OC Application and Rules
In Ad Libitum, Original Characters (called "OCs" from this point on) are accepted on the condition that all original characters must come from Atlas or player-created worlds. (We will not accept OCs from canon "Tales of" worlds.)
Why would you apply an OC? Well, original characters are able to do certain things that canon characters cannot. For instance, OCs can easily switch classes or guild affiliations. Atlas natives have the additional luxury of knowing Atlas and its customs well.
In addition to these basic rules, OCs have the following rules:
1. OCs cannot be "super special" people in Atlas like the governor of a town or the leader of a guild unless it has been cleared by a mod in advance.
2. Pre-existing relationships with other OCs, NPCs, and canons must be cleared in advance. For instance, if you want your OC and NPC Kadir Hawthorne to know each other, you must clear their relationship with the mods.
3. Keep them in-character. What we see in the application will be what we get, so please don't pull random powers out of the woodwork. (AKA don't create a happy-go-lucky kid and turn him into a brooding, solemn person without good reason. It's not fun for anyone.)
4. Like everyone else, OCs have power limits. We don't want to see super-powerful people who can charm everyone with their smiles and incredibly good looks. That kind of person is known as "a Mary Sue" and should be avoided at all costs.
OC FAQ
Why can't we apply someone from Auldrant/Aselia/[insert Tales of world here]?
If you're allowed to apply someone from an original Tales of world, the chances of that character knowing someone like Princess Natalia or Chosen Colette are much higher. We want to nip potential canon-breaking relationships in the bud, so we request that you apply from our world or a world of your own creation.
Of course, your character is allowed to be important in his homeworld, but with mod clearance so that we don't receive "Princess Mary Sue who singlehandedly saved the world with her smile."
How many OCs can we have?
Each player is permitted up to two original characters. (The five character limit still applies, even with OCs in the game.)
Can my characters change classes?
Yes, definitely! It's actually much easier to change classes if you're an OC: Atlas natives are more used to the class system and its parameters, so they know how to train differently for each class! We can also extend this logic to players from their own worlds if you so wish.
Can my character know magic?
For Atlas natives, magic is still restricted to those with elven blood. Exceptions were made for canon characters who know magic (like Mao or Jade) without elven blood, but Atlas OCs cannot use magic unless they're part elf.
(Half-elves and elves, however, can use magic regardless of class.) Player-created worlds don't have this same restriction, but we do request magic to have power limits.
What races can we apply?
We accept Humans, Elves, Half-Elves, and Dwarves.
So what's the deal with OCs and Ad Libitum?
Atlas natives and Ad Libitum have always had an odd relationship. Ad Lib is an "off-worlder" guild and thus treated with less respect than the other guilds in Atlas. Your OC, most likely, joined another guild to avoid Ad Libitum's stigma.
There might be the rare native who likes Ad Lib, but he/she is clearly in the minority. For this reason, Atlas natives aren't allowed to join Ad Libitum from the beginning. OCs from player-created worlds must choose Ad Lib as their first guild, if only because Ad Lib is clearly "the off-worlder guild."
So... what guilds can Atlas natives join?
So far there is Tyche's Alliance [merchant guild], Nox Palma [Ad Lib for natives], or the Black Dream [entertainment guild]. If your OC is industrious, he/she might have even started his/her own guild!
Unlike canons, OCs are also allowed to change guilds much more easily - and thus, a Nox Palma member could easily be part of Tyche's Alliance the next month. Guild hopping, to a certain extent, is frowned upon, but it is tremendously easier for a native to gain respect in Atlas.
There are also probably more guilds than the three mentioned above, so please feel free to create your own. We encourage world-building!
Still have a question we haven't answered? Then, by all means, please comment to this post and ask! We'll try to answer it as quickly as possible.
For the Dressing-Room Event, we will allow OCs from established worlds!
Also worth your time to note, while you do not need all the following information to play an OC for the dressing-room event; it will only help you all the more to write as much as possible about your OC!
THE APPLICATION
Name:
Contact:
Age:
___
Character:
Age:
Series:
Status:
Basics about your character:
The former application, and what will be useful for you to list for your character!
Name: (The name YOU go by)
Contact: (Your email, AIM screen name, etc. Just in case we need to talk to you!)
Character's Name: (What your character is called. Also include their known aliases and nicknames he/she goes by.) For instance, "Timothy Drakensgard, alias Vincent Allen. Goes by 'Tim.'
Character's Homeworld: (The name of your character's world. If they're from Atlas, then simply put Atlas down here.)
Character's Age: (How old is your character?) "Physically and mentally 17."
Character's Gender: (If it can be applied.)
Character's Species: (Human, Half-Elf, Elf, Dwarf)
Character's Class: (Swordsman, Thief, Mage, etc...)
Profession: What your character does for a living. Is he a student? A guild leader? Someone important? Please note it here. (No need for official titles - that goes with your character's name.)
Biography: Your character's history. You need to discuss the history of your character and the role he played in his homeworld. We're not asking for a full-length novel, but a rough idea on how your character became the person he is today.
Important Relationships: List the people that were important to your character's life and why. For example:
Lionel Drakensgard - Tim's father. Alive, but constantly overworked because of his job as Port Merrium's governor.
Danielle Drakensgard - Tim's mother. Alive and Port Merrium's biggest cheagle fan.
Zoanne Grayson - Tim's girlfriend. Knows that "Vincent Allen" is really Tim, but she plays pretend for Tim's sake.
Personality: Describe how the character acts. You may want to give some details on the character's beliefs/morals, how he views the other characters, and any strengths or weaknesses he may have. For OCs, this is the meat of the application, so give us everything he's got!
Powers: What kind of special abilities does your character have? No OC will have tremendous game-breaking powers, so a character who warped reality may not be able to do so here. Both supernatural and natural abilities should be mentioned! Yes, your character may be a swordsman, but he could also be fluent in English and Elvish.
Appearance: If you've found art that accurately represents your character, link to it here. Otherwise, give us a rough description. No purple prose, please: we don't want to sift through long adjectives to know your character has brown eyes and black hair.
Future Plans: What do you plan to do with your character? What guild have they joined? Do they want to help the off-worlders? These ideas are not set in stone, but we just want a rough idea of their next course of action. It is fine to write "no idea" if you really, truly don't have any plans.
World Biography: If your character isn't from Atlas, go ahead and tell us what your character's world is like. What kind of royalty does it have? What are the people like? Is it a forgiving world? Etc. etc. (Again, Atlas natives can just say "I am from Atlas".)
Roleplay Sample: Write out a sample entry of the character reacting to suddenly appearing in Atlas at the foot of the World Tree. This can be written in first person, as if the character is talking out loud or writing an entry in a journal AND/OR in third person.
Why would you apply an OC? Well, original characters are able to do certain things that canon characters cannot. For instance, OCs can easily switch classes or guild affiliations. Atlas natives have the additional luxury of knowing Atlas and its customs well.
In addition to these basic rules, OCs have the following rules:
1. OCs cannot be "super special" people in Atlas like the governor of a town or the leader of a guild unless it has been cleared by a mod in advance.
2. Pre-existing relationships with other OCs, NPCs, and canons must be cleared in advance. For instance, if you want your OC and NPC Kadir Hawthorne to know each other, you must clear their relationship with the mods.
3. Keep them in-character. What we see in the application will be what we get, so please don't pull random powers out of the woodwork. (AKA don't create a happy-go-lucky kid and turn him into a brooding, solemn person without good reason. It's not fun for anyone.)
4. Like everyone else, OCs have power limits. We don't want to see super-powerful people who can charm everyone with their smiles and incredibly good looks. That kind of person is known as "a Mary Sue" and should be avoided at all costs.
OC FAQ
Why can't we apply someone from Auldrant/Aselia/[insert Tales of world here]?
If you're allowed to apply someone from an original Tales of world, the chances of that character knowing someone like Princess Natalia or Chosen Colette are much higher. We want to nip potential canon-breaking relationships in the bud, so we request that you apply from our world or a world of your own creation.
Of course, your character is allowed to be important in his homeworld, but with mod clearance so that we don't receive "Princess Mary Sue who singlehandedly saved the world with her smile."
How many OCs can we have?
Each player is permitted up to two original characters. (The five character limit still applies, even with OCs in the game.)
Can my characters change classes?
Yes, definitely! It's actually much easier to change classes if you're an OC: Atlas natives are more used to the class system and its parameters, so they know how to train differently for each class! We can also extend this logic to players from their own worlds if you so wish.
Can my character know magic?
For Atlas natives, magic is still restricted to those with elven blood. Exceptions were made for canon characters who know magic (like Mao or Jade) without elven blood, but Atlas OCs cannot use magic unless they're part elf.
(Half-elves and elves, however, can use magic regardless of class.) Player-created worlds don't have this same restriction, but we do request magic to have power limits.
What races can we apply?
We accept Humans, Elves, Half-Elves, and Dwarves.
So what's the deal with OCs and Ad Libitum?
Atlas natives and Ad Libitum have always had an odd relationship. Ad Lib is an "off-worlder" guild and thus treated with less respect than the other guilds in Atlas. Your OC, most likely, joined another guild to avoid Ad Libitum's stigma.
There might be the rare native who likes Ad Lib, but he/she is clearly in the minority. For this reason, Atlas natives aren't allowed to join Ad Libitum from the beginning. OCs from player-created worlds must choose Ad Lib as their first guild, if only because Ad Lib is clearly "the off-worlder guild."
So... what guilds can Atlas natives join?
So far there is Tyche's Alliance [merchant guild], Nox Palma [Ad Lib for natives], or the Black Dream [entertainment guild]. If your OC is industrious, he/she might have even started his/her own guild!
Unlike canons, OCs are also allowed to change guilds much more easily - and thus, a Nox Palma member could easily be part of Tyche's Alliance the next month. Guild hopping, to a certain extent, is frowned upon, but it is tremendously easier for a native to gain respect in Atlas.
There are also probably more guilds than the three mentioned above, so please feel free to create your own. We encourage world-building!
Still have a question we haven't answered? Then, by all means, please comment to this post and ask! We'll try to answer it as quickly as possible.
For the Dressing-Room Event, we will allow OCs from established worlds!
Also worth your time to note, while you do not need all the following information to play an OC for the dressing-room event; it will only help you all the more to write as much as possible about your OC!
THE APPLICATION
Name:
Contact:
Age:
___
Character:
Age:
Series:
Status:
Basics about your character:
The former application, and what will be useful for you to list for your character!
Name: (The name YOU go by)
Contact: (Your email, AIM screen name, etc. Just in case we need to talk to you!)
Character's Name: (What your character is called. Also include their known aliases and nicknames he/she goes by.) For instance, "Timothy Drakensgard, alias Vincent Allen. Goes by 'Tim.'
Character's Homeworld: (The name of your character's world. If they're from Atlas, then simply put Atlas down here.)
Character's Age: (How old is your character?) "Physically and mentally 17."
Character's Gender: (If it can be applied.)
Character's Species: (Human, Half-Elf, Elf, Dwarf)
Character's Class: (Swordsman, Thief, Mage, etc...)
Profession: What your character does for a living. Is he a student? A guild leader? Someone important? Please note it here. (No need for official titles - that goes with your character's name.)
Biography: Your character's history. You need to discuss the history of your character and the role he played in his homeworld. We're not asking for a full-length novel, but a rough idea on how your character became the person he is today.
Important Relationships: List the people that were important to your character's life and why. For example:
Lionel Drakensgard - Tim's father. Alive, but constantly overworked because of his job as Port Merrium's governor.
Danielle Drakensgard - Tim's mother. Alive and Port Merrium's biggest cheagle fan.
Zoanne Grayson - Tim's girlfriend. Knows that "Vincent Allen" is really Tim, but she plays pretend for Tim's sake.
Personality: Describe how the character acts. You may want to give some details on the character's beliefs/morals, how he views the other characters, and any strengths or weaknesses he may have. For OCs, this is the meat of the application, so give us everything he's got!
Powers: What kind of special abilities does your character have? No OC will have tremendous game-breaking powers, so a character who warped reality may not be able to do so here. Both supernatural and natural abilities should be mentioned! Yes, your character may be a swordsman, but he could also be fluent in English and Elvish.
Appearance: If you've found art that accurately represents your character, link to it here. Otherwise, give us a rough description. No purple prose, please: we don't want to sift through long adjectives to know your character has brown eyes and black hair.
Future Plans: What do you plan to do with your character? What guild have they joined? Do they want to help the off-worlders? These ideas are not set in stone, but we just want a rough idea of their next course of action. It is fine to write "no idea" if you really, truly don't have any plans.
World Biography: If your character isn't from Atlas, go ahead and tell us what your character's world is like. What kind of royalty does it have? What are the people like? Is it a forgiving world? Etc. etc. (Again, Atlas natives can just say "I am from Atlas".)
Roleplay Sample: Write out a sample entry of the character reacting to suddenly appearing in Atlas at the foot of the World Tree. This can be written in first person, as if the character is talking out loud or writing an entry in a journal AND/OR in third person.