Game Specifics
The Afterlife Concept
First thing to note is that not all characters have died. The majority of Original Universe characters will have died in some way of your choosing, whether it is a canon death or a death of your own creation. They may or may not remember their death. That is for you to decide! Any wounds, however, will have been healed.
Sometimes, however, if you’re creative or have certain canon circumstances that you explain to us, your character can arrive in Template alive. But 90% of the time, they’re dead.
Template characters, however, do not have to have died. They can die if you really want them to, of course, at which point they follow the same ‘choose your own death’ idea. More explanation on Template Characters to follow.
Three Levels
Template is a city that contains three planes of existence which the characters must contend with.
The Physical Level- This one is simple. It’s the regular old flesh and blood existence of the characters. This would be the one characters are most familiar with. Nothing odd here.
The Digital Level- This is the second plane of existence that characters will also spend a lot of time on. It isn’t really a journal system, acting closer to a chatroom or forum. The actual level is constantly running through them, whether or not they are aware of it. Generally, unless making an effort to access it, it remains in the back of their mind where characters can enter it at their leisure. The lack of awareness, however, can sometimes lead to situations where the level catches conversations or other events connected to the characters that are happening on the physical level even if the characters didn’t intend to make these things public.
When characters consciously make themselves aware of it to immerse deeper into the level, they pull more of their consciousnesses into it. Think of it as characters diving into a virtual reality simulation. In this way, it’s the pure consciousness taking form and acting on a digital plane where all characters gather.
In this way they can do most of the things they do on the physical level, except on a larger scale. The characters can see each other clear as day, talk freely, touch, and even ‘physically’ fight each other. All physical senses will be lessened though. (So, a character would have to punch another character pretty hard to leave a physical mark on their body). Characters can use the digital level to converse over wide ranges as easily as chatting to each other from across the dinner table.
Characters can also ‘filter’ things in the same way that someone can send a private IM while still being in a chatroom. (Meaning characters outside the filter won’t know the conversations are happening. At best, they’ll just see some characters sitting or standing with each other). As everything on the digital level exists as data, everything done there is eventually archived and can be recalled by characters if they desire, in the same way someone can open a movie on their computer. Hacking is allowed (mun permission, of course) and some hackers may even find they can affect the digital level itself (mod permission ♥).
As some final notes, because characters can control when they access the digital level and when they do not, accessing the level generally means the characters are multitasking on the physical level. Meaning if your character is cooking breakfast and chatting away on the digital level, they might get distracted and burn the toast. On the other hand, if they’re being shot at and running, they may need to drop suddenly from the level to focus fully. At this point in time, characters cannot fully immerse into the digital level. No weapons will appear on the level and powers will be severely lessened. Access of higher powers (like spells) are currently impossible.
The appearance of the digital level varies from person to person. It will most likely generally appear the same as the physical level but it could take on other appearances if a character is actively influencing it (or expecting it to look a sort of way, which is still influencing it).
The Spiritual Level- A mysterious level of existence that is mostly, well, a mystery to characters. They are aware that it exists but what it does or how it affects them is unknown. The marks that some characters have on their bodies are also tied to this level.
Pain and Death in the Afterlife
Characters can and will get hurt! Wounds do heal a bit faster, however. But like in real, normal life, if a character jumps out a shut window, they’re going to be in a land of ouchies.
As for death, though, Template’s spiritual level doesn’t like seeing the new arrivals killed. If a character tried to kill another character, 9 times out of 10, the spiritual level will possess the attacker and force them to stop, draining away a bit of their abilities each time it has to do this. However! Mod approved deaths will be allowed. The killed character will be enveloped by the spiritual level for a little while before returning. Permanent maiming (like, say, chopping off someone’s hand) isn’t going to happen, though.
NPCs, though, well. They are left to the whims of the newest Template citizens. The only exceptions are the mod run NPC figures. Although if your character is going to go on a bloody rampage or something, expect that character to receive a severe penalty from the spiritual level. Remember, the spiritual level is always watching the characters and will dole out punishment or reward as it sees fit.
Template Characters
Within the city of Template, two of every character can exist. The Original Universe characters are just as they sound. They follow the canon up until whatever point you choose to pull them.
Template versions, however, can be quite different. The only restriction is that wherever your character was just living (or visiting if they’re a traveler or whatnot) was the city of Template and that the Chief of Police is a constant known figure. Other than that, their history can change as much as you like. Creative is a huge plus here. This also means Template characters will recognize the city more or less, although they’ll know it can’t be right.
Remember, however, that you’re mostly changing the history on these. Personality wise, while there’s obviously going to be some differences, there should not be so many as to make the character OOC. An Original Universe character should be able to recognize their counterpart.
Additional Notes- The idea behind Template versions is that all alternate Templates are connected (intertwined, if you will) to the Template where the characters now reside. Therefore, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, Template versions of characters have always ‘existed’ within the city. However, it is not until both versions of the characters are apped (and thus reside in this Template) that the characters know they have a double.
- Dropped characters will just be considered lost to the spiritual level. If someone picks them up again, they can choose to play them with a clean slate or have them remember their time in Template (although the former is probably best).
- Characters are free to try to leave Template but they won't get far. Leaving Template will give characters feelings of 'wrongness', that something horrible will happen to them or people they care about if they keep walking. The farther they walk away from Template, the more intense the feelings will become until they are forced to turn around and walk back. Obviously, this is a matter of willpower but the feelings will become too intense to be ignored regardless. Although for the record, the area surrounding Template is a rural area, farms and cornfields and the like.
- Template is a bustling metropolis, a very large city full of everything one would expect from a city of that size. Very few of the citizens can see their strange new neighbors, however.
Though the city is full of people, the person most involved with those pulled to the city is the Chief of Police. He will make announcements on behalf of the city. It would seem odd that the Chief of Police would make every announcement... Is the city in and of itself a crime scene?
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