Character Creation

Step 1: Discussion
Talk to the GM about the nature of the upcoming game. Issues that should be addressed include the duration of the game (I forsee the opening phase of the game as lasting six to eight month. After that we may continue, we may stop, we may start a new Game of Thrones game - based on what we have learned. I am planning on having two to three GM rounds a week. The setting is the North, the time is a year before the death of Jon Arryn (i.e. the opening of the novel). I'm planning on a game that will involve some action - but there will be ample scope for more political play (I am emphatically not expecting everyone to be a warrior and will strenuously resist efforts to have a game packed with fighters - although there may be a few).

You will have 100 points for character creation. This is fairly low-powered. You'll be able to earn up to 7 more by contributions. There'll be an advancement once the initial phase of the game is over; at this time points will be awarded for:

a.. Staying with the game will gain a basic level of points, but good regular posting will gain a higher level
b.. Ongoing contributions (e.g. logging threads, helping to keep the web-site up to date, updating the wiki
c.. Inventiveness, consistency of character, interaction with other players, general good demeanour (such as a willingness to work with new players and support them etc) will gain more points.

After this, I plan on holding advancements once each significant game chunk is out of the way. This will not, however, be a terribly good game for points-hungry players (not that I think any of you are).

Step 2: Character Outline
Use the game boundaries established through your talks with me, and by reading the information that I post, to develop a rough character outline. In particular, consider your character's background and house. At this time, you can earn an extra points by committing to background work on the character, as well as on the game.

Step 3: Assign Stats
Your character starts with values of 4 in each of the Body, Mind, and Soul Stats. These values can be raised up to 10 by spending Character Points on them, or even as high as 12 with GM permission.

Step 4: Consider Paths
You may optionally use Character Points to assign one or more Paths to your character, reflecting the choices he or she has made over the years.

Step 5: Select Attributes
Any remaining Character Points may be used to acquire Attributes - abilities and talents possessed by your character. Some Attributes have Variables and Restrictions associated with them that modify their use.

Step 6: Consider Skill Specialisations
For each Skill that a character has, choose a free Specialisation.

Step 7: Select Defects
You are encouraged to take Defects appropriate to your character outline. These Defects will provide you with more role-playing opportunities and give you back Character Points you can use to raise Stats or acquire additional Attributes.

Contributions

I'm happy to take contributions, and will reward with points. However, I am expecting players to come up with certain things on their own account - because I'm mean like that.

I'll expect all players to come up with a character casting, and at least one image of their character. This can be a photo, or a good illustration (yes, I see early Enclave players giggling at the back there - they know why I'm spelling this out). If you can photoshop or otherwise manipulate it into something super, that's great. And if you can help someone else out with photo-editing, that's also great. It won't attract HUGE points unless it is something spectacular, however.

Creating a character web-site will gain you points.

The most serious points will be given for the heaviest tasks:

• Logging threads (a task which might be shared between two or three players) and posting them to the wiki.
• Supplying material in html for the main website will also attract points.
• Adding conspicuous amounts of information to the game wiki.

In other words, extra points will be earned more by the ongoing slog, rather than the brief flash of brilliance shown when the game begins.

Anyone who would like to supply artwork for the web-site will earn a few points.

The points will work on this sort of scale (there may be flexibility here):

1 point

• Exceptionally cool images of characters (your own and helping one other)
• Helping more people with images, web-sites
• Supplying material (preferably in html format) on your character for the main website
• Supplying artwork for the website (images of scenery, buildings etc)

2 points

• 1,000 words or more background story.
• Supplying material in html format for the initial website (for example, material about your character, and your House, and perhaps helping someone else without html skills)
• Game logo

3 points

• Your own character website.
• Supplying material to Mel in html format for the web-site, on an ongoing basis.

4 points

• Undertaking regular contributions to the wiki (this could include adding information about the game universe and the Westeros universe)
• Drop dead gorgeous (and easily usable) template for the main website

5 points

• Regular logging of threads.

The point of this is that everyone can do some of these. Even if you have limited web or design skills, you can still write background stories, or log threads.

There will be an upper bar of 7 points. You can build up to that (by regular logging and a background story, or by creating cool images, a character page for the website, a character web-site etc).

This is the opening round of contributions. After a certain period, there will be an advancement, and it will be possible to add more contributions at that stage. This will also be a reward for people who've kept faithfully logging or wiking away - they will receive their contribution points automatically for continued hard work.

In addition to regular points, contribution points and advancement points, I'm also planning on giving out very rare fortune points. These will be given for something exceptionally good someone does in the game. They can then be used, just once, to do something quite extraordinary with a fair chance of success (as an example, Allen had a fortune point in Enclaves which he spent on giving himself the fighting abilities of his progenitor, Corwin, in a one-off fight with Julian).

Game Information

Information that relates to the game Winter Chills, I shall be supplying on the OOC list. Information that relates to Character creation will be posted privately. This is because I don't want to put copyrighted material (or rather stuff that I've adapted from copyright material) on the web. I am making it privately available, as I might lend someone the book to read. But I don't want to put it out there where anyone might grab it - Guardians of Order need the money! (And if you can possibly afford the book, I would urge you to buy it - it is lovely.

Posting Guidelines

These are a standard set of posting guidelines. Many of you will feel they start the bleedin' obvious. Well. Yes. Regard them as just being read into the record for everyone's benefit.

1. Post:
Yes, this is simplistic. Make sure you respond to every move, even if it's a quick note saying "I don't really have something to do so I'll just do research" or "Play Thorough" or something. Ideally, you should be posting at least twice a week. If you are unable to post for a time due to say, vacation, or illness, send your GM or the Chat list an email letting them know.

2. Always Write In Third Person:
You know... say "he", "she", and "it". Avoid first person like the plague; never write your narration with "I did this" and "I did that". You are trying to tell a story, not write a diary.

3. Use the Past Tense as your Primary.
In other words, 'Oswald walked to the door, turned to survey the room and sneered, "If you are so fond of your secrets, you shall be permitted to keep them - for now!" And then he was gone.'
Not - 'Oswald walks to the door, turns to survey the room and sneers, "If you are so fond of your secrets, you shall be permitted to keep them - for now!" And then he is gone.'

4. Use Proper Spelling And Grammar:
Regardless of what language you are writing in, choppy paragraphs and badly constructed sentences make your writing hard for other people to read. They are also prone to never read your posts if they continually cannot decipher what you read.
Actually, I'm not really anticipating a problem in this game. I'm pretty sure that I'm the worst speller here, unfortunately.

5. Avoid Bad Posts:
There are several different types of posts to be wary of. Each has its own problems:

Non-Game-Related Messages:
If you feel you've got to say something to the people on the list, say it on the OOC list, not the Game list.

Rambling Messages That Say Nothing:
These messages are usually five miles of unremoved quotes and old text followed by three lines of new text. This is not only impolite, it's incredibly annoying. It borders on spamming... and for the record, spamming on one of the mailing lists is something that will get you banned from playing. It's usually a good idea to quote the message you are replying to in your new response, but only quote applicable text.

Messages From The Willingly Oblivious:
These messages come about when one player totally ignores something posted by someone else, be it another player or the GM. If you don't like something that's been posted, you are NOT allowed to just ignore it and move on... especially if it came from the GM. Feel free to voice your objection to the GM, in a private message.

Super-Hero Syndrome:
Basically a post of this sort involves your character doing things he simply isn't capable of doing, and not responding correctly to his weaknesses. The best example would be a character who should be hobbling around in pain after being grievously wounded, but instead is prancing around like he was Errol Flynn in Captain Blood.

Flames:
Now, when I say flames, I don't just mean two player characters hurling insults at each other. That's entirely permissible, as it's IC (In-Character). There are two types of Flames – The first is the dirty trick known as the In-Character Flame War. In such a flamefest, two or more players will use their characters to fight each other over problems they are having in real life. You can tell this is going on when two characters who have no reason to be hostile to each other suddenly start fighting. Not good. It screws up the GM's storylines and annoys the hell out of everyone else. The second is the OOC Flame War, in which people directly begin to start nasty arguments, generally over the Chat list. Also not good.

Assassin Posts:
To put it simply, do not kill, seriously maim, or otherwise destroy another character without the both a good cause in the story, and the express permission of the GM. Killing other PCs (or even important NPCs) off because you can without a good story reason is a great way to get booted from the game. “Because I am edgy and gritty” is not a good story reason.

Plot Changers:
Do not post a message which drastically change the plotline the game follows. The GM is there for a reason, after all, and it's her game, not yours. If you have a good idea for a plotline, contact the GM.

6. When Presenting Dialog, Use The Correct Encapsulating Characters To Help Identify How The Dialog Is Being Heard By Others:
The correct dialog conventions are as follows:
"Use quotation marks here," the speaker said aloud.
*Asterisks are used here,* came a voice over the radio.
<<Double angled brackets are an indication of a foreign language being spoken,>> said a voice in perfectly accented Vordanian.
::Typed text, such as that appearing in a book or in a newspaper, should appear in double colons,:: the hero read.
~Cedillas are used here,~ the man thought to himself.
^Odd little hats are used here,^ came the mysterious telepathic voice in your head.

7. The GM's Word Is Law:
The GM of the game are always willing to listen to opposing opinions, but never, ever present your opposing opinion to them on the game's Chat or Game mailing list. Send it privately. And if a GM ever says something along the lines as "my decision stands", let the issue go. We mean it, let it drop. Continuing to argue after the GM has reached a decision is not a smart thing to do.

8. Be Heard, But Don't Shout Others Down:
If you're naturally quiet, try to post often enough to at least be recognized as being around. If you're a big talker, be silent once in a while and let someone else get a word in edgewise.

9. Avoid Time Crunches:
Basically, this means reply to a new move in a timely fashion. Sure, sometimes it's impossible, but at least make the effort. It also means avoid spiraling timescales. It is rare that an action CAN and MUST take place at such and such a time and no later. If you can do something later and thereby avoid wedging in an unnecessary action now, you'll be the GM's friend for life. The game cannot move forward if everyone is always trying to get the last word in. Don't do this if you can help it.

10. Treat These Games As If They Were Games:
No one is going to come up with a cure for cancer while typing away at these stories... and these stories don't promote world peace. They're just games. This actually has three meanings:

1. First, it means never forget that your life isn't changed just because your character gets reamed.
2. Second, remember that your actions can either contribute to the group enjoyment or take away from it. It's up to you whether or not you have fun.
3. Third, if your real life is interfering in your game play, see to your real life first.

Always Remember The Most Important Rule: If You Become A Problem, You Will Be Removed.
Be polite. It's not that hard. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, occasionally doubt your own infallibility. This has nothing to do with what your character does with the other characters - that should be whatever it takes to keep him or her in character. It involves other real people and whether or not they're enjoying the game with you in it. Be considerate and polite whenever possible.