FAQ
This is the FAQ and should be used for general information on the game itself. If you're curious about anything, feel free to ask as a reply! ♥ Please note that to keep up some sense of suspense, a few parts about the setting might not be mentioned initially. When they are revealed ICly, they will be noted here.
1. Where are my characters?
A giant freaking boat is the simple way to put it. However, let's get a bit more specific - This is the Värdskepp (the host ship or world ship) hosted by our glorious host, Karsaburo. The ship itself is massive on the top deck, and then there are (theoretically) an infinite number of floors below that top floor. However, those floors need to be unlocked, and some keys are hard to find.
This ship had electricity, indoor pluming, food, water, rooms, and any other thing your character might need/want to survive and perhaps even enjoy their stay. There is so much more to this ship as well, so if you want to know more please kindly look at our maps/housing post here.
2. How did they get here?
They signed a contract to Karsaburo in their dreams. Failing this (usually in the case of a character that fails the sleep) it could be in an illusion, in a moment of lapsed control, or a file download, but the point is that they are tricked into accepting something. Once contracted, they nod off in some manner to otherwise wake up on the ship. Usually it's somewhere on the main deck or in a room, but you can be creative!
Please note that your character will remember this transaction somehow and in some way, though perhaps as a dream. As to what your character got in return for signing the contract? Well, that's left up to the imagination for the players and under lock and key for our host.
3. What does this contract actually entail?
The contract means that the character is now officially a passenger (a "guest") on the ship. Their stay is indefinite (until you drop them, basically), and how long they are contracted for is known only by our esteemed host, and is not likely to ever be disclosed.
However, being a guest does have benefits - you get your own room, you can purchase any item from the stores, you can use any facility on the ship, and can command the staff of the ship as they please. All these functions do require the characters to use their key-cards. Don't worry though, as long as they're contracted they have (theoretically) unlimited credit!
4. Could you explain the key-cards?
The key-cards basically look like credit cards, albeit slightly larger. In terms of function, they can be used to lock or unlock doors on the ship, held up to staff members to command them to perform tasks, used like credit cards to purchase items, or used to activate certain facilities on the ship such as the tram system.
All characters have unlimited credit on the cards, however, the cards do have ranks when it comes to locking or unlocking doors. All characters start at level C, but can advance through various means to B, A, and finally K, the highest rank.
5. How do the levels affect the key-cards?
Level C cards can only lock or unlock the characters own room. Level B cards can be used to lock or unlock the doors of any public facility on the ship (please note they are all open at all hours by default) and a small number of the lower decks. Level A cards can be used to lock or unlock the rooms of anyone on the ship in addition to public facilities, as well as a number of the lower decks. Level K cards can unlock almost all of the lower decks as well as certain other, mysterious doors that are at seemingly random places on the ship.
6. Can my character bring items with them to the ship?
Yes and no. When they arrive they have the clothes on their backs and any items you want on their person on them. Also, when they awake each person has a communication device, their key-card, and a note with this written on it in fancy cursive:
"Congratulations! [CHARACTER NAME], you are the newest guest aboard the Värdskepp. Your room number is [NUMBER].
Please enjoy your stay. ♥"
When the character arrives at their room they should find other notable possessions of their (including but not limited to weapons, mementos, journals, personal items, practical items, changes of clothes, etc). The only exception to this are larger items which don't belong in a room (vehicles, etc) which will most likely be in the abandoned factory, which a note in the character's room will lead them to.
The items in the room may include pet(s) if the character canonly has any which are not legitimate characters in their own right. More about this will be explained below.
7. Could you explain more about the communication devices?
Certainly! For starters, the communicators looks something like this. They come in a myriad of colors and sizes (it's up to the player what size/color their character has), but all of them can function as a phone or laptop. All of them connect to one major network that connects the whole ship together. But messages can be encrypted to certain IDs to make for "private" messages.
In addition to these functions, the communicators can be used for a myriad of other functions, so long as you ask us for permission first. These include but are certainly not limited to making word files, taking pictures, filming movies, hosting any of those files, or even being used as a tracking device. Every communicator has a unique eight-digit ID number which is given to the character upon being accepted.
8. So what type of posts can we make?
Basically, there are a few types of posts which can be made from the communicators. The major ones are as follows, all of which are made as posts on the main community (VardSkepp). When making a post please mark which type of post it is somehow as to not confuse people. Please note that sans action-posts other posts can be replied to with different types of relies (IE: an audio post can be replied to with text) and that action-threads can pop up in any of the communicator types of posts. When making a shift please mark it in the comment's subject line.
Audio Post: This is post made onto the network via a voice recording using the communicator. This can be done via speaker phone or using the device like a phone-call, but the post is put onto the network. These types of posts may or may not have pictures of the characters included, because a photo is taken with each reply if speaker is used unless the camera function is obstructed. If it is used like a phone there is obviously no picture, but the ID is recorded.
Text Post: These types of posts can either be typed (via the communicator's keyboard) or written via writing on the communicator's screen. The ID is recorded and a picture is taken, though as with the above the camera can be covered up. As it is a laptop though it will take a photo by default.
Video Post: As with text or voice post, but in this case you keep the camera on you and it records a video clip instead of just a picture.
Action Post: This is a first person post which is assumed to be in person and not over the communicators. You can think of it as something like a log, just a bit more lax. In this case you will you action-script to interact with other characters.
9. Wait, action-script; I like logs?
You can do logs or action-script when it comes to character-to-character (non-communicator, basically) interaction, it's your call! Logs merely go in vardlogs while action-script entries are posted as normal on the main community. For those not familiar with action-script, it is something like this:
[Bob looked Jane over carefully... she looked dangerous. Cautiously, he decided to speak] Hey there.
10. Okay, so what about characters' powers?
No limits is the simplest answer, but there are a few bits of limitation. The first is that if you character has some ability to teleport, enter other dimensions, or anything else which would let them otherwise leave the ship, it won't work properly and they'd end up somewhere else randomly on the ship. They can freely teleport on the ship however. The other is a little more common sense:
If the character has some ability so powerful it was cause a massive change to the ship and you want them to use it we ask that you ask a mod for permission first. Also, if your character is planning to use some powerful or altering ability on another character we ask that you ask the other player for permission. A good example might be telepathy: if your character is a telepath you might want to make a permissions-post to get people's input on it individually.
However, for the most part, your characters do keep all the powers they have naturally on the ship. If their powers require certain items they will obviously need to find these items and depending on the nature of them it might be hard and/or impossible (like say if you wanted to app Captain Kirk you wouldn't get the Enterprise) to do.
11. With that in mind, who can and can't I app?
Alright, so here's how it goes down. You can apply for any character from a "fandom" (That is to say any legit form of media including but not limited to novels, comic books, webcomics, TV-shows, movies, video games, anime, and manga) who has enough material to at least assume what they might be like. Because of this, minor characters are permitted, so long as you flesh out their personality (though please note these types of apps will be looked at more carefully).
In apping a fandom character you decide what point in their canon timeline you want to apply them from... or you can take them post-canon or ever pre-canon. If you're apping post-canon it must be relative close to the end of the story or from a point which has some legitimate source you can pull inferences from. If applying pre-canon there similarly needs to be something (even perhaps a series of flashbacks) which allow you to infer what the character might have been like at that time.
If you're applying for a character that lacks dialogue (perhaps a silent protagonist, perhaps a largely unseen villain) then you are permitted to let them speak (if they are capable of speech ICly) but you need to make reasonable judgment call as to what they probably talk like given their personality and how other characters react to them.
As mentioned above you can app from any fandom, however this only applies to legitimate source material. If there are two published forms of media which are radically different (perhaps a novel or a movie) you are permitted to app from both but you should specify which one it is taken from. Please note that this does not extend to non-legitimate (IE: fan-made) material, however. As such you could not apply for a character as seen in a doujin, as this constitutes an AU, which are not currently allowed. However, in this cases it does count as the same fandom so there won't be two versions of the same character on the ship.
An exception to this are cases in which two different versions of the same character exist in two different fandoms, in which case both are permitted to be applied (as an example, Cloud from Final Fantasy 7 and Cloud from Kingdom Hearts can both be apped, but one couldn't then go and app Cloud from Before Crisis even though he is radically different from Cloud in the original game, as he is the same character technically) If cases get oddly complex such as reincarnations, feel free to ask us if it's allowed here in the form of a question.
Also considerable are fan-made but independent sources such as webcomics or doujins which don't use characters from legitimate published works. You are permitted to app for these characters as if they were a normal fandom, so long as there is sufficient source material to do so with.
In addition to fandom characters you may also apply for your own creations -- Original Characters. Aside from more strict criteria in looking at applications for OCs, the only specific limit on them is that they not be part of some fandom's setting. IE: You cannot apply for an OC which is inserted into something like Naruto or BLEACH.
12. What about companion characters like pets?
Okay for starters when it comes to these we ask you to ask us on a case-by-case basis before you apply because these get tricky. However, the basic rule of thumb when trying to figure it out is to consider two important questions:
1) Is the companion somehow part of the character? (IE: part of their soul, made from their spirit, etc)
2) Is the companion a legitimate character in it's own right? (IE: does is display personality or not)
If the partner isn't part of the main character and/or has its own personality traits you most likely cannot have it come with your character. However, if it is something minor like say a dog with no plot relevance or if it is a part of the main character like a persona from the Persona series, then you can include it.
13. What if my character canonically had some crippling illness or injury?
Bluntly, they'll still have it. If you character has some disability like blindness or partial paralysis or a broken leg they will still keep it or if your character has some illness like tuberculosis or something they will also keep it. There is medical treatment on the ship if the character asks for it, and it can handle any type of malady imaginable. Thus even if your character should die from it canonically it can most likely be stalled or cured via medical treatment on the ship. If however, you're curious about something related to this feel free to ask.
14. About if my character dies?
For the first few weeks of the RP death isn't permitted. Or rather, if someone does die they won't come back to life. A moderated event shortly after the RP starts will give insight into how death is handled on the ship and so for right now we ask you to not kill off your characters if you want to keep them. Please? We promise it'll be explained in the near future!
15. So about this Karsaburo who runs the ship...?
He is shrouded in mystery. All of the NPCs will know him in some fashion but it is doubtful that any of them will give your characters a straight answer and even if they do they most likely will give answers that conflict with other NPCs' answers. However, in some future event he might show up in person, so please wait for it!
16. Well what about the other NPCs?
All NPCs of note will be listed in the NPC section of the taken characters list. They are played by the moderators and will be notable figures on the ship in some fashion or another. If the NPC is not notable enough to have it's own account they will be one of the myriad of NPCs who will post from the account vardNPC, and who is posting from that account will be made clear within the post in question.
17. Regarding character changes...?
This a broad topic but let's sum up the basics. Sometimes people don't feel confident with how they play a character and/or what point in the timeline they're playing a character from. As such, sometimes players want to bump (re-take the character from a previous point in the timline), jump (re-take the character from a further point in the timeline) or restart (re-take the character from the same point in the timeline) a character. We allow any of these to happen, and you are permitted to have them retain previous ship memories if you like but we have one request: That in the event you want to do any of these you please re-apply in the applications post. This is to make sure you haven't lost the "voice" so to speak.
Additionally, some events and the like will change characters physically and/or mentally in slight or sometimes notable ways. When it comes to these changes our policy on this ship is to assume they're lasting changes unless the event notes otherwise -- which most of them will. As the plot progresses characters will likely encounter certain changes which will be lasting, so bear this in mind when you decide to make certain changes.
This also can apply to characters (like say vampires or lycanthropes) which can otherwise "infest" other characters. If you decide to allow your character to be effected by something like this it cannot magically become better (even with the ship's great medical coverage) or anything. You are free to handle it however you please, but please only make it "cured" if there is both a way to do it in the canon in question and you use that method. Otherwise please keep it and have fun with it!
18. I want to app something distinctly inhuman, can I?
YES. Here at the Host Ship we don't believe in turning characters who aren't humans (hedgehogs, transformers, you name it) into humans. Thus, any type of character (be them a robot, an animal, anything) will remain in its natural form on the ship. If a character has more than one form like say a lycanthrope they are free to use both forms so long as both forms are clearly the same character. Naturally, if the character is HUGE they might need to be resized a little, but even that seems unlikely because the ship itself is big. Please consult us on a case-to-case basis if you think there might be issues with this.
This also can apply to (un)dead characters like ghosts or the like. You are free to apply for ghosts, so long as they are ghosts in the canon. If you are applying for a character that is dead but is never seen as being undead in any form in the canon please make them alive again. If you make them a ghost it's up to you how to handle if people can see them or not (if that is in question in the canon) but we would prefer that you make it that everyone can see them.
19. Well what about languages?
Ah, this little detail. Well, it's simple: on the ship anything over the communicators will be automatically translated into the native language of whoever is reading it unless the one posting the entry/comment sets it on their communicator not to (by default this setting is always turned on). In person, everything will be automatically translated so long as the character is holding their key card somewhere on their person. That means that losing the card can be hazardous to their understanding of things.
In the case of canons which don't have a specified language you're free to assume what languages they use. Please note that this translating also applies to animals as well. But do also note that this translation does not make illiterate characters suddenly literate or anything. Additionally, people with speaking quirks will keep these quirks in any language. If you want your character to not be understood in some language (like say a hidden tongue or an animal who you don't want to be understood) feel free to ask us about it here.
20. So where is the ship actually sailing?
Now that is a question. No one really knows, but you can check out the RP's premise and make theories as you go!
1. Where are my characters?
A giant freaking boat is the simple way to put it. However, let's get a bit more specific - This is the Värdskepp (the host ship or world ship) hosted by our glorious host, Karsaburo. The ship itself is massive on the top deck, and then there are (theoretically) an infinite number of floors below that top floor. However, those floors need to be unlocked, and some keys are hard to find.
This ship had electricity, indoor pluming, food, water, rooms, and any other thing your character might need/want to survive and perhaps even enjoy their stay. There is so much more to this ship as well, so if you want to know more please kindly look at our maps/housing post here.
2. How did they get here?
They signed a contract to Karsaburo in their dreams. Failing this (usually in the case of a character that fails the sleep) it could be in an illusion, in a moment of lapsed control, or a file download, but the point is that they are tricked into accepting something. Once contracted, they nod off in some manner to otherwise wake up on the ship. Usually it's somewhere on the main deck or in a room, but you can be creative!
Please note that your character will remember this transaction somehow and in some way, though perhaps as a dream. As to what your character got in return for signing the contract? Well, that's left up to the imagination for the players and under lock and key for our host.
3. What does this contract actually entail?
The contract means that the character is now officially a passenger (a "guest") on the ship. Their stay is indefinite (until you drop them, basically), and how long they are contracted for is known only by our esteemed host, and is not likely to ever be disclosed.
However, being a guest does have benefits - you get your own room, you can purchase any item from the stores, you can use any facility on the ship, and can command the staff of the ship as they please. All these functions do require the characters to use their key-cards. Don't worry though, as long as they're contracted they have (theoretically) unlimited credit!
4. Could you explain the key-cards?
The key-cards basically look like credit cards, albeit slightly larger. In terms of function, they can be used to lock or unlock doors on the ship, held up to staff members to command them to perform tasks, used like credit cards to purchase items, or used to activate certain facilities on the ship such as the tram system.
All characters have unlimited credit on the cards, however, the cards do have ranks when it comes to locking or unlocking doors. All characters start at level C, but can advance through various means to B, A, and finally K, the highest rank.
5. How do the levels affect the key-cards?
Level C cards can only lock or unlock the characters own room. Level B cards can be used to lock or unlock the doors of any public facility on the ship (please note they are all open at all hours by default) and a small number of the lower decks. Level A cards can be used to lock or unlock the rooms of anyone on the ship in addition to public facilities, as well as a number of the lower decks. Level K cards can unlock almost all of the lower decks as well as certain other, mysterious doors that are at seemingly random places on the ship.
6. Can my character bring items with them to the ship?
Yes and no. When they arrive they have the clothes on their backs and any items you want on their person on them. Also, when they awake each person has a communication device, their key-card, and a note with this written on it in fancy cursive:
"Congratulations! [CHARACTER NAME], you are the newest guest aboard the Värdskepp. Your room number is [NUMBER].
Please enjoy your stay. ♥"
When the character arrives at their room they should find other notable possessions of their (including but not limited to weapons, mementos, journals, personal items, practical items, changes of clothes, etc). The only exception to this are larger items which don't belong in a room (vehicles, etc) which will most likely be in the abandoned factory, which a note in the character's room will lead them to.
The items in the room may include pet(s) if the character canonly has any which are not legitimate characters in their own right. More about this will be explained below.
7. Could you explain more about the communication devices?
Certainly! For starters, the communicators looks something like this. They come in a myriad of colors and sizes (it's up to the player what size/color their character has), but all of them can function as a phone or laptop. All of them connect to one major network that connects the whole ship together. But messages can be encrypted to certain IDs to make for "private" messages.
In addition to these functions, the communicators can be used for a myriad of other functions, so long as you ask us for permission first. These include but are certainly not limited to making word files, taking pictures, filming movies, hosting any of those files, or even being used as a tracking device. Every communicator has a unique eight-digit ID number which is given to the character upon being accepted.
8. So what type of posts can we make?
Basically, there are a few types of posts which can be made from the communicators. The major ones are as follows, all of which are made as posts on the main community (VardSkepp). When making a post please mark which type of post it is somehow as to not confuse people. Please note that sans action-posts other posts can be replied to with different types of relies (IE: an audio post can be replied to with text) and that action-threads can pop up in any of the communicator types of posts. When making a shift please mark it in the comment's subject line.
Audio Post: This is post made onto the network via a voice recording using the communicator. This can be done via speaker phone or using the device like a phone-call, but the post is put onto the network. These types of posts may or may not have pictures of the characters included, because a photo is taken with each reply if speaker is used unless the camera function is obstructed. If it is used like a phone there is obviously no picture, but the ID is recorded.
Text Post: These types of posts can either be typed (via the communicator's keyboard) or written via writing on the communicator's screen. The ID is recorded and a picture is taken, though as with the above the camera can be covered up. As it is a laptop though it will take a photo by default.
Video Post: As with text or voice post, but in this case you keep the camera on you and it records a video clip instead of just a picture.
Action Post: This is a first person post which is assumed to be in person and not over the communicators. You can think of it as something like a log, just a bit more lax. In this case you will you action-script to interact with other characters.
9. Wait, action-script; I like logs?
You can do logs or action-script when it comes to character-to-character (non-communicator, basically) interaction, it's your call! Logs merely go in vardlogs while action-script entries are posted as normal on the main community. For those not familiar with action-script, it is something like this:
[Bob looked Jane over carefully... she looked dangerous. Cautiously, he decided to speak] Hey there.
10. Okay, so what about characters' powers?
No limits is the simplest answer, but there are a few bits of limitation. The first is that if you character has some ability to teleport, enter other dimensions, or anything else which would let them otherwise leave the ship, it won't work properly and they'd end up somewhere else randomly on the ship. They can freely teleport on the ship however. The other is a little more common sense:
If the character has some ability so powerful it was cause a massive change to the ship and you want them to use it we ask that you ask a mod for permission first. Also, if your character is planning to use some powerful or altering ability on another character we ask that you ask the other player for permission. A good example might be telepathy: if your character is a telepath you might want to make a permissions-post to get people's input on it individually.
However, for the most part, your characters do keep all the powers they have naturally on the ship. If their powers require certain items they will obviously need to find these items and depending on the nature of them it might be hard and/or impossible (like say if you wanted to app Captain Kirk you wouldn't get the Enterprise) to do.
11. With that in mind, who can and can't I app?
Alright, so here's how it goes down. You can apply for any character from a "fandom" (That is to say any legit form of media including but not limited to novels, comic books, webcomics, TV-shows, movies, video games, anime, and manga) who has enough material to at least assume what they might be like. Because of this, minor characters are permitted, so long as you flesh out their personality (though please note these types of apps will be looked at more carefully).
In apping a fandom character you decide what point in their canon timeline you want to apply them from... or you can take them post-canon or ever pre-canon. If you're apping post-canon it must be relative close to the end of the story or from a point which has some legitimate source you can pull inferences from. If applying pre-canon there similarly needs to be something (even perhaps a series of flashbacks) which allow you to infer what the character might have been like at that time.
If you're applying for a character that lacks dialogue (perhaps a silent protagonist, perhaps a largely unseen villain) then you are permitted to let them speak (if they are capable of speech ICly) but you need to make reasonable judgment call as to what they probably talk like given their personality and how other characters react to them.
As mentioned above you can app from any fandom, however this only applies to legitimate source material. If there are two published forms of media which are radically different (perhaps a novel or a movie) you are permitted to app from both but you should specify which one it is taken from. Please note that this does not extend to non-legitimate (IE: fan-made) material, however. As such you could not apply for a character as seen in a doujin, as this constitutes an AU, which are not currently allowed. However, in this cases it does count as the same fandom so there won't be two versions of the same character on the ship.
An exception to this are cases in which two different versions of the same character exist in two different fandoms, in which case both are permitted to be applied (as an example, Cloud from Final Fantasy 7 and Cloud from Kingdom Hearts can both be apped, but one couldn't then go and app Cloud from Before Crisis even though he is radically different from Cloud in the original game, as he is the same character technically) If cases get oddly complex such as reincarnations, feel free to ask us if it's allowed here in the form of a question.
Also considerable are fan-made but independent sources such as webcomics or doujins which don't use characters from legitimate published works. You are permitted to app for these characters as if they were a normal fandom, so long as there is sufficient source material to do so with.
In addition to fandom characters you may also apply for your own creations -- Original Characters. Aside from more strict criteria in looking at applications for OCs, the only specific limit on them is that they not be part of some fandom's setting. IE: You cannot apply for an OC which is inserted into something like Naruto or BLEACH.
12. What about companion characters like pets?
Okay for starters when it comes to these we ask you to ask us on a case-by-case basis before you apply because these get tricky. However, the basic rule of thumb when trying to figure it out is to consider two important questions:
1) Is the companion somehow part of the character? (IE: part of their soul, made from their spirit, etc)
2) Is the companion a legitimate character in it's own right? (IE: does is display personality or not)
If the partner isn't part of the main character and/or has its own personality traits you most likely cannot have it come with your character. However, if it is something minor like say a dog with no plot relevance or if it is a part of the main character like a persona from the Persona series, then you can include it.
13. What if my character canonically had some crippling illness or injury?
Bluntly, they'll still have it. If you character has some disability like blindness or partial paralysis or a broken leg they will still keep it or if your character has some illness like tuberculosis or something they will also keep it. There is medical treatment on the ship if the character asks for it, and it can handle any type of malady imaginable. Thus even if your character should die from it canonically it can most likely be stalled or cured via medical treatment on the ship. If however, you're curious about something related to this feel free to ask.
14. About if my character dies?
For the first few weeks of the RP death isn't permitted. Or rather, if someone does die they won't come back to life. A moderated event shortly after the RP starts will give insight into how death is handled on the ship and so for right now we ask you to not kill off your characters if you want to keep them. Please? We promise it'll be explained in the near future!
15. So about this Karsaburo who runs the ship...?
He is shrouded in mystery. All of the NPCs will know him in some fashion but it is doubtful that any of them will give your characters a straight answer and even if they do they most likely will give answers that conflict with other NPCs' answers. However, in some future event he might show up in person, so please wait for it!
16. Well what about the other NPCs?
All NPCs of note will be listed in the NPC section of the taken characters list. They are played by the moderators and will be notable figures on the ship in some fashion or another. If the NPC is not notable enough to have it's own account they will be one of the myriad of NPCs who will post from the account vardNPC, and who is posting from that account will be made clear within the post in question.
17. Regarding character changes...?
This a broad topic but let's sum up the basics. Sometimes people don't feel confident with how they play a character and/or what point in the timeline they're playing a character from. As such, sometimes players want to bump (re-take the character from a previous point in the timline), jump (re-take the character from a further point in the timeline) or restart (re-take the character from the same point in the timeline) a character. We allow any of these to happen, and you are permitted to have them retain previous ship memories if you like but we have one request: That in the event you want to do any of these you please re-apply in the applications post. This is to make sure you haven't lost the "voice" so to speak.
Additionally, some events and the like will change characters physically and/or mentally in slight or sometimes notable ways. When it comes to these changes our policy on this ship is to assume they're lasting changes unless the event notes otherwise -- which most of them will. As the plot progresses characters will likely encounter certain changes which will be lasting, so bear this in mind when you decide to make certain changes.
This also can apply to characters (like say vampires or lycanthropes) which can otherwise "infest" other characters. If you decide to allow your character to be effected by something like this it cannot magically become better (even with the ship's great medical coverage) or anything. You are free to handle it however you please, but please only make it "cured" if there is both a way to do it in the canon in question and you use that method. Otherwise please keep it and have fun with it!
18. I want to app something distinctly inhuman, can I?
YES. Here at the Host Ship we don't believe in turning characters who aren't humans (hedgehogs, transformers, you name it) into humans. Thus, any type of character (be them a robot, an animal, anything) will remain in its natural form on the ship. If a character has more than one form like say a lycanthrope they are free to use both forms so long as both forms are clearly the same character. Naturally, if the character is HUGE they might need to be resized a little, but even that seems unlikely because the ship itself is big. Please consult us on a case-to-case basis if you think there might be issues with this.
This also can apply to (un)dead characters like ghosts or the like. You are free to apply for ghosts, so long as they are ghosts in the canon. If you are applying for a character that is dead but is never seen as being undead in any form in the canon please make them alive again. If you make them a ghost it's up to you how to handle if people can see them or not (if that is in question in the canon) but we would prefer that you make it that everyone can see them.
19. Well what about languages?
Ah, this little detail. Well, it's simple: on the ship anything over the communicators will be automatically translated into the native language of whoever is reading it unless the one posting the entry/comment sets it on their communicator not to (by default this setting is always turned on). In person, everything will be automatically translated so long as the character is holding their key card somewhere on their person. That means that losing the card can be hazardous to their understanding of things.
In the case of canons which don't have a specified language you're free to assume what languages they use. Please note that this translating also applies to animals as well. But do also note that this translation does not make illiterate characters suddenly literate or anything. Additionally, people with speaking quirks will keep these quirks in any language. If you want your character to not be understood in some language (like say a hidden tongue or an animal who you don't want to be understood) feel free to ask us about it here.
20. So where is the ship actually sailing?
Now that is a question. No one really knows, but you can check out the RP's premise and make theories as you go!