receiving player may still refuse
Minor contact is not permission to control another character. They may pull away, ignore the gesture or reject it.
04.03
Physical control requires resolution
Grappling, restraining, pinning, dragging, carrying, forcing someone to kneel or disarming through force requires dice, mechanical PvP or mutual consent.
04.04
Do not bypass resistance with prose
Writing a detailed emote does not make a forced action succeed. If the other character resists, use the agreed resolution method.
04.05
Consent may settle the outcome
If all involved players agree on the result, the scene may proceed without dice or PvP. Consent to one action does not grant consent to unrelated actions.
Minor contact
  • Handshake.
  • Touching a shoulder.
  • Helping someone stand.
  • Resting a hand on an arm.
Requires resolution
  • Restraining or pinning.
  • Dragging an unwilling person.
  • Forcing someone to kneel.
  • Disarming through force.
CROSS-REFERENCE
If the action becomes mechanical PvP
The declaration and combat procedure in Book III controls the scene from that point.

CHAPTER V — Storytelling Etiquette & Scene Pacing

CHAPTER V
Storytelling Etiquette & Scene Pacing
Write With Other Players, Not Over Them

Write With Other Players, Not Over Them. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

05
Scene Etiquette

05.01
Do not monopolize scenes
Allow others to speak, act and influence the roleplay. Long emotes are fine when appropriate, but they should not consistently shut everyone else out.
05.02
Match the scene's pace
Fast scenes benefit from concise actions. Quiet or emotional scenes may support longer writing. Adjust to the interaction.
05.03
Do not action-stack
Avoid packing several major actions into one turn when each would reasonably give others a chance to respond.
05.04
Do not demand predetermined reactions
You may portray intimidating, charming, frightening or persuasive behavior, but the receiving player decides how their character reacts.
05.05
Acknowledge other players' contributions
Do not write as though another participant's relevant action, dialogue or consequence never happened.
05.06
Short responses can still be good roleplay
Length is not quality. A concise reaction is valid when it clearly contributes to the scene.
05.07
Do not create OOC writing pressure
Do not shame players for slower typing, shorter writing, imperfect prose or a different style when their roleplay remains clear and engaged.
Quick Reference
Good scene habits
  • Leave room for response.
  • Acknowledge other emotes.
  • Adjust to the pace.
  • Share attention.
Poor scene habits
  • Action flooding.
  • Ignoring responses.
  • Forcing emotions.
  • Treating length as quality.

CHAPTER VI — Realism, Injury & Consequences

CHAPTER VI
Realism, Injury & Consequences
What Happens to the Character Should Matter

What Happens to the Character Should Matter. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

06
Consequence Realism

06.01
Acknowledge injuries
Serious wounds should influence movement, stamina, confidence and behavior until they have been reasonably treated or recovered from.
06.02
Acknowledge fatigue and strain
Repeated fighting, long travel, starvation, exposure and other demanding circumstances should matter when relevant to the scene.
06.03
Credible danger must register
A hardened warrior may remain calm, but experience does not make a character incapable of recognizing mortal danger.
06.04
Fear does not require surrender
Fight, flee, negotiate, freeze or comply as appropriate. The requirement is to acknowledge danger, not to choose one mandatory response.
06.05
Do not instantly erase consequences
Severe injuries, trauma, humiliation and major failures should not vanish between scenes merely because they are inconvenient.
06.06
Recovery should fit the consequence
Minor harm may pass quickly. Significant wounds and long-term consequences require proportionate recovery and continued portrayal.
NVL
No Value for Life (NVL)
Completely ignoring an immediate and credible threat may be treated as NVL. Detailed injury tiers and recovery times are governed by Book III.

CHAPTER VII — Contested Actions & Dice

CHAPTER VII
Contested Actions & Dice
Declare First, Resolve Second

Declare First, Resolve Second. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

07
Dice Procedure

07.01
Declare the attempt before rolling
State what your character is trying to do through a clear emote before any dice are rolled.
07.02
The declared action stands
Once you roll, you may not withdraw or rewrite the attempt simply because the result is unfavorable.
07.03
Roleplay success and failure honestly
A poor roll is still story. Accept setbacks instead of pretending the attempt never occurred.
07.04
A successful roll must remain plausible
Dice do not grant impossible skills or override established character limitations.
07.05
Use dice only for genuine uncertainty
Dice are useful for uncertain or contested actions when the participants agree to resolve them that way.
07.06
Do not force dice on another player
If another player does not agree to dice for a forceful confrontation, use the applicable PvP procedure in Book III or another mutually agreed method.
07.07
Do not reroll for a preferred answer
A result stands unless the agreed system, staff instruction or an obvious technical error requires another roll.
REMEMBER
Dice do not replace roleplay
Dice resolve uncertainty. The actions before and after the roll still need to be portrayed.

CHAPTER VIII — Narrative Continuity & Shared Storytelling

CHAPTER VIII
Narrative Continuity & Shared Storytelling
Let Past Roleplay Shape Future Roleplay

Let Past Roleplay Shape Future Roleplay. These rules explain how that standard applies in play.

08
Narrative Continuity

08.01
Carry meaningful events forward
Important events should affect later behavior when relevant. Do not reset your character emotionally or socially after every scene.
08.02
Relationships develop through interaction
Friendship, loyalty, distrust, hatred and romance should emerge from actual roleplay rather than being imposed by declaration.
08.03
Do not retcon for convenience
Completed roleplay should not be rewritten merely because you dislike the result. Retcons should be rare and mutually agreed or staff-directed where appropriate.
08.04
Do not invent off-screen history with active characters
Do not claim major unseen meetings, agreements, training or relationships with another player's character unless that player agrees they occurred.
08.05
Consequences should create future story
A defeat, betrayal, injury or failed plan should become material for later roleplay rather than something to erase.
08.06
Consistency does not mean stagnation
Characters may change dramatically when the story gives that change enough cause, time and development.
RELATED BOOKS
Where to continue
Character creation and rerolls are in Book VI. Permanent sensitive outcomes require the consent framework in Book VII. PvP consequences are governed by Book III.
Ash & Blood Principle
A believable character is not one who always succeeds. It is one whose successes, failures and changes all feel earned.