Dark World RPG- Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

This is a compilation of our most asked questions and concerns about the game. More will be added as they are needed, to help new players out with joining the game with as few hitches as possible. Click on a link below, it will take you to the answer within this page.

Have a question that isn't answered below? Drop us an email, and we may add it to our FAQ list.

Basic Information

Q: Is this game free to play?
A: Yes, Dark World RPG is a free to play game. There are no fees.

Q: How can I play, where do I apply?
A: You can play DWRPG by submitting a character application using the Character Sheet listed on our site. You must send the application in and have it approved 'before' you are admitted into the group.

Q: How do I play and what format does this game run in?
A: The DWRPG is a free-form play by email game that runs in a story format. Each player writes for their character, interacting with other players and GM's. We don't use dice or character stat sheets to determine how characters work. The DWRPG is like a huge storybook that each player participates in creating.

Q: What are the requirements?
A: All prospective players must have an active working email account. Our group is run through Yahoo!Groups, so all prospective players must have an account there, or create one. We also require that if you are admitted into the group that your group email settings are set to and remain at ‘daily digest’ or ‘individual emails’. All prospective players must read the rules and the history before applying. Knowledge is power, and applications that show you didn't really read the information provided does not make a good first impression. Good writing and English skills are also a key factor in participating in this game, for players have to understand what you’re writing. All applicants must be willing to comply to the rules, game play expectations and post at least once a week.

Q: I sent in my application, but I've heard no response yet, when will it be read? Is this RPG dead?
A: We can assure you that this RPG is far from dead. Second, we are busy people, with families and our own lives. Sometimes we get a bit busy, so please try to be patient. We'll get to your application as soon as possible. We typically go through applications a couple times a month in batches, so it could be up to two weeks before you get a response. Again we stress patiences. Please don't spam us, for we will get to it as soon as we can. Your interest in the game means a lot to us, so don't take a slow response as rejection or us ignoring you. That's certainly not the case.

Q: In your Digital Signature Agreement you state that anything I submit to the game, characters or information, become your property. Does this mean you get to keep 'my' ideas and use them how you see fit anywhere you like, like in novels and so on?
A: This is a common misconception for many applicants, so allow us to set this straight. No, the use of characters/information would not be in use at any point outside the game itself. We wouldn't write novels on them, sell them or use them for any other purpose other than for use in the current game and on the website, as stated in the rules and player agreement. The clause is pertaining to usage in the game, stating that if you were to on the event leave the RPG, we can still use your character and writings because one, they were tailored/made for this RPG which contains our own copyrighted content, and two, because you have given us the rights to do so upon application. If a player leaves the game under any circumstances their character and submitted information become property of the game, and we can use it in the game as we see fit. A character could be adopted out to a new owner who can change the history if they so wish, written out by players or GM's, or killed off, and any history or world information written can still be used by us and the players in the group, again inside the game ONLY. This is to prevent 'content rips', where players who exit the game want us to pull all their written content, which can be difficult to work around and rewrite once its been widely used. The clause is only meant to protect the game, not hurt our players.

Q: Can we use any of your site graphics or information?
A: No. The site's graphics and layout were created by artist Jennifer McPherson, who is also our Co-owner and a GM. The site's graphics were created for this site and are property of the Dark World RPG and are not to be used elsewhere, unless otherwise stated. Site information is all copyrighted content and is property of the author and the Dark World RPG. Usage of these writings and information are strictly prohibited. You wouldn't like someone stealing from you. Don't steal from us.

Q: How was Dark World RPG started?
Tirus, the founder and avid gamer, was once part of another rpg with his two characters Xeno and Gornaz. That group was deleted without warning to its players, and so he had these two characters he had grown rather fond of, having built extensive stories behind both, and no game to play. And so he decided to make his own game, and invited Astral Deva, aka Jen, to join and help out. This would be Jen's first major pbem and first go at co-moderating a pbem game, but not new at role playing having done many D&D campaigns as a GM. And thus Dark World RPG was born. It was rough, to begin with, with simple character sheets, few players, loosely planned plot, a lot less information and a small website based off Geocities, but the site grew as did the information and storyline, and our player base. We eventually obtained our own domain and have worked very hard to make Dark World RPG the successful PBeM it is today. We've had many people participate in our adventures over the years, and have a really fantastic group of players still involved in the development and progression of the game.

Q: How do you deal with rule violations?
A: This depends on the severity of those violations. Sometimes, and although rare, things can be done by accident, and we do take this into accord. Many times we issue a private warning to the player, asking them to stop. This has been done few times. If the violations persist, we give a public announcement to that player to stop on the OOC board. They had the opportunity to stop when we first asked, and now it is time for a public punishment, and that usually does the trick. Worst comes to worse we ban a player. This has only been done once, but we will use it if we have to. The wellbeing of our game and players mean a lot to us, and if someone is upsetting that balance with unfair/unappropriated rule bending/breaking play and behavior we will deal with it, and harshly if necessary.

Q: You state you control the game's progress and content. Some GM's are very strict about game play and limit the players in this regard. Are you extremely strict when it comes to this?
A: In some areas, yes, we are strict, but we are very flexible about actual game play and you can ask any of our players about this. We have several active threads that are player lead, that we GM's are not even involved in. Of course we read all the plot lines to make sure no rules are being broken, and talk to a player if we see something of questionable nature, but we don't deliberately try to interfere with ongoing plots unless we are directly controlling that said plot. Naturally if things get out of hand we talk to the player running it, or players in it who are raising our attention, and if need be we will have to ask for content revisions, but that has 'rarely' happened, and usually its a minor mistake. We like to work with our players as much as possible, but we will enforce changes 'if' the need arises, thus we retain the right to control the game's content and progress.

Q:What is the warning list and how does it work, and what can I do to not get on it?
A: The Warning List is a weekly issued notice by the GM for the once a week posting rule. Those who haven't posted for that week are placed onto the list. Every Sunday we'll check and see who has and has not posted for the previous week. Sunday is considered the beginning of the week and the last day of the week is Saturday. We go by Eastern US time that is listed on the boards. Once we've gathered a list of all who haven’t posted the previous week, we GM's look to see if any of those people have a proper reason for not posting, and we look at all aspects available to us to see why that player didn't post. This reason could be they were waiting on another player to post; something happened in their life that has prevented them from posting, etc. Should no reason come up, that player is placed into the Warning List. A player can receive up to a total of two warnings. A warning remains on a player for exactly two months, starting when they received their latest warning. The player then has to post consecutively for two months from the date of their last warning, then once those two months are up, that person will be removed from the Warning List. Should a player reach three (3) warnings, they are removed them from the group. Once a week for a post is not much to ask, and we've made it clear this PbeM is active and demanding. We are just doing our job and enforcing the rules, and it is not fair to make players wait weeks for replies just because you didn't feel like it or 'forgot'. If a player can't post that week a simple note telling us you can't, a short reason, or a PM on messenger would be great. That way the player avoids the warning list and we know they aren't intentionally breaking the rules. Don't use other players to relay messages for you either, we GM's do have emails and IM's. Use them, contact us directly. People do not go onto the Warning List because we feel they "deserve" to be on it. That’s far from the truth. A person goes onto the Warning List because they disregarded one of the rules. We truthfully don’t like to see people get removed from the group because of the warning list, but the rules are the rules, and we will enforce them.

Character Creation & Application

Q: What races that aren't listed are NOT allowed?
A: These races cannot be played by any player in the group. Nymph, half-nymph, Gryphon, Dragon, Half-Dragon.

Q: You denied my bio! Why?
A: There can be several reasons as to why. Lets explore those. One, insufficient information, if you left any fields blank, or remove a field from the application form. Just don't do it, fill out the application to the best of your ability, please. Two, poor writing. Yes, we will deny you for poor spelling and grammar. Why? Because this game is based on writing, and in order to play you 'need' to write so others can understand you. Minor mistakes are fine, no one is perfect, but the writings need to be legible and understandable. Three, your application needs fixes. Obviously you did something wrong, something that we cannot accept in a character application. So, you can either fix those problems we list and reapply, or don't, that's up to you. Cooperation is key here, please don't argue with us over changes, for we do know whats best for the game. We are more than willing to help if you are willing to listen and accept fixes. Four, you didn't follow the rules nor read the history. Yes, it happens from time to time, and all we can say is shame on you. Five, you spammed your application. We get busy, we have lives too, please don't spam us. Six, you didn't send in a bio, only applied to the Yahoo!Group. All we can say is you should have actually 'gone' to our site and did some research. Better luck next time eh? Last but certainly not least, the bio was a piece of crap and likely won't ever be accepted. Yes, harshly put, but we've seen these bios that go beyond minor rule violations and history mistakes, these contain huge errors throughout the bio, inappropriate material, copyright rips (yes, such as characters like Sephiroth... bah), major god-moding and rule breaking material out the wazoo, and it makes us sad. Character applications don't need to be rushed, take your time, read the information presented, make a good character, and your 'own' character at that. There is a great wealth of information on our site and as mentioned we can help you, so there is no excuse for poor applications/rule violations.

Q: What races are restricted, and why?
A: Certain races are restricted because they are at a higher risk for abuse than others. God moding is highly frowned upon in this game, and so to make sure we keep a balance we have to control certain races. The only two races that are restricted are Athdraki and True Vampires. These races we don't allow first time players to use, and a new player must make it through their probation period and have a character established before applying for one of these races.

Q: I want to play Sephiroth! How about Legolas!?
A: Then take your fanatic self to a FF7 RPG or LotR RPG. We do not accept any form of cannon characters in the DWRPG. This is an original game, we would like to keep it that way. Yes, some names are commonly used, but there are certain ones that we just can't accept. Please don't waste our time and yours, don't apply to play a character from a TV series, movie, book, comic, anime, manga, etc. Period.

Q: Can I have an uber sword of destruction?
A: Uh... no. Why? Because if you read the rules and character application you'd know why. *cough* God-moder*cough*

Q: Can I have a pet unicorn? How about a dragon?
A: Pets just aren't allowed unless your a ranger or a druid, maybe a shaman, and even then these pets are 'animals', and ones of very limited intelligence. Hawks, ravens, rats, cats, dogs, so on, nothing mystical. No talking pets, no dragons, no unicorns, Pegasus, phoenixes or anything else crazy you can think of. Just no. End of subject.

Q: Why are certain classes only allowed two magite, and then have what spells they cast be restricted?
A: For balance. If a fighter were a mage, what point would there be in playing a mage at all? If you can fight, kick ass and take names, plus throw fireballs, we'd have a recipe for disaster, and everyone would be a magic wielding tank. Its the same for almost any game you play, mages are always physically weak, but damage dealing power houses, and fighters are robust power houses who can take hits. Balance. Its just the way it is.

Q: What are you looking for in characters? Is there a type you are in need of, class, race?
A: We aren't looking for anything specific, and to predetermine what you'd play might not be as fun as taking on a class that you 'know' you'd enjoy. Some things do have to be taken into consideration, like race populations. Humans are the largest race, and so likely you should see a lot of humans. Then the other races follow, the Elsyven and Deshiven being some of the smallest. The main thing is play someone you'd enjoy, but remember, power isn't always important. In all our years of play most of our members found playing a character that isn't powerful to start can be far more rewarding than a character that has everything at hand. Also, originality is great, but don't go overboard. If you need help, ask, we are willing to help out in character creation if you need it.

Q: Can I have my character linked to one of the current characters?
A: This is a possibility, but you have to gain permission from that player before proceeding with the history and application. Sometimes its best to leave your character's history a little loose in some areas so that you can add things, such as acquaintances with other characters, to it as you progress.

Q: Do I have to post my example writing?
A: No. Your sample writing is for us to see how well you can write in a Dark World setting. We do take a great deal of consideration over an application based on the sample writing, for it shows us more about how well you write for this character as well as seeing how your grammar and writing skills are. If you wish to use your sample writing as your first post, well that's up to you, but no it is not necessary. Also, if your already a member of DWRGP you don't need a sample writing at the bottom of any applications, for we already know how well you write.

Q: You restrict or won't approve characters with great power, why?
A: God-moding is great temptation for any player to breach, and we've seen it all to many times in our years of play. Some people are never satisfied with what they can do with a simple character and always want more, when more necessarily isn't better. They want to be the exception to the rule, the best, the toughest, the most powerful, renowned, have stronger weapons, items, abilities, some even want to be close to demi-god status, and that is something we just can't allow. We do allow powerful characters, but there have to be several factors in place first before we'd even allow that. One, trust. If we don't know you, how can we trust you? Play the game for a while, get to know us, our players, and then maybe you can run a plot of your own, and play a character with higher than average power. Responsibility. With Trust comes responsibility, and any player must be responsible and follow ALL rules, even with a powerful character, and this applies to us, the GM's, as well. Commonsense. Based on your knowledge of the game you will have to use your common sense when it comes to appropriate approaches to certain in game situations. Respect. Showing that you understand how we work and respect not only the game but the GM's and players as well. People may not agree with us, and find our methods too strict, or as neatly put elsewhere 'anal', yet if you join a game where there are god-like characters running around, what fun can you have if they can blow their nose and kill you? No matter what anyone says power can go to a person's head if they let it, and it can and does happen with characters. They do things they shouldn't, break rules and harm plot lines because they are invincible. Of course the GM's do hold control of some of the most powerful characters in game, it’s to be expected but those who don't know us could accuse us of being hypocrites, and we assure you this is completely untrue. We love our game, we have invested a great deal of time and effort into it, and ruining our own game would be rather ridiculous as well as pointless. We want people to come here and play with others in a fantasy setting where they can grow and become someone great, and not have to worry about being outdone or constantly being overshadowed by characters who possess far great power than they do. Greatness isn't always determined by how strong a character is, or how much power they have, what magical items they possess. Its how they are played that makes a character truly great to play and interact with. And that's why we restrict powerful characters.

Game World Basics & Mechanics

Q: What has happened so far in the game?
Its very hard to summarize five years of active play, so your best bet in understanding the current game is to read some of the current character bios. The group archives are private for a reason, but a time line is available for members to access.
Q: Is the Dark World, Israidius, hell?
A: Israidius is not hell, nor is it another dimensional plane. It is another world, much like Calamia. It has its own unique races and histories, many of which are 'unknown', ecology, and so on. Many of the races of Israidius are called 'demons' because of the way they look, not because they are an actual demon. For instance, the Celestials are one of the least demonic races of Israidius, and are strongly linked to the Divine One.

Q: Why is there only one portal to Israidius, and how can they open portals to Calamia, but not vise versa? Why can't I open portals?
A: The people of Israidius opened a gateway to Calamia much by accident. This spell has thus been learned by only a few powerful people, them being Jeremas and Gornaz. Only one other being has been able to open a gateway to Calamia, and that was a Celestial, who died opening the gate. No one in Calamia can open a gateway to Israidius because its never been done, and likely won't ever be. There is only one way to Israidius and that's through the first gateway opened by Jeremas, which its whereabouts are unknown. (No, players don't know and can't know where the gateway is. Applications saying so will be denied.) Opening portals or moving from place to place by magical means of any sort, or by any means, to anywhere, with characters or NPC's is strictly prohibited, unless otherwise permitted by the GM's.

Q: Why are the Idraidian’s called ‘demons’, and are they really all evil?
A: The races of Calamia call the Israidian’s demons because of their appearance. Given that they had never seen their kind before, and the war of Daishevar, the races of Calamia refer to them as a ‘demon’. The Idraidian’s hate this terminology, as well as the human’s slang name, Ishtar (which translates to Dark Abyss), for their home world Israidius. As most people will say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Good and evil are much the same. What is good? What is evil? The Israidians are a people too; they have families, goals, beliefs, religion, hopes, pride, and yes even values and honor. Just as the people of Calamia view that their own ideals are important, so do the Israidians. Not everything is black and white; there are shades of gray when it comes to both realms.

Q: Why no guns? Why no cannons?
A: Because we don't want them. It’s not an aspect we'd like in the game. There are many other methods used that are highly effective in fighting and warfare. Use your imagination.

Q: How does currency work?
A: The currency in Calamia is called a 'ryn', which are stamped from a special light yet durable metal and is extremely hard to 'fake' or duplicate. Ryn comes in many different stamped coin formats but all are the same size and are minted by their nation's capital, they can be used just about anywhere (warring kingdoms might not be so welcome on seeing their enemies currency though, so be careful) with a nation's emblem on the face of it, and the value amount on the back. They range in value from one, five, ten, and fifty. On average simple things, like a drink or meal can cost between one to ten ryn. A simple weapon can cost over fifty to one hundred ryn. So be wise, not all of your characters are rich. You don't have to remember how much they carry, but keep in mind you don't possess a magical bag of holding, keep your ryn usage in mind.

Q: Is religion in the game strictly based upon those listed, or can there be other gods?
A: No, it is not strictly based upon the 'Gods' we have listed, and in fact the same gods we have listed could possess many different names. People can also make up 'false' gods, that don't exist but people still worship anyway. We aren’t looking to make anymore ‘Gods’ for the game at this time, however, so ask that players try to use those presented.

Q: Are NPC’s (non-player characters) allowed in this game world, and if so how exactly do NPC’s work?
A: Yes, NCP’s are allowed and used frequently within the Dark World RPG. How exactly they are used depends upon the person who created them. Many NPC’s are utilized for battles, cannon fodder if you will. Some are more in depth and have restrictions to them and are in essence treated just like any other character. NPC’s are often created by a plot leader or other players to help enhance a situation. The most important thing to remember is that NPC’s are characters in their own right and should be treated as such. Even if it isn’t specifically stated a player should always ask the creator of the NPC before using/harming them in any way. Many times NPC’s are instrumental to a plot, and when they are controlled and killed without permission it can be as damaging and upsetting as killing an active player’s character. Players who repeatedly abuse NPC’s can receive a warning or possibly be removed from the game.

Q: I like an NPC, can I make them into a character?
A: Yes, you can make an NPC into a character. However, if you wish to make them into a character you surpassed the group’s probation period, and then submit a complete character sheet for that NPC for GM approval, just as you would for any character.

Q: I wish to make a new race, how do I go about this?
A: Yes, new races are welcome to both Israidius and Calamia, but you have to do a lot of research and work to make them, which can be a very lengthy and daunting task. Everything has to be taken into consideration, habitat, ecology, their appearance, racial views, their society, reproduction, etc. One of the biggest problems is players want to make a race that looks 'human' or 'elsyven' in appearance, but with special features that those races don't have. This is something we don't allow. The race has to be new and unique, separating it from the other demi-humans of their realms. Perhaps similar aspects, but they have to be defined as their own separate race with their own history. No elsyven with wings or humans that turn into giant demons. That's why we have the celestials and the athdraki, and even half demons. Make it unique, make it different, and more importantly, make it fit into the game world.
Q: How do I go about suggesting things to be added to the game, such as history, organizations, places, and such?
Communication with the GM's in this respect is key and we are always looking for new ideas, present your information in an understandable format, and be prepared and open for changes. Being that the game does have a large overall plot, some things can be complicated to introduce or can interfere with an existing storyline, so it’s always wise to ask first. You may get a no on some things, but this doesn't mean we aren't willing to find a way to introduce the content you made. We'll work with you to help tweak and refine it so it can fit into the game world as it stands without snags. Player introduced content is always welcome and wanted, just remember, you have to have it approved by the GM’s first.

© Dark World RPG, Copyright 2001-2006. All rights reserved world wide. Terms of Use. Web graphics and art ©Copyright 2006 Jennifer McPherson. Reproduction of this content, in any form, is strictly prohibited. All edited photographic likenesses are property of their prospective owners, we take no credit for their works.