Playing a Canon Character

Canon characters are an integral and vital part of the Warden’s Vigil Community. Players want to interact with their favourite canons and the canons themselves have a role in the future plotting, particularly the Grey Wardens. Therefore, playing a canon should be considered a privilege and as such, comes with a certain amount of responsibility.
There are several points to consider before applying to play a canon character.
==Board requirements==
*Available Canon Characters are available as first characters.
*Restricted Canon Characters require the member to have one prior active account before applying. Please note, as time goes on, some Restricted Canons will move to Available Canons.
*Unplayable Canons are just that, unplayable. Any requests for these characters will be denied.
*See List of Canon Characters for more information on who is and is not available.
*Players may play up to Four canon characters as long as these characters do not have direct influence over the other.
==Role play requirements==
*Canon characters should be active and accessible, and this requires a commitment of both time and energy. It is expected that a canon character will post regularly and often. Players want to interact with the canons, it is expected that they should be able to do so (within the scope of any plot a canon is involved in, of course).
*Canons to require time and effort. As a canon character you agree to make at least FOUR posts a month in threads with other members of the site.
*Players will expect to recognize a canon character during role play. It is important to capture speech patterns and mannerisms. While any character, even a canon, is open to the player’s interpretation, there are some boundaries associated with the more recognizable roles.
*The player should have an affinity for the canon they choose to represent. A canon is not just a role to be filled, they need to be played by someone who has done the research, who feels the character and wants to share their enthusiasm for that role with the rest of the board.
*Canon Players should be encouraging roleplay in the areas they are in, whether it be through facilitating small plots or having open meet and greet threads. This is especially important for Canons that are in high-ranking positions.
*With the above in mind, Canon Players should be making an effort to develop at least one plot in their area that would involve Non-Canon Players. We understand that sometimes plots do not garner interest, but we would still like to see the effort made.
If you meet the above criteria, read on!
==The Application Process==
A list of available canon characters is located here: Canon Characters
If you are interested in playing a plot character not listed, feel free to PM the moderating staff and ask about it.
After choosing a canon to play, the very first step is to PM the moderators expressing your intent. It is possible someone else has either expressed interest or is in the process of applying for that character and/or there may be plots you need to be made aware of for the purpose of your application.
Once you receive the go ahead to prepare an application, use the same template provided for all characters, which can be found here: Character Creation Template
Do not post any part of your profile on the board (either under the Workshop or Character Profiles) while it is a work in progress. When complete, forward the profile by PM to the administrators for review:
Fergus Cousland & Kahrin Quirke Ainsley
You will be contacted with any questions and concerns. Once the profile is pre-approved, you can create an account and post the profile on the forum (under Character Profiles) for regular approval. Once approved you can join in the fun!
==Writing a Canon Profile==
In addition to these suggestions (Creating Your Character: A Guide) for putting together a character profile, there are a number of things to consider when preparing an application for a canon character.
The writers at Bioware put an enormous amount of effort into fleshing out even the minor NPCs in Dragon Age. The characters have a rich histories and complex personalities. We would like to see that care transferred to the character played within Warden’s Vigil. Playing a canon should not be a matter of deciding to play another character or wanting simply to play a canon. We would rather see these roles filled by fans, by people who adored that character in the game and cannot wait to breathe life into them via role play.
With this in mind, there should be more to the character history than the events that occurred during the game. Who were they as a child? If this has not been established by the game, this is an opportunity to add your own flavour to a canon character. Where did they come from, who were their parents, what events shaped their childhood, young adulthood? What did they do before the Blight?
While we all played Dragon Age: Origins (and you should have completed at least one full play through, particularly with a character of the same class as your intended canon), we would still like a paragraph or two reflecting the events of the Blight, and , in the case of Expansion and DLC characters, those events as well. Describe your character’s thoughts and actions during that time, particularly if they affect future role play.
Last, but certainly not least, there must be an indication of the role you expect your canon to play or fill in the Ferelden of Warden’s Vigil. A plan, a plot, a purpose. What does your character want to do with the rest of his life? What are her goals? There are many options here. Besides the suggestions made by the epilogue cards in the game, Warden’s Vigil has many ongoing plots. Check the Story Planning board, visit IRC and PM people your canon is likely to be involved with in order to discuss your ideas.
Two final comments on profiles:
*Read the profiles of previously approved canons. They vary greatly, but will generally give you an idea of what the moderating team is looking for.
*Ask questions. The moderators are here to help.
==Playing a Canon Character==
Canon characters should be available to role play with everyone. Player (Original) characters want to meet their heroes, their mentors and their lords. To quote a previous version of this article:
Canon characters are an anchor into the world of Dragon Age and they can be an excellent catalyst for plot and character integration.
Understandably, some canons are occasionally involved in plots and this will limit their availability. Player characters can come to you, however, and even a simple ‘meet and greet’ thread can help a new player find their way within the Ferelden of Warden’s Vigil. Starting an open thread when your canon moves to a new area of the map is a way to involve player characters, old and new, and make new friends. Such threads have turned into the lynchpin of a variety of plots. All role play leads somewhere and no thread is a waste of time.
If, however, a suggested thread or plot is not IC (in character) for your canon, you may certainly make that clear. Again, the moderating staff is available to listen to questions and concerns regarding plotting and role play.
==Relinquishing a Canon Character==
All players on Warden’s Vigil share the responsibility of keeping the boards a friendly and mature place. This is supposed to be a hobby we enjoy. Canon characters are more visible than the other players and, as such, bear a higher responsibility for upholding the standards we have set.
While you are free to personalize your canon, they should still reflect the flavour of the character from Dragon Age. You will be more bound by what is considered IC and OOC, not only by the moderators, but by the players themselves.
If you feel (or if it is perceived) that you cannot maintain that integrity and adhere to regular and varied posts, you may be asked to relinquish your canon character. This is a caveat we would expect you to accept in advance. Ignorance of the rules and policies of Warden’s Vigil will not be an acceptable excuse.
Category:Characters
Category:Canon Characters
Category:Rules and Policies