Roleplaying Archive

## RP: The Absolute Basics

### What is RP?

Roleplaying is simply acting out what your character would do in certain situations.

RPG games like Skyrim and Mass Effect delve into it a bit. The character is already written for you, and while you can choose which path to take, there is still a limited set of variations and predetermined set of outcomes. You're in it for the dev's story.

MMORPG games give us more options in our character's backgrounds, personalities, and eventual growth. How you define your character is not always based on the game settings (ie, the Living Story options are limited), but through interaction with the Roleplaying Community. You can decide how your character reacts to situations other players create, producing a dynamic "story" which can help define the character you created.

There is an etiquette to know when roleplaying with others, and knowledge of your character's particular race and culture will help round out their backstory. This page will offer information on these and other subjects.

## Character Creation: What to Know

### Race Basics and Naming Customs

#### Asura

The Asuran people are an extremely intelligent and logic based race. Their entire society is based around a chosen ideology of scholastic nature, and their ultimate worth and value to their culture is determined by what kind of lasting impact they leave behind, be that through an invention, a proven theory or prolific equation. They are a very education and college proud people, and it is considered extremely substandard to not have attended (at least) one of the three major colleges. They may require a good understanding of specific jargon to play. They were originally a subterranean people that were forced to the surface roughly three hundred years ago by the Elder Dragon Primordus, and they now explore the world and its mysteries with their unique, inquisitive and logical approach. The Asura do not follow a deity, but instead believe in what they call the Eternal Alchemy, a theory and equation that connects all magic and beings together in an entwined destiny.

For the most part, asura do not have typical family structures. They do not have surnames, as they are usually identified by which krewe they work for, or a title that they have earned or (more likely) made up for themselves to be relevant and inflate their sense of importance. Individual names follow a loose convention of male names having a hard consonant sound at the end (Arkk, Gixx, etc.) and females ending with a vowel (Zojja, Zildi, Taimi). This is just a general indicator of 'traditional' names, as many asura ignore this entirely and might pick something that sounds good when read on patent papers, or if it sounds cool. A male asura with a vowel at the end of their name won't necessarily be ridiculed for it, except maybe as a progeny.

Family structure is contractually based, at least in the area of Metrica Province / Rata Sum. The further out you go, the more blended with other cultures it can get. The terms "husband/wife" are not a cultural term. They just say they are "contracted to each other," but asura will still use the terms among other races since it's an easier explanation. A husband and wife will go into contract to secure resources for their respective krewes for joint ventures. Generally this is for a predetermined amount of time, and has specific ending clauses. These can range from "until the Ley-Matter Restabilizer is completed" to "The birth of one progeny", and other more vain clauses. Regardless, the contract will end, and neither party will have no obligation to the other, though generally children are provided for under these contracts. Sudden death of family / orphaning of children will send them to Progeny Protective Services.

As an asura player, your character will likely be asked which 'college' they attended. Traditionally raised asura aim for college entry around the early teens. It may seem early, but progeny are capable of speaking (if only baby talk and simple words) within days, if not weeks of being born. There are three colleges, and while there are studies with a strong showing in its population:

***College of Dynamics***: To understand the world, its magic, and the workings of the Eternal Alchemy, its boundaries must be pushed, broken, and re-assessed. These are the forward thinkers, experimental tinkerers, and 'mad chemists' of asuran society. They attack problem at strange angles, and oftentimes invent something in the process of failing to do something else.

***College of Statics***: Reality is a fixed state, and a firm grasp of that reality will allow us to shape it to our will. These are your architects, doctors, even lawyers. Their studies are more focused on what is already established, in order to have a full understanding of a problem's background before pursuing an answer. Medicine and law studies do change, but at a much slower pace than anything Dynamics would have to offer.

***College of Synergetics:*** Everything is interconnected, from the smallest insect to the Human Gods, everything has an effect on the world, and once we understand that connection, the answers will fall into place. This is the more philosophical/theoretical side of education. Theoretical physics, ethics (as it pertains to asuran society, as they have a different sense of what is 'right'), and seemingly random points of study to investigate the world's impact on it.

Each college, while realizing that these different approaches are what balance society, will still fight to claim one college is superior to the other two.

A word on the Inquest. They are a 'meta krewe', they don't focus on a singular point of interest, they're basically a society unto themselves. Originally founded to safeguard asuran secrets after the Exodus forced them to leave so much behind in the wake of the Destroyers, they now seem to be an actively malevolent force, canning any form of ethical restraints to establish their own superiority, not necessarily for all asurakind.

The government of Rata Sum often delegates tasks to the Inquest, as they are the group most likely to get results quickly, regardless of -how- they get them. Some of the notable experiments have been mind-golem interfacing (resulting in the deaths of dozens, if not hundreds), dragon minion manipulation, creation, and 'energy' from them (See Kudu/Kuda) which are often unleashed on a local population, or really bad lab interns, and the creation of the modern Scarab Plague.

They operate like a pyramid scheme, but instead of selling products, you're trying to generate results and mental capital to be noticed by your superiors to get a promotion. Of course, accidents do happen and vacancies are often fought over viciously by the people who likely killed the one in that position in the first place.

## Community Lore: Who the F\*\*\* is Tuck?

Community Lore is something that the majority of the RP community on the server (Tarnished Coast!) have agreed upon. Some guilds are large and have a decent pull within the community, and sometimes their actions may shift the 'community canon' as it were. There are Discord servers and forums that put out these events. You aren't meant to keep up with every little current event that happens, but keep an eye and ear out for happenings in the world!

As for the name of this section, Tuck, Buck, and Chuck are 'NPC' characters that are communally agreed upon to exist in each of the three taverns in Divinity's Reach when there is not a guild presently acting as bartenders/proprietors of said establishments. The Maiden's Whisper has The Maiden's Keepers [TMK], the busted flagon is run by \_\_\_\_\_, and [insert the other tavern here because I personally don't hit up Ossan Quarter all that much. oh and guild that runs it]. These guilds have a pretty long standing with running/managing these RP hotspots! If they're not there, just emote that you're having the NPC tender assigned to that location as giving you a drink. Think of them as dispensers. They don't talk or have personalities, so just RP out your order like someone's there.

## Glossary

### Common Terms and Definitions

**Alignment:** MOST OF THE TIME, if someone asks your character's alignment, they are referring to the system used by Dungeons and Dragons to loosely categorize "the ethical and moral perspective of player characters, non-player characters, and creatures." For more information, please go here.

**Fade to Black (FTB):**

**GodMod:** Taking control of another player’s character during roleplay. It is HIGHLY frowned upon, since this takes away character autonomy and may subject another player's character to actions they do not wish them to take. For more information (including specific examples and exclusions) on GodModding, please go [here] (<- to be linked).

**IC:** "In Character". This means that you are currently posting/speaking AS your character.

**Lore:** History, cultures, customs, and laws pertaining to the "Universe" you are roleplaying in. "Laws" can pertain to things such the use of magic, the existence and behavior of certain fictional creatures, etc. Most roleplayers seek to align their characters and their backstories to the world the game devs created, treating it as a specific medium for their story lines.

**Lore Breaking:** When a character/action is not supported or allowed by official lore.

**OOC:** "Out of Character". You are NOT posting/speaking as your character, or doing an action that is not supposed to be taken as an IC action. It can also denote that information being shared is not to be "known" ICly.

**Mun:** An older term referring to a character's player. Stands for "mundane".

**Retcon:** The act of taking existing lore of a situation/and or character and changing it. A retcon usually involves altering the lore of a situation/character and ignoring the previous lore known to that character/situation.

This is usually done when you have a character who has acted in a way you dislike. Here is an example. You often play as a character named "Bob the tailor." During a roleplay session you emote that bob stabs a Minotaur in the eye and kills it with a pair of scissors. Whoever, later you discover that the minotaur is an adult and not a calf like you thought it was.

So you decide to ignore the previous action. Instead you say that Bob wounded the beast with his scissors, since it is a more realistic outcome. This is a minor retcon. Larger retcons may involve changing major parts of a characters backstory, including their relations of other characters.

**Roll Battle:** An "In Character" fight where dice rolls determine the outcome of attacks/blocks. There is no one standard set of rules, though often there is a semblance of D&D battle rules. Rules are usually discussed "Out of Character" before the fight commences. This is one of the sure ways to avoid GodModding in a fight.

### Helpful Links

GW2Efficiency - A secure, player-made site that Arenanet has officially partnered with. It will help you organize, especially if you have multiple toons.

Guild Wars 2 Official Wiki - Best resource for all information regarding GW2

GW2RP Forums - Community made and supported RP forums

Metabattle - Guide for class specs and meta builds for each area of PvX