FAQ
CAN I APPLY FOR A HELLBOY CANON CHARACTER?
Sorry, no. All members of the HB canon are NPC'd out by the mods. And some that aren't currently may be in store for you later on. You just have to be patient. ♥
POSTING?
Posts will be made to the main community, bump_back , not to individual character journals. Posts can either be notes, as in, "NOTE TO ____" or action posts. As in the following example:
Oh hi Bob. *grabs a soda*
So... how about those goblins? *really hates goblins*
That sort of thing. Log posts are all in 3rd person storytelling, paragraph format.
MY CHARACTER WANTS TO BE ROOMMATES WITH ANOTHER. CAN I DO THAT?
That's fine. But leave a post in the appropriate section of the mod-page, which will appear later, so we can get that information updated in the Taken Post. Also bear in mind that your current room may be reassigned, so if you do move in with another person, make sure it's for a long-term stay.
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT POWER REDUCTION?
You heard right. While your character can still have their canon powers, we do ask that they're scaled back a bit. So for example, if your character was capable of instantly regenerating his or her wounds, here, they would only be able to quickly heal minor injuries such as cuts, bruises, or cracked bones. For those characters who can cause widespread destruction with things like spells or elemental attacks, we ask that you cut it back to about a city block or less. Just use your best judgment, and if there's a problem, we'll work it all out.
Also, to fit your character more into the world of Hellboy Canon, most powers don't really need to be explained by a different means. That is, if your character was given items that have some sort of magical attribute in their canon, it's more than likely totally fine for you to keep calling the item magical. Magic, demons (although usually of the Hell variety), ghosts, angels, faeries, etc all exist in the Hellboy canon. So, again, use your best judgment, and contact a mod if you're really stuck.
HOW DID MY CHARACTER GET TO THE BPRD?
Well, that's also up to you. Canonically, it's not clear how the agents are selected, but it's a reasonable assumption that those who display special abilities--be it knowledge, skill, or mystical powers--will be found and brought into the fold. The Bureau, however, isn't in a habit of outright forcing people to join, but they will strongly suggest, via the very convincing arguments of a very nice old man, that you come and help stop the world from falling periodically into Armegeddon.
If you're stuck, browsing the Hellboy section of Wikipedia can be helpful!
MY CHARACTER HAS NO POWERS, CAN I STILL SMASH MONSTERS?
Of course you can! The BPRD offers a wide range of weapons training, mostly with handguns and other firearms. It's not outside the realm of possibility to receive training in martial arts, or swordplay either. After all, some baddies are immune to gunfire.
If your character doesn't fit the mold for a fighter, please consider sending them to one of the other departments. They might just find their niche there!
WHAT DO WE DO FOR CASH AROUND HERE?
Since your character is a government agent, they will be paid accordingly. Their salary = $3500 per month, rent-free, give or take. You don't have to keep track of their spending to the smallest dollar amount, but try and be as realistic as possible. A nice TV, for example, may be possible, but a yacht is more than likely not in the realm of possibility.
CAN MY CHARACTER DIE?
Yep. Try to avoid that.
Except, since this is the world of Hellboy, death is not always permanent. On a very, very rare occasion, people have been known to come back to life. However, the Angel of Death asks a very high price indeed... SPEAK WITH A MOD BEFORE YOU INACT SOME FORM OF CHARACTER DEATH. If your character becomes seriously wounded, there's the handy-dandy hospital!
CAN MY CHARACTER GET MARRIED?
Your characters are free to get into relationships or get married as much as they'd like. The BPRD usually has a priest (or seven) of varying denominations and religions running around somewhere if you'd like to speed things up. As for babies, check with a mod before you initiate the spouting off of small, wailing spawn. And be advised, if you have children, you will be forced to take care of them, or else Hellboy and the right hand of doom will have a few words with the neglectful mother and father.
No, really, it's called the right hand of doom.
CAN WE LEAVE THE HEADQUARTERS?
Sure thing! All human-looking characters are more or less free to come and go as they please. HQ is stationed in Trenton, NJ, so players are welcome to set their characters out for a night on the town, or a day of shopping. The game itself, however, is centered around HQ, and the various missions. But that doesn't mean your logs must be too.
Nonhuman characters have a harder time, however. Due to the fact that the BPRD isn't technically supposed to exist, they must either have special clearance to leave, or stay inside altogether. Failure to collect proper clearance will result in sanctions such as docked pay, or “house arrest”. Food and clothing are easily obtainable within the HQ for both human and nonhuman characters.
WHAT CAN MY CHARACTER BUY IN HQ?
The store, run by a friendly merchant, in the apartment wing, is where food, clothing, liquor and other such necessities can be purchased. Bear in mind that everything for sale in HQ is a standard-issue type fare. There are no gourmet foods, and no designer clothing. Consult the Shop section of the Locations page for more info. If your character has special needs, the BPRD will see to it that they're met, but for luxuries, you'll have to look elsewhere.
EBay, for one, makes frequent deliveries to the BPRD.
WHAT'S WITH ALL THE CATS?
Uh. Right. That.
Ask Hellboy about that. But be nice. They're like his babies. Just hope you're not allergic!
Updated as needed!
Sorry, no. All members of the HB canon are NPC'd out by the mods. And some that aren't currently may be in store for you later on. You just have to be patient. ♥
POSTING?
Posts will be made to the main community, bump_back , not to individual character journals. Posts can either be notes, as in, "NOTE TO ____" or action posts. As in the following example:
Oh hi Bob. *grabs a soda*
So... how about those goblins? *really hates goblins*
That sort of thing. Log posts are all in 3rd person storytelling, paragraph format.
MY CHARACTER WANTS TO BE ROOMMATES WITH ANOTHER. CAN I DO THAT?
That's fine. But leave a post in the appropriate section of the mod-page, which will appear later, so we can get that information updated in the Taken Post. Also bear in mind that your current room may be reassigned, so if you do move in with another person, make sure it's for a long-term stay.
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT POWER REDUCTION?
You heard right. While your character can still have their canon powers, we do ask that they're scaled back a bit. So for example, if your character was capable of instantly regenerating his or her wounds, here, they would only be able to quickly heal minor injuries such as cuts, bruises, or cracked bones. For those characters who can cause widespread destruction with things like spells or elemental attacks, we ask that you cut it back to about a city block or less. Just use your best judgment, and if there's a problem, we'll work it all out.
Also, to fit your character more into the world of Hellboy Canon, most powers don't really need to be explained by a different means. That is, if your character was given items that have some sort of magical attribute in their canon, it's more than likely totally fine for you to keep calling the item magical. Magic, demons (although usually of the Hell variety), ghosts, angels, faeries, etc all exist in the Hellboy canon. So, again, use your best judgment, and contact a mod if you're really stuck.
HOW DID MY CHARACTER GET TO THE BPRD?
Well, that's also up to you. Canonically, it's not clear how the agents are selected, but it's a reasonable assumption that those who display special abilities--be it knowledge, skill, or mystical powers--will be found and brought into the fold. The Bureau, however, isn't in a habit of outright forcing people to join, but they will strongly suggest, via the very convincing arguments of a very nice old man, that you come and help stop the world from falling periodically into Armegeddon.
If you're stuck, browsing the Hellboy section of Wikipedia can be helpful!
MY CHARACTER HAS NO POWERS, CAN I STILL SMASH MONSTERS?
Of course you can! The BPRD offers a wide range of weapons training, mostly with handguns and other firearms. It's not outside the realm of possibility to receive training in martial arts, or swordplay either. After all, some baddies are immune to gunfire.
If your character doesn't fit the mold for a fighter, please consider sending them to one of the other departments. They might just find their niche there!
WHAT DO WE DO FOR CASH AROUND HERE?
Since your character is a government agent, they will be paid accordingly. Their salary = $3500 per month, rent-free, give or take. You don't have to keep track of their spending to the smallest dollar amount, but try and be as realistic as possible. A nice TV, for example, may be possible, but a yacht is more than likely not in the realm of possibility.
CAN MY CHARACTER DIE?
Yep. Try to avoid that.
Except, since this is the world of Hellboy, death is not always permanent. On a very, very rare occasion, people have been known to come back to life. However, the Angel of Death asks a very high price indeed... SPEAK WITH A MOD BEFORE YOU INACT SOME FORM OF CHARACTER DEATH. If your character becomes seriously wounded, there's the handy-dandy hospital!
CAN MY CHARACTER GET MARRIED?
Your characters are free to get into relationships or get married as much as they'd like. The BPRD usually has a priest (or seven) of varying denominations and religions running around somewhere if you'd like to speed things up. As for babies, check with a mod before you initiate the spouting off of small, wailing spawn. And be advised, if you have children, you will be forced to take care of them, or else Hellboy and the right hand of doom will have a few words with the neglectful mother and father.
No, really, it's called the right hand of doom.
CAN WE LEAVE THE HEADQUARTERS?
Sure thing! All human-looking characters are more or less free to come and go as they please. HQ is stationed in Trenton, NJ, so players are welcome to set their characters out for a night on the town, or a day of shopping. The game itself, however, is centered around HQ, and the various missions. But that doesn't mean your logs must be too.
Nonhuman characters have a harder time, however. Due to the fact that the BPRD isn't technically supposed to exist, they must either have special clearance to leave, or stay inside altogether. Failure to collect proper clearance will result in sanctions such as docked pay, or “house arrest”. Food and clothing are easily obtainable within the HQ for both human and nonhuman characters.
WHAT CAN MY CHARACTER BUY IN HQ?
The store, run by a friendly merchant, in the apartment wing, is where food, clothing, liquor and other such necessities can be purchased. Bear in mind that everything for sale in HQ is a standard-issue type fare. There are no gourmet foods, and no designer clothing. Consult the Shop section of the Locations page for more info. If your character has special needs, the BPRD will see to it that they're met, but for luxuries, you'll have to look elsewhere.
EBay, for one, makes frequent deliveries to the BPRD.
WHAT'S WITH ALL THE CATS?
Uh. Right. That.
Ask Hellboy about that. But be nice. They're like his babies. Just hope you're not allergic!
Updated as needed!