New Player Guide

The first and perhaps the most important message we have for you is to welcome you to Game of Kings and thank you for joining us.

We have created this game for you, the player, to enjoy the world we have created. Many concepts, roles and game play have been left ambiguous with the sole purpose to enable you and you imagination to guide and set the tone of your game play.

The first step in joining Game of Kings is Character Generation or CharGen. To help make this process as painless as possible we will provide you, room by room, some high level guidelines. We know that not all your questions will be answered by this guide so feel free to page one of the members identified as a Helper on the +WHO or as identified on the +HELPERS listing. If this is not possible feel free to contact any staff member from the +STAFF listing.


What Should I Play

Welcome to Game of Kings. We have now come to the most important question out there. What should I play? There are many options as to what type of character you can play, and we encourage creativity and originality in these concepts. You first want to take a look at our theme to ensure that any concept you are considering will fit in with our setting. A man who wants to build a space ship and travel the universe will not be accepted as a character here. Take a look at our wanted page if you would prefer a character that has already been established by staff and will have pre-existing connections before you even hit the grid.

Game of Kings offers a unique opportunity for players to create an original character of their choosing. This however comes with some player responsibility in regard to others player's character and established IC history and relations upon entering the grid.

As such all nobles and in particular, FC characters cannot be randomly killed off or removed from the grid. It is simply unfair to other players to suddenly learn a huge portion of their IC relations and established history has suddenly disappeared in total.

With this in mind and in an attempt to protect player's characters from suddenly finding themselves in limbo original nobles and FCs will be handled in the following manner.

1.Original noble characters become the property of Game of Kings in terms of Name, concept, and relations.
2.Character background can be altered by the player taking over the character. With the exception of significant IC history. Ie. Marriage, battles, children, title, position, ect.
3.Any player wishing to choose a roster character has the option of resetting the +Sheet, background, and PB.

The Basics

Before you get started in creating your character, let's just go over the basics of things you need to remember if you would like to get approved:

1. There is a limit of 4 alts per player, and only one alt in a position of power. Please see our Policies page for further information on these.

2. Characters are confined to the lands of Eikeren. While we may eventually expand beyond these lands, you cannot have a character that was born abroad and brought here later in life. Please visit the Settings page for additional information about Eikeren.

Your Character

Naming Conventions

We encourage creativity in naming your character, however we will not accept any name that is a well-known literary figure, taken from a popular medium, or is completely modernized. Examples of naming no nos: Merlin, Lancelot, Frodo, Gandalf, Harry Potter, Skywalker, and the like. We also encourage you to avoid popularized Real Life names such as Joe, Sally, and the like. There are many great Name Generators out there that can help you figure out a name if you are stuck.

Nobles maintain the surname of their birth House, even after marriage. For example, despite a Lohstren marrying into Sollinger, he/she will maintain the surname Lohstren. For more information, see the Etiquette page. Commoners have a bit more freeform with their surnames. Some maintain a family name, while others are named after their place of birth. For example, a commoner from Brivey may be Thommen of Brivey. Orphans who are raised in the Temples are given surnames based on the Guardians — Bornin, Althearin, Stillthin, or Ravin. For more information on the Temples, see the Religion of the Four Guardians page.

Gender

Women are an important member of society in Eikeren. To the south, in Taniford, they exist as a primarily matriarchal society and as such, have a ruling Queen, as opposed to a King. However, a lady of the court would still be expected to conduct herself accordingly. Her reputation is of utmost importance, but so long as a lady was discreet, they would often be known to have secret trysts and love affairs. While women are traditionally more of the homemakers and the more delicate of sexes, there have been rare occasions of female knights and those who are capable of handling a weapon.

Please do keep in mind, however, that we scrutinize breaks from traditions in biographies very carefully as to limit the number that make it on to the grid. These are rarities and not something that will be accepted in every character. But there are many opportunities for women to be in a position of power and to create change that will affect the entire grid.

Age

While staff will consider any age in a biography, please be aware that there are certain ages that will be the recipient of more RP. Our goal is to encourage RP, not to hinder it, but a six year old child wandering through the Kingdoms on their own is a red flag and there would be limitations set on such a character. The same may be true of an elderly character who, for health reasons, could have more difficulty moving from Laketown to Wolveshire and then up to Rhaedan to follow up on scenes. If you have any questions about the limitations and possibilities, please contact staff, however we encourage that you use common sense here.

Please note that due to issues of legality, our in-game age of majority is 18. We cannot permit sexual relationships between characters under the age of 18 with characters over the age of 18.

Noble vs Commoner

While the fight for the throne will, of course, be taking place amongst the nobility, that does not make commoners an obsolete, unimportant part of the society in Eikeren. Commoners can possess various positions of power, such as merchants and guildmasters. Some of these roles are outlined here.

Nobility

The noble Houses of Eikeren are the aristocracy of the land, the rulers who are charged with governing the people. Amongst each Kingdom, you have one royal House (which will be gone into with more detail later). But amongst each of the ruling families are a series of smaller vassal Houses that serve their chosen King/Queen. The rise and fall of these Houses is commonplace as each family wishes to gain favor with their monarch. Titles, positions of power within the court and land are all given or taken at the pleasure of the crown. Be cautious if you seek the favor of your King/Queen, for the outcome is unknown. But whether these consequences arise from the Crown itself, or your fellow vassals remains to be seen.

Please see the Houses page for more information.

Commoners

Commoners are commoners. They fill the taverns as bar keeps, serving wenches, they run the stables and are the merchants in the square. Just like all other games. The Games of Kings have also created roles that are much more interesting for those wishing to play commoners. Men at Arms, Common Knights, certain positions with in the houses of the Vassals (Sheriffs, deputies, etc) are available. But we also will have additional jobs for commoners and thus in their own way a power not shared by Nobility.

Stonemasons, Metalsmiths, Woodcarvers and others have banded together to form Guilds. Guilds are very powerful and also very prosperous. Should a Head of a Vassal wish to build an outer defensive wall, they will have to negotiate a contract with the Stonemasons. If a Knight wants special armor or a highly decorated sword they will have to contract with armorers and weaponsmiths. Wood work, furniture or paneled walls will have to be negotiated with craftsman.

The greatest source of the commoner power is in the Guilds. Only commoners may enter the Guilds and be granted a voice. The checks and balances between the nobility and Guilds is a very tricky balance and has often led to nobles harboring a grudge that one of low-birth could be put into a position that would rival their own. Please see the Guilds page for more information.

The question always on people's minds is, "If I can play a noble, why would I want a commoner that gets stomped all over?" And it's a valid question. However, the commoners have a place and a purpose. Will they ever be bosom buddies with the Prince of Rhaedan or Princess of Taniford? Probably not. But they are protected from day to day mistreatment that would violate their human rights. Don't ever believe that there is not a very large gap between the place of a commoner and a noble, but there are still many that have risen into positions of power.

Knights

Knights dwell at the top of the combat hierarchy, and they serve as the heavy cavalry of the period. They are also permitted to take part in tournament jousts.

In this game there are two types of knights: the noble knight and the common knight. Most knights, regardless of station, begin training during their early adolescence as squires — usually about age eleven to thirteen. For nobles, however, they often are groomed even early than that under the guidance of family or the House's Master of Arms. Commoners are usually squired under other commoners, and it is very rare for a noble squire to be looked after by a common knight. Squires not only look after their knight's armor and horse, but also learn weapon skills and war tactics. Once a squire has reached about eighteen years of age, they are tested on their abilities, and if proven worthy, are raised to full knighthood.

In rare occasions, it is heard of that a noble or commoner can be granted knighthood despite being given formal training due to prowess and other impressive works that uphold the qualities and oaths of knighthood.

It is not unheard of for women to earn their knighthood, though this is almost exclusive to Taniford. There have only been a handful of common women knights over the course of the last four hundred years as most Lady Knights are nobles. Women knights still must face a variety of ridicule, particularly from those regions who do not always see the merits of following the military leadership of a woman.

All Knights are addressed by the title of "Sir" whether they are common or noble, male or female, and they are required to furnish their own gear through whatever means they can manage. This may include the use of family money, personal funds, gifts, or a noble sponsor.

Kingdoms

The big question on everyone's mind will be - what kingdom should you ally yourself with? Both will have their own specialties and forms of RP and there's no doubt that you will have fun no matter which way you go, but take the time to consider what you would like most.

Rhaedan

The ancestral home of Eikeren. Located in the North with the great mountains as a backdrop. The rule fell to Rhaedan Eikros when it was believed that his younger brother murdered their father in a bid for the crown himself. When Taniford fled this only add credence to this belief. Hearty, strong, quick for a drink and even quicker for a fight the old bloodlines still run true of this family. Long have they mined the ore that builds the weapons, the armor and the tools. Known for the expert craftsmanship of the Armorers and Weaponsmiths their products are sought out by those that can afford them. Strong keeps have been built to withstand the vigor of the winters and the people tend to match these great keeps.

The society of Rhaedan is ruled by a King and typically fairly male centric with women more often keeping to the more traditional female roles of the time.

The people of Rhaedan are typically lighter skinned with blond hair. Blue and green eyes are the most common, however you do find the occasional family where dark hair, hazel or brown eyes occur.

Taniford

The people to the South. Historically, Taniford Eikros was the second son of his father, but considered himself the favored child. As such, he felt he was more deserving of the crown, and believed that his elder brother, Rhaedan, murdered their father before he could bring his decision to the public. Strong-willed and hardworking, the people of Taniford primarily make their living off of the land itself. The best horsemen in Eikeren are from Taniford and the mounts they breed are without parallel. Most feel a very strong connection to the land, and as such, you will not find the same types of cities to the South as you might in the North. Even in the Citadel, the architectural splendor is combined with the land's natural beauty, instead of hiding it.

The kingdom of Taniford is traditionally ruled by a Queen and has a matriarchal society. This allows women to often obtain power and position that is not as common in the North.

The people of Taniford are typically of warmer skin colors with darker hair. Hazel and brown eyes are the most common colors, however you do find the occasional family where blue and green eyes pop up.

To learn more about the different Kingdoms please visit the History page as well as the pages for the Royal Houses, House Rhaedan and House Taniford.

Temples

The Temples of the Four Gods, the religion in Eikeren, are powerful in their own way. The Priests and Priestess are revered. Each Kingdom looks to them for their blessing. Each keep has a temple, some larger, some smaller, where the devout goes to pay homage and ask that their prayers be answered.

Along with the Priest and Priestess there is the military order sworn in service to the Temple, the Priests/Priestess. Most come to take the position at an early age. From the lowest commoner to those of the Nobility. But what ever their background those that serve as Chosen of the Temple stand apart from all others. They server a higher calling. Each Kingdom wants them on their side, seek them out to aid in their defenses. All their needs are met by the Temples. There is a cost to this, once you become a Chosen you can never leave. For the oath you take is one taken for life.


Character Generation:

1. Welcome Room

General information that will guide you to the +NEWS files, the newbie channel and the commands to see which Helper or Staff member is on line.

2. Disclaimer Room

Guides you to the important policies files and help files located both on the Wiki and the game. At the end of this review the new player will enter the command +ACCEPT signifying that you have read these files and agree to abide by them. The player policies will be expected to be followed so it is up to you, the player, to be familiar with them. See Player Policies for more information.

3. Chargen Room

Locations to get help are once again shown and the command to register an alt if the character you are creating is an alt-character.

4. Demographics Room

Here you will set your character's full name, his/her age and the sex of the character. Here is also where you will set the Kingdom he/she will belong to, the vassal they will be joining (or in the case of a Priest/Priestess or a Chosen of the Temple). You will set the position this character will be playing, the class and the character's title.

We also encourage you to set your email address here. This is not mandatory for you to do, it is an option. We do advise you to do this. The main reason would be in the case of a forgotten password. While staff can reset a character's password staff can not read your current password. At no time will a staff member reset a password on a character and give that information to another player or a Guest connection. When a password is reset Staff will email the new password to the email address set on the character.

5. Abilities Room

Here you will set the main attributes of your character. A well rounded character will not only benefit the game but will provide a better character for you to play and add to your enjoyment. We will look hard at character sheets that appear to be min/maxing attributes or skills, and +sheets will always be compared to the character's biography.

For a brief explanation of the attributes as well as what skills they impact check out the Skills page.

6. Skills Room

Here you will set your various skills - Action, Trade, Background and Social. If you haven't already, at this point you'll definitely want to check out Skills to see what is available as well as to get an idea what the different point levels mean. And if your character will be picking up combat skills, the Weapons page will be of interest to you to see what weapons are tied to what skills.

In order to help ensure an easy approval process, here are some guidelines you should consider when setting skill levels:

1. How does the skill level chosen compared to my character's age, position, access to training, etc.?

There are particular skills — both Action and Background — that require access to proper training and education. A Commoner will not have the same level of Administration, Economics, or Heraldry compared to that of a Noble who has been groomed within a particular class. Similarly, an adolescent will not have the same amount of time dedicated to the mastery of a particular skill that an older adult may have.

Since age is the greatest restriction on skill level, here is a general outline to help you determine your characters skill level based on age. Please note that we have a holistic approval process. Particular events in your character's life may earn them the ability to have a skill a little bit higher than suggested here, however this is something we monitor closely. Additionally we may ask you to lower or raise a skill within a particular bracket to more closely represent your background.

Generally, characters who are…

Under 18 Years of Age should not have any skill above Proficient.
Under 26 Years of Age should not have any skill above Professional.
Without a Formal Education or Apprenticeship should not have Administration, Economics, Smith, Apothecary, Carpentry, Masonry or any other learned skill above 'Practiced', this includes Background Skills.

Please note, skills set at Veteran and above will require a substantial amount of evidence to support them in Chargen. We look for well-rounded characters with depth and potential. Obvious min-maxing will be questioned extensively, and you may be asked to adjust your sheet before you are given approval.

2. Am I giving my character hobby skills, skills of interest, or skills that are necessary to my character's upbringing?

Characters should have interests outside of their main skills, be they drinking, dancing, playing an instrument, or something else entirely. A well-rounded character will have hobbies and interests that make them unique and add depth. Consider things that your character enjoys doing when she isn't tending to a family business, or what a knight may do in his free time.

Additionally, keep in mind the class, role, and position in which your character was raised when determining levels of education and hobbies. A high-ranked member of a noble family may not have time to maximize her swordsmanship while she is also attending lessons on Heraldry, Administration, and other learned subject matter.

3. Do I want my character to be effective in combat?

Keep in mind that each weapon skill represents both the ability to use weapons of that type and the ability to defend against them, so it is highly suggested that your character have at least some skill with all weapon types if they wish to be effective in combat.

Generally having your character's secondary weapon skills half the rating of your character's primary weapon skill will do for base defenses, but some characters may want to take a more balanced approach to weapon skills.

It should be noted that in the combat system, armor and weapons are actual items. These will need to be gotten for your character after completing chargen. The characters House/Family/Guild will be able to help get you setup and supplied with these. Additionally, custom items can be purchased from PC crafters or NPC vendors. For additional information about what items exist please check out the Weapons and Armor pages.

7. Background Room

Perhaps the most important room of Chargen. Here you will begin to mold your character to who she/he is. Here you will identify the what's and the why's of your character. Backgrounds are not required to be overtly long, but we encourage to give us the best possible snapshot of who your character is and what happened to bring them to this point. Please remember that regardless of your character's age, a newly generated character is beginning their story — or beginning a new story if they are an older character. While your character may have already done a series of great deeds, you should have goals, aspirations, and motivations that drives your character forward. Your background is an opportunity to inform Staff where your character is going, where it wants to be, and how it intends to get there.

Additionally, Staff will review your background and compare that to the skills you have selected for character approval. Should there be disconnects between what is on your sheet and what is in your background, you will be asked to adjust your sheet based on what is written in your background.

8. Odds and Ends Room

The end is near and there are just a few more details for you to button up before moving on and seeking approval. Here you will set your description amongst some other basic information about your character, and for those interested in having multiple desc check out +help +desc on how to setup the multi-desc system.

9. Approval Room

Once completed setting your characters skills, background and description you will submit your character to approval. We always make every attempt to speed this process along. Our approval process is holistic; since every character is unique, we examine every character application through that same lens. Please be patient as we review applications. You should hear back on your application's status within 48 hours.

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