Realms of Annakolia

[Alcor]

CHARACTER CREATION GUIDELINES

Character creation is probably the most important decision to be made when first starting out. The following guidelines and suggestions will allow a character to better adapt to the Realms of Annakolia. Players with characters wildly at odds with RoA guidelines may be asked to moderate their creations.

Naming Your Character
Name your character in a way that fits a fantasy setting. Please avoid using special characters or numbers, all caps, and obscene or suggestive language. Names of actual persons or characters from books and movies are also discouraged.

Classes/Multiclassing/Min-maxing
RoA supports all class/PrC’s from within NWN, SoU and HotU. If you choose to multiclass a character the additional classes should be selected with due regard and consideration to the character background and experience. Classes taken solely for the reason of gaining class skills, with no role-playing purpose (e.g. taking one class of ranger to gain benefit of their dual wielding) is strongly discouraged as is the practice of ‘min-maxing’ stats to similar advantage. If you choose to multiclass, there should be an in character reason for it, for example a fighter might take a level of rogue after indoctrination in to the Thieves Guild. Multiple 'Prestige' (PrC) classes are discouraged - A character is able to concentrate on one 'special devotion' only.

All multiclassing should occur with good ‘IC’ reasoning.

Selection of Deity
Where appropriate to the character (in particular for Clerics, Druids and Paladins) players should complete the deity field during character generation. The choice of Deity should be in keeping with the character background and selected from the RoA Pantheon. Those of a 'druidic' persuasion may find Druidic Lore of particular interest.

A characters deity should be selected from the published RoA pantheon.

Subraces
For role-playing purposes, you may choose to play any sub-race from one of the races found on RoA, however we do not support all of the races found in 'Forgotten Realms'. Please Note: 'Half-Elf' and 'Half-Orc' are the only 'mixed races' supported by RoA without Server Approval; both these 'races' are also 'Half-human'. This means players wishing to create drow, tieflings or half-dragons/half-demons or any characters with horns or unusual hair/skin colour, and/or an obscure mix of races should submit a request to one of the DM/PA’s before doing so.

In particular it should be noted that RDD are NOT the offspring of draconic 'parents' but simply individuals which 'ignite' the dragon blood present in their family tree - though the metamorphosis to 'half-dragon' is absolute the 'race' is 'inviable' in that it is unable to reproduce 'dragonlike' young (offspring will 'revert to type').

All 'none standard' (including draconic) characters require Server Approval.

Description Field
Take advantage of the description field to create a physical impression. Your character description should detail that which another character would see notice and should avoid historical details a casual observer could not know.

Your detailed description should not conflict with your character's actual ability scores and skills, e.g. "this handsome halfling regards you with a winning smile" doesn't well describe a person with a charisma of 10 and no persuade skills, or even one of charisma of 12. That would better describe someone with a charisma of 16 or higher and several ranks of persuade skill.

Your description will also be more effective if it is relatively short. Lengthy background information is better left to the character journal on the forums or disclosed, personally, during play.

Character Background
Try to avoid role-play cliché, for example, being the last of a royal bloodline or having parents that are god-like/dragons/monsters etc. Since a background associated with existing NPCs and political personages can be world changing such backgrounds are disallowed. Noble backgrounds from minor houses can be applied for. Try to come up with a character background that fits in with the RoA setting and established history; it is important to bear in mind that characters begin life in RoA at second level and that, as such, a legacy of mass murder, mayhem and dragon slaying is an unlikely starting point and one which many that you meet may well not believe.

Characters must be drawn from a 'Realms of Annakolia' background; characters drawn from other worlds (eg Forgotten Realms) or servers are inadmissable (where in doubt please submit a character application prior to creation).

Most adventurers arise from lowly backgrounds, striving to better their wretched, dreary lives; the more you integrate your character into the world, the more real the world about you will feel, and the more tangible your character to others.

A good place to start are the Annakolian Communities pages and looking over the Character Journal sections.

Complex or 'world making' character backgrounds MUST be submitted for Server Approval.

Characters of 'evil' alignment may only be portrayed with Server Approval and are permissable by application only. Evil allignment will generally only be granted when the reason for it is it being necessary for a specific class like assassin. Such characters should be played as non-evil for roleplay purposes.

Notes:
The reclusive community of Halfling Heaven is restricted; all characters from this area are subject to application.

Characters wishing to roleplay the birth and upbringing of a child should contact RoA Player Administration with an outline and to request information on game etiquette during pregnancy and parenthood.
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Role-playing in game involves developing a character’s background, motivations and personnality; with these in mind the player responds in-character to the game environment and to the individuals encountered - be they 'monsters', npc's or other players.

All players at RoA should read and be conversant with Annakolia Etiquette and Server Rules and these should be read (and observed) in conjunction with the Character Creation Guidelines above.

Remember

There are no winners or losers ~ The aim of the game is simply to have fun!
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Note: Special characters at RoA constitute those of any 'non-standard' (NWN default) race or those with complex or extraordinary backgrounds; characters of any evil alignment or exotic appearance (horns/tails/wings/unusual skin tones etc) should also be submitted for approval (see additional notes above).

Please submit any request by completing and submitting the Character Application template.
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Updated 31st July 2006
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Updated 03/10/06
Note on births added
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Updated 23rd October 2006
It appears some players are failing to note that characters of evil alignment may only be played after Server Approval of a Character Application as detailed in several other posts upon forum.
Guidance updated to make this Server Requirement absolutely clear.
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Updated 11th December 2006
RoA Pantheon link (to religion in Annakolia) updated.
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

Updated 27th December 2006
Requirement for an RoA character background and the exclusion of 'other world' (none 'RoA Universe') origins made explicit.
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

All players, both new and old, should be familiar with the "RoA Character Creation Guidelines".

In particular note should be made that the only 'mixed-race' characters available as player characters are those of 'half-elven' and 'half-orcan' derivation, and that these are BOTH also 'half-human'.

Characters from an 'alternative universe' are not permissable; similarly characters may not be the offsping of 'dragons', 'kings' or derive from other 'fantastic' backgrounds.

Characters with a 'religious' background must be founded upon the existing, published, RoA Pantheon; no other deity is permissable.

Characters should be 'independently viable' and should not require and the extensive 'support' of other (non-played) characters for their 'day-to-day' (in-game) existence; note that it is not possible for two characters portrayed by the same player to 'meet' or 'interact' upon server. It is not permissable for a player to play multiple 'inter-related' characters (whether from a single or from multiple families).

Where players wish to portray aspects of a character which fall outside of, or which are not covered by, the above guidelines (or where players wish to portray an 'extended family' of characters which create and support an 'IC' story) a detailed "Character Application" MUST be submitted prior to creation.

RoA thanks our Player Base for observing the Character Creation Guidance.
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

*rattles thread*
_________________
-:Alcor:-
"It might not look it but rocking in a corset is harder than you think"
Amy Lee

[Alcor]

All characters played upon RoA must be created in accordance with RoA Character Creation Guidelines.

New players to RoA should ensure that they are familiar with the above guidance prior to character creation; existing players should refer to the guidelines when creating additional player characters.