New Player Guide

So you've picked Sacred Kingdoms, and now you're logged in and sat at Character Creation without the foggiest idea. Great! You've come to the right place. **Our number one rule is be excellent to your fellow players.**

Don't worry if English is not your first language. Plenty of players are not native English speakers and they will be happy to help you with phrasing or vocabulary. You won't receive a barrage of angry tells belittling you for not grasping something right on the first try. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. We work together to build each other up!

### **Character Definition**

The aspects of your character, such as race, backstory, physical appearance, and personality. These should be based on the principles of Forgotten Realms and include strengths and weaknesses. You are playing out your character's story, so this is often regarded as the most important thing to think about. You can use the character description to write down a lot of this detail so that other players are able to read up on what makes your character tick.

### **Character Build**

Mostly the classes, feats, and skills that you choose. There are no rules around builds beyond those imposed by vanilla NWN and those covered in Class Changes. There are build suggestions and guides in the Builds section. Don't be worried about knowing what you want to play *now*. For a first timer we recommend playing what you enjoy and getting a feel for the server, the items available, and the PvE. We have several tools to help you build that perfect character over time.

### **Server Landing**

* All characters are automatically sent to their starting location depending on if they have previously connected to the module or not. Those older characters get a bonus scene, so well done you!
* You'll be given conversation options here. We have a brilliant community here, so we just want to make sure you're aware of that and want to help us to continue keeping it that way.. There is also the offer of a tutorial which will introduce you to the module and boost you to level 5 upon completion.
* When you complete the tutorial, you will be taken to one of the main server hubs - Dawnport.

### **Roleplay**

* Most of your roleplay (RP) interactions with others will be through in-character (IC) conversations. These are between your character and another player character. There will be times, however, where there are out of character (OOC) discussions that are between players. It is key to understand the difference between IC and OOC etiquette.
* Our community standards define that OOC should always be conducted in a polite and friendly manner. You might be chatting in Party chat, enquiring about possible RP opportunities, or clarifying something. Be courteous to others and they will reciprocate.
* The campfire outside the Dragonfire Inn is a hotspot for roleplay.

Generally OOC is done through three mediums:

* Whisper / Talk Channel using //, e.g. // Can I ask a question?
* Party Chat, e.g. /p Hi everyone!
* Tells, i.e. clicking someone's portrait to send them a message IC interactions are between characters. These should reflect your character's world view, personality, and styling. These range from polite to downright rude, but everyone needs to remember that the character is not the same as the player. If your character has a beef with someone IC, this should ***not*** carry into OOC interactions.

**Generally IC has two components:**

* Speech - may or may not be surrounded by speech marks
* Emote - description of what a character is doing, enclosed in markers, e.g. *\*sits down\** For example, *\*the hulking warrior sets his shield down against the wall, breathing a huge sign of relief\** Thank the Gods that's over.
* As a general tip, try to use full words (rather than 'lol', etc.) and don't rush.

### **Getting Set Up**

Once you have landed in Dawn, you have several options:

* Go RP!
* Get some basic gear
* Head to the PvE areas

### **Customise Your Character**

* There will be other characters about. Interacting with them may net you more advanced gear, help with PvE, or adventures. Developing your character story is one of the key tenets of RP, so go right ahead and chat with people.
* If you are stuck for gear, go to the Docks. Speaking to the Ferryman will also take you to the Farmsteads, where slightly higher gear can be acquired from the Emporium. From the Farmsteads, the Goblin Hills can be accessed and your PvE adventure can begin!
* if you wish to customise your character appearance, then you can use the models in the tailors in Dawnport.

### **What's next?**

* After this point, it really is up to you. Your character story will evolve over time and there are many opportunities to get involved with personal, faction, and global RP events.
* Check out other Guides!