FAQ
PUBLIC QUESTIONS GO HERE, PRIVATE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS GO IN THE MOD BOX!
What's going on here?
First of all, there are zombies, lots of zombies - oh, you noticed that already did you? Alright, in more detail then: Small communities of human beings who call themselves the 'Living' or the 'Free' have managed to escape subjugation instigated by a massive cult. The cult is capable of bringing living creatures back from the dead to ensure their continued dominance over the world; in fact, that's how they managed to get in control in the first place. Nations do tend to fall apart when one's government is unable to protect its citizens from being brutally dismembered and then coming back to join the enemy's undead hordes.
Your character has blundered in through a gate between worlds, the fabric of space and time weakened by the forces that the cult calls upon. He or she will be welcomed warily into the closest community of Living, a small, recently reclaimed city known as New Ashford...which leads us to the next question...
Where are we?
Welcome to England! - or what's left of it. You'll find New Ashford to be a bit of a sad, dreary place, but the people are mostly happy to be there - they chose this life of freedom, despite the fact that they're constantly fighting zombies. There's a power plant from which the rebuilt town siphons its power, and it's only a hop, skip, and a jump to Canterbury - a Rotting-claimed village where the rebels steal most of their supplies.
How do I communicate?
With technology and communication primarily under the control of the cult, the rebels have had to get a bit creative. They've pilfered, mostly from the possessions of the undead, old cell-phones of every style and make. Tinkering and some hedge-witchery have made these devices capable of text, sound, video, and picture communication. They connect to an old Swedish data satellite not yet found by the cult to allow secure communication between most Free communities around the world. The modified cell-phones given to the general Free population - such as your character - are only capable of fielding local communication, i.e. people in New Ashford and in the immediate vicinity of its makeshift tower. Talalinje is the name of the network which most people have now shortened to the affectionate nickname 'LaLee'.
Players choose the look of cell-phone their character receives upon arrival from current makes and models you can find online.
How do I get started?
LIKE A BOSS, I mean, wait... The best way to get started at Rotting is to post a hello in the OOC and then (especially if you're a new player), to post a thread in the welcome thread so your character can ICly be told where they are and where to go. At that point, feel free to have your character post to the LaLee network or post an open thread to meet NPCs and other player characters.
If you have read the introduction post feel free to skip the welcome thread and assume that your character has received the needed information and cell phone without having to wait for the NPCs to tag back. But if you like Boxell and Zedd that much you're welcome to have your characters chat with them as they arrive! (The old ghouls like the attention.)
So I'm human now?
Sort of.
Humanoids: No matter what their appearance, remain looking as they are but are now for all intents and purposes 'human'. They are now mortal, but may retain their ageless appearance (or become old at the player's discretion). This includes humanoid robots.
Non-Humanoids: Robots, sentient vehicles, animals, talking books, unicorns, cursed furniture...etc. All of these creatures and creations must be given a humanoid form described by the player if they are unable to operate a cellphone to access the network. If they are able to operate a cellphone without changing forms the change is optional - but only for organic beings. Inorganic beings must take on some form that can die and become a zombie.
Icons for the new form need not match the humanoid form described, but it's encouraged to avoid confusion while playing in the game. Note that it is a humanoid form, not human form, this is to provide you with some creative license especially when it comes to former animals or inorganic beings.
Is it be possible to app a game player character here?
Yes! We are now accepting OC canon characters of this kind only. We require more information in terms of personality and history for these characters as is described on the Application Page.
Are characters with previous game history allowed?
Yes! We are now accepting characters that have previously been at other RP games! As with OCs we require additional information for history and personality and there may be some items or abilities (specific to the previous game) lost on the way through the gates - but all that information can be found on the Application Page.
Are completely original characters allowed?
Yes again! We are now allowing OCs from completely original worlds. However, hese applications will be heavily scrutinized for completeness of history and personality. See the Application Page for specifics. Any questions, contact the Mods.
What about my powers?
Characters get to keep their powers for the most part. It's important in the app that you describe your character's supernatural abilities to the fullest to avoid WTF moments from the mods later. Some extreme abilities may be dampened upon arrival through the gate - we'll let you know when we respond to your app. If abilities are dampened that does not mean some arrangement can't be made for 'unlocking' them specially for player events or mod events.
What about my stuff?
DUDE, where's my car? Haven't we all had those moments? Don't we look back at them and wonder why...WHY? Well, luckily for your character, he or she may be able to avoid some of that sadness/confusion/anger when they arrive in New Ashford. When a character falls, limps, crawls, stumbles, drives, bumbles, crashes, flies, whatevers through a gate, they get to bring with them anything they had on them at the time. This includes weapons, vehicles, armor, items, pretty much anything.
Now, before you start jumping for joy and readying your Han Solo app for take-off - we need to point out a few things. Anything mechanical your character brings through the gate will be instantly drained of power by the jolt of world-to-world transfer. If it's big, the character may have to abandon it in the ruins they arrived in, leaving their precious device/vehicle/whatever to the mercies of any cultist scavengers, zombies, or thieves while they try to find some way to bring it to the safety of New Ashford town proper. In addition, vehicles and mounts can only be transferred if your character is currently the only person riding/aboard it. No leaving crew-members to flail and die helplessly in space while your character takes the space-shuttle.
Pets/pokemon/mounts are allowed in Rotting RPG, however we'll once again point out that the rebels don't have much in the way of supplies or holding areas for beasts. They're hospitable, but they won't be giving you food for your precious steed, and they may even scorn your character for having a creature which may become a liability if they die of disease or starvation and become one of the living dead.
As in abilities, it's important to list everything of note that your character is bringing with them. This doesn't include items like rope, nosehair clippers, and condoms, but does include things like spare fuel, materia, crystal balls, and Holy Grails. If it seems that your character has a never-ending supply of cigarettes we may ask you where precisely they're getting them from - and, whether or not we can share...please?
How do we live?
Day to day life in New Ashford is along the level of summer camp mixed with a commune mixed with basic life 101 - only with zombies. Characters will be provided with the basics: food, spare clothing (usually quite worn), and a bed. They'll have to make and mend their own clothes, get water from the various wells... in other words, pretty simple living.
How do we die?
Pretty easily, actually. The easiest is to be attacked and eaten by zombies; closely followed by being attacked, robbed, and killed by scavengers allied with the cult; followed by being slaughtered by a cultist ranging out and about for a hapless soul to practice his or her powers on. If you need more ideas, feel free to contact the mods!
How do I become a zombie (and what happens when I do)?
Characters only become zombies when they die, not from being bitten or touched by the undead. 24 hours after dying, the curse of the cult comes into effect and the character will 'rise' from whatever location they died. They will feel perfectly normal if a little woozy and disorientated - their wounds however, will prove to them and anyone else that they are not, as they will not heal or be healable by spells or first aid.
A character's powers will remain intact, but will slowly become weaker and weaker as the character begins to disintegrate into a cult-controlled zombie. This process takes several in game months.
- After one in-game week, a character will probably notice that they've begun to smell...odd.
- Three weeks, body parts may begin to come...loose, and muscles and limbs might start becoming a bit numb.
- Two months, significant damage and change will be shown on the character's body. They may no longer be discernible as the same individual.
- Four months, body parts really start to come off easily, hope you have a thread and needle.
- Six months, character can no longer resist the pull of the cult's control and becomes a member of the mindless zombie horde.
[ Zombie Sign-up Page]
What about the other zombies?
Yeah, what about them? Oh...right... The zombies tend to attack New Ashford at least once every two days, sometimes once a day if they're particularly hungry or a cultist is in the area and feels like directing them to harass the Living. Zombies can be defeated numerous ways, but it's in their nature not to stay down. The nature of the zombie attack-of-the-day will be mentioned along with the day change and the weather.
Zombies are created from any creature that was once living. This includes animals! (This is why almost all Living/Free people are vegetarians - it is possible to get meat that won't come alive in a character's stomach, but it is tricky!) The tavern Old Gray does serve burgers once a week to those who have something significant to trade.
What is the cult?
Oooooh. We can't just tell you. It will have to be figured out as the characters find out more from the NPCs. Bwahaha.
Can I join the cult?
No.
But...what if I?
NO.
Not even if I...?
No no no no no nononononononono. BUT! If you want to plot something out with the mods, some sort of temporary capture or control, feel free to plop a request in the Mod Box!
How do I get home?
That's a good question! For now, the only known way to go home is if a character is dropped and the player chooses to send them home. ICly the character's disappearance is mysterious and they leave any possessions they are not currently touching behind. It would be very natural for most other characters and NPCs to assume that the person was captured or eaten by zombies.
How do I organize a plot?
Post a suggestion in the Plot Box. After approval, post on the OOC! It's that easy!
How do I participate in mod-plots?
Don't suck. Er...no, just jump on in! If you have questions there will be a mod-post, or you can always IM Zee or Lore.
Why is it a bad idea to leave New Ashford without a plan?
Without the support and advice of the people of New Ashford it's very very likely that your character's going to get eaten, captured, or mugged and killed. There will be opportunities to leave New Ashford - and there are future plans to have permanent residences and exploration outside of the city.
Why is it a bad idea to fly outside New Ashford?
The skies over the countryside are often populated with the undead corpses of flying creatures. While not very strong, they are numerous, and can bring pretty much anything down in some way or another. The cities of the cult are protected by both magic and modern technology such as jets, and ground to air missiles.