FAQ
What is the premise of Vertiline?
Vertiline is a small, self-contained country. It has magic, low levels of technology and monsters.
Lots and lots of monsters.
Unfortunately for the locals, the vast majority of them can’t use Vertiline’s magic at all, and those who can, can rarely use it well. Even if they could, the simple fact is that the monsters are too many. They can survive a few invasions, but ultimately the numbers are against them. And that, dear player, is why they need your help. The locals set up a small network, and with the help of those few who can use magic, created a system which they use to bring in outsiders to defend them from the fell beasts that slaughter their families and eat their cabbages (won’t somebody please, think of the cabbages!).
These are a desperate people, player. Will you heed the Call?
How do characters get to Vertiline?
Characters are pulled into Vertiline via “the Call.” How the Call works is not fully understood, but it is a significant power, capable of reaching people from many different worlds at many different times.
What is Vertiline like?
Vertiline is a small country with limited technology (Steam technology has recently taken hold, though it doesn’t seem to have much common use). Most locals are farmers or merchants, and only a few work with the country’s ruling class. They are a practical people, for the most part, not given to “frills.”
The country spans many climates, from lush jungle to barren desert to icy wastelands, and everything in between. The vast majority of Vertiline, however, is temperate farmland, dotted with hills and tiny villages. There are rumors of the ruins of a lost city beneath the earth’s surface, but so far no explorer has found any evidence to back these up.
Your character may explore as much or as little of Vertiline as you like. He or she may travel the whole of the land or settle down comfortably in one of the cozy little hamlets. Walking from one end to the other will, naturally, take much longer and come with more risks than using your communicator’s convenient memory function with one of the many transport crystals scattered around Vertiline, but it’s also much more interesting, too.
Where can I go?
The short answer is: anywhere you like! The entirety of Vertiline is not yet open, as there is still fog covering large portions of the continent, but fear not! As characters explore, they will naturally find new areas and new towns associated with them. Other areas may open up through events. Still others have yet to be discovered. The world is open to you, players! Explore!
Hey, wait, you said I could explore; what’s up with this weird fog?
Oh, you noticed? Large portions of Vertiline are covered in a thick, impenetrable fog. The locals don’t seem too concerned by it, though they will warn your character that those who venture into the fog rarely return. The deeper you go, the more likely your character is to get lost--and possibly eaten.
That said, it’s possible there may be a way to get the fog to lift...if only you could figure out how....
How do the communicators work?
Communicators connect to a network (ArtichokeNet or AN). This network allows users to transmit via text and voice. It also keeps records of all transmissions made to the network, so that characters can go back and reference things they may have said before or people they may have spoken to.
Keep in mind though, that this is an internal network only. Google, this ain't. Your characters will not be able to use anything like the Internet to search for information over the network; it only works between communicators. If you need information on artichokes, though, or you want to look up the specific gravity of iron (7.85, for those of you wondering), the temple’s library has a copy of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. It seems at some point they must have Called a door-to-door salesman. Huh.
All communicators are also equipped with a small, glowing crystal. This crystal serves as a memory function for the aforementioned transmission logs. It also serves as a location memory, automatically recording places your character has been before. Combining the communicator’s memory with the transport crystals around Vertiline will allow your character to teleport to any location he or she has already visited. Of course, this won’t work if your character hasn’t already visited a given location, but hey, walking is good for you! For this reason, and because communicators are the only means by which Called can enter their homes, it is very important that your character not lose his or her comm. (Naughtier characters will surely take advantage of this little quirk of the communicators. Tsk tsk, you bad things.)
Posting is limited to audio and text only. Video is not supported at this time. Anonymous commenting is not allowed. Supposedly there are other ways to communicate that are even faster than AN, but nobody knows how these work.
Your character will be assigned a unique ID code that other characters can use to tell who is who from post to post. This ID is a randomized series of letters and/or numbers, NOT your character's Livejournal username. Similarly, characters cannot see the icons you use--those are for player benefit and entertainment only! The downside to this ID and to the lack of video is that characters may not immediately recognize each other the first time they meet in person, unless they are lucky enough to recognize each other's voices!
Please note that while text posts will automatically translate so that any character can read them, audio posts are untranslatable at this time.
If you steal another character's comm, it is possible to use it. Be sure to discuss this OOCly with the other character's player!
For those of you wondering what the standard communicator looks like, it looks remarkably like an iPhone and the cover looks like this!
Is it possible to lock posts?
Yes, of course! ArtichokeNet has two modes: open and locked. (Hey, give us a break, hacking magic is hard.) Keep in mind, though, that certain NPCs can see everything, whether it's locked or not.
Where is my character supposed to live in this crazy world?
Well, player, your character has options! When characters answer the Call, they are brought into Vertiline into a little pod near the temple complex, about the size of your average single bedroom. From the outside, these pods resemble giant artichokes (and in the past, someone clearly took great amusement in this fact, going so far as to nickname the local network ArtichokeNet. It stuck.), on the inside they are simply furnished and cozy; the ideal resting place for most characters.
Naturally, not all characters will want to stay in the same place, and to that end it's entirely possible for your character to rent a room at an inn, or to arrange a place to stay with a farming family (perhaps in exchange for help done around the house? It's really up to you!)
Wherever your character may go, though, the artichoke pod he or she entered Vertiline through will always remain "home" and a safe space to return to should things get a little tiring or overwhelming.
Are violence or sex allowed?
Yes. Vertiline is under near-constant attack from fell beasts (invasions are frequent, but not always particularly threatening), and a certain measure of violence is to be expected. In addition, with so many people from so many backgrounds, it’s inevitable that somebody will rub somebody else the wrong way. But be careful! Vertiline’s rulers do not take kindly to its residents harming one another. Consequences for character to character violence are swift--and severe.
Sex is absolutely permitted. Just like characters are going to rub each other the wrong way...they can rub each other the right way as well! There are no sexually transmitted diseases in Vertiline. Contraceptives, while available, are primitive and unnecessary, as for plot-related reasons, characters are unable to become pregnant.
For the sake of our under-18 players we ask that any logs containing graphic violence and all logs with sexual content be posted to Vertiline’s adult community.
What happens if my character dies?
If your character dies, the body will be immediately transported to a safe location pending revival. Revival takes place 72 hours after death. Upon revival, your character will find any wounds completely healed, and will wake up in their pod, with clothing, weapons (where applicable), and communicator handy.
Keep in mind, however, that the revival process is imperfect, and occasionally there are mistakes. So do try not to die too often! Please let the mods know if your character has died a third (or fourth or more) time, as there are specific consequences for deaths at that point.
What happens if my character kills another one?
If your character should kill another, he or she is immediately teleported to a prison island. There are two possible islands your character may end up on. One is a desert (and is hot, dry, and sandy, as you might expect) and the other is a large iceberg (which is cold, very windy, and quite cold.). As there is no teleport crystal on either of these islands, characters remain trapped there for 72 hours, at which time they are teleported back to their artichoke pods. Other than this, communicators work as normal. Additionally, while on these islands, characters will find themselves besieged by small pests: small, sandy colored mice on the desert island, and small, white mice on the iceberg. While these are not really a threat to life or limb, they are exceptionally annoying and will make it even more difficult for your character to find any sort of rest. Also, the same energy drain inflicted when your character injures another also applies for the duration of their prison-island stay.
What kinds of characters can I app?
All sorts of kinds! Vertiline is a multi-fandom, OC friendly game. Keep in mind that OCs are generally judged more critically than fandom characters.
Despite this, Vertiline cannot and will not accept apps for real persons. Historical figures from fictional accounts (such as Luigi Lucheni from Takarazuka's Elizabeth) will be judged on a case by case basis.
Dead characters (including those who have died in their canon) are also okay, as the Call does not discriminate based on time. They will be quite alive and kicking when brought to Vertiline. (Whether or not they want to be, but hey, since when do we players care about what the characters want?)
How many characters can I have?
Players are currently limited to 4 characters. If you wish to app more characters beyond that, please contact a mod. Acceptance of a 5th or 6th character will depend heavily on your activity level with the ones you currently play.
Can I app two people from the same canon?
With limitations. In order to prevent playercest, the two characters cannot be closely related within canon. You could not, for example, apply to play both Harry and Ron from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series. You could, however, apply to play Padma and Blaise.
I have a fabulous OC from the Harry Potter universe! Is he allowed in?
Unfortunately, no. OCs from established fandoms create too many continuity problems for the characters from them, and as such, are not allowed. The exception to this would be an OC from WoW or Ragnarok Online (or similar), where much of the gameplay is dependent on the player first creating an original character.
For the sake of those players who may wish to app canon characters from those types of universes, however, we do ask that your WoW (or RO or GW or what have you) character not have taken part in any major game campaigns.
For reference, we do allow the main characters from Bioware games (such as the Warden from Dragon Age: Origins) to be apped. We ask that you app them using the OC application and give one of the mods a heads-up about your app. If you have questions about similar characters, please ask a mod!
I dropped my character but want to come back. Do I need to reapply?
If it’s been less than a week since you dropped, just let one of the mods know and comment to the Taken Characters post with the same information as before, and we’ll update the lists. You can get back to playing right away with your original CR intact.
If it’s been more than a week since you’ve dropped, then yes, you will need to submit a fresh application. Keep in mind that upon acceptance, your character will not remember anything from his/her previous time in Vertiline.
What if I want to canon-update my character?
You can do that! Let the mods know, and post a comment to the reserves post as if you were reserving that character for the first time. Then submit your canon-updated application as usual. Just remember--we treat a canon-updated character as a fresh start. Your character will not remember anything from his/her previous time in Vertiline!
What happens to my character's belongings?
When your character is Called, only those items they have on hand at that time come with them. Any weapons they had on hand will be left behind.
But never fear. Characters will be able to find appropriate substitutes for their usual weapons in Vertiline.
So what kind of weapons can my character get his/her hands on?
As far as bladed weapons go, the sky is the limit. Knives and swords of all kinds are readily available to your character at one of the many armories or forges scattered around Vertiline. The temple armory is the best stocked of these, so we would advise starting there. Of course, you are not limited to traditional bladed weapons. A pitchfork makes an excellent spear in a pinch, after all!
If your character is more the firearms type, have no fear--the master smith in the temple is capable of making certain firearms and ammunition, but only up to a point. To get an idea of what types of firearms your character may be able to obtain, please have a look at this list. Anything categorized as a rifle, handgun, or sidearm is available or can be manufactured for your character. Sorry, no machine or plasma guns and no tasers! Vertiline's tech just isn't up to par with that! Firearms from pre-WWI are also available.
Your character will likely notice that Winchester Model 1895s and Remington Model 8s are the easiest rifles to come by, as they are the preferred firearm of one of our NPCs. Ruby pistols also appear to be very popular.
For characters accustomed to using more unique forms of weaponry (such as certain items in Batman's arsenal), please ask a mod. It's most likely that we'll give you a go ahead to use those weapons (or something similar to them) but we do need to know first!
What happens if my character eats his/her capybara?
That would be ill-advised! Not only are capybara friendly and useful beasts of burden, they cannot be replaced at this time.
That said, we hear they are delicious.
What if my character dismantles the communicator?
While this can be done, it would be a very silly thing to do. How will you communicate without a communicator? That's a bit short-sighted, don't you think? Additionally, attempting to dismantle the communicator will trigger the crystal inside to turn to slime (just like dismantling your Playstation voids the warranty, but messier), which has further problematic consequences.
In other words, just because you can doesn't mean you should.
What if my character eats the crystal slime?
Nothing will happen but it sure does taste awful!
My character is huge!
Oh no, he isn't! At this time, Vertiline is unable to accomodate creatures larger than about 10' in height (do you know how many buildings would have to be renovated otherwise? Lots.). If your character is larger than this, Vertiline's magic will automatically resize him to a more human-friendly size. Transformers, prepare to be go-carts!
My character can't read English/Common/Vertilinian!
That's fine! Communicators automatically translate text into whatever language your character normally reads. Books in the library work the same way. Your character will be able to read these things as necessary. Road signs, graffiti, and other types of writing, on the other hand, are in Common only, and do not translate.
My character is a shapeshifter! What will happen to him/her upon arrival to Vertiline?
Your character will temporarily lose the ability to shapeshift. Like other magical abilities, this can be earned back through mini- or major-events. Please see the question regarding magical abilities for more information!
My character is a vampire. How will he/she eat?!
Fear not! The locals have developed a most excellent blood substitute (apparently, beets are a key ingredient!) that will satisfy your vampire quiet well. If he/she prefers actual blood, well...the locals are rather thankful for your aid against the invaders. I’m sure one or two of them could easily be convinced to help a vampire out.
My character is a vampire, but many of the events take place during the day and I don’t want to miss out!
Never fear, dear player! The sunlight in Vertiline is...well...a little different. Your vampire may experience a slightly annoying rash from too much exposure, but rest assured, sun exposure is not fatal here. Your vampire is free and welcome to join in daytime events!
Help! My character isn’t a fighter? What now?
Fear not! Vertiline has something for everyone, from fighters to healers to cabbage vendors. All types of characters have their part to play. Even the local farmers won’t say no to your character helping with the harvest. Many hands make light work, after all!
My character’s magical abilities were lost on arrival. How does my character earn them back?
Magical abilities are initially removed from characters completely, though they can be earned back. Once returned, they will be marginally weakened. This means there are certain limitations on magic. Casting it is tiring, or at least, more than usual. Spells require more ingredients. The magic doesn't always respond the way you want it to...or at all. For some examples, read on:
Certain items, when handed over to specific NPCs, will prompt the return of all or some of your character’s abilities. This may be a return to full power or partial power. Magical abilities can also be earned through special events. If you believe your character needs a particular ability from the very beginning, or if you have an idea for one of these special events, please don’t hesitate to contact a mod.
Teleportation: Once regained, teleportation works largely as normal. However, as with the teleport crystals, characters will only be able to go places they have been before. This means no teleporting into a random area and discovering new or hidden places, sorry!
Telepathy/Empathy: Once regained, your character may be able to touch the minds of others. Feel free to contact other players and work out OOCly what information your telepath may glean. Keep in mind that the information your character gets may be wrong!
Psychics: So your character can see the future, huh? Once regained, your character will be able to predict the future with significant limitations. Feel free to contact a mod regarding what your character may see, but keep in mind that the information you receive will be garbled at best and entirely wrong at worst.
Flight: If your character can fly through some sort of physical means (dude's got wings!), then feel free to head up! You will notice that the higher you go, the thicker the cloud cover, until it becomes a thick, dark, soupy mess. No matter how high your character goes, the cover will not break. Your character may also notice...things in the clouds. Things that look and sound...unfriendly. Stay aloft too long, and they'll come after you. For those of you using magical or supernatural means of flight, the ability will have to be earned back (as with all magical abilities). Once regained, you will be able to fly to any place you would otherwise walk to. The same restrictions for vertical flight apply to magical as well as physical ability. Don't go too high!
Finally, because we've had a few questions about this: For the purposes of this game, alchemy (as in the alchemy from Full Metal Alchemist) is considered a science and not magic and can, therefore, be used from the outset. Keep in mind, however, that certain materials your alchemist is used to working with might not exist in Vertiline and that some formulas may not work as a result.
My character didn’t have any magical abilities to start with. Is my character doomed to be boring?
Not necessarily! Your character has the option of learning magic or special abilities (up to three of either) from any character who already knows and has earned back their own magical skills. Keep in mind, though, that your character’s ability with magic will never be quite as good as someone who came in with that skill already in place, and that your character’s learned skills are more likely to act up during plot events than your teacher’s.
I have a suggestion/idea/complaint/general comment!
Fabulous! We love feedback of all kinds, and plot ideas are our favorite! Head over to the suggestions post for suggestions or complaints, and to the plot post for...well. Plot. All comments are screened for your privacy.
Help! Real life is eating me!
Don’t worry, we understand! Vertiline is full of super awesome pretendy funtimes (we’d say the best, but we’re obviously biased), but we know that real life has to come first. Head over to the hiatus post and let us know. Any hiatus longer than two weeks will need to be approved by a moderator.
I have a question you haven’t answered!
Oh dear! By all means, leave a comment here, and one of the moderators will get back to you as soon as possible!
Vertiline is a small, self-contained country. It has magic, low levels of technology and monsters.
Lots and lots of monsters.
Unfortunately for the locals, the vast majority of them can’t use Vertiline’s magic at all, and those who can, can rarely use it well. Even if they could, the simple fact is that the monsters are too many. They can survive a few invasions, but ultimately the numbers are against them. And that, dear player, is why they need your help. The locals set up a small network, and with the help of those few who can use magic, created a system which they use to bring in outsiders to defend them from the fell beasts that slaughter their families and eat their cabbages (won’t somebody please, think of the cabbages!).
These are a desperate people, player. Will you heed the Call?
How do characters get to Vertiline?
Characters are pulled into Vertiline via “the Call.” How the Call works is not fully understood, but it is a significant power, capable of reaching people from many different worlds at many different times.
What is Vertiline like?
Vertiline is a small country with limited technology (Steam technology has recently taken hold, though it doesn’t seem to have much common use). Most locals are farmers or merchants, and only a few work with the country’s ruling class. They are a practical people, for the most part, not given to “frills.”
The country spans many climates, from lush jungle to barren desert to icy wastelands, and everything in between. The vast majority of Vertiline, however, is temperate farmland, dotted with hills and tiny villages. There are rumors of the ruins of a lost city beneath the earth’s surface, but so far no explorer has found any evidence to back these up.
Your character may explore as much or as little of Vertiline as you like. He or she may travel the whole of the land or settle down comfortably in one of the cozy little hamlets. Walking from one end to the other will, naturally, take much longer and come with more risks than using your communicator’s convenient memory function with one of the many transport crystals scattered around Vertiline, but it’s also much more interesting, too.
Where can I go?
The short answer is: anywhere you like! The entirety of Vertiline is not yet open, as there is still fog covering large portions of the continent, but fear not! As characters explore, they will naturally find new areas and new towns associated with them. Other areas may open up through events. Still others have yet to be discovered. The world is open to you, players! Explore!
Hey, wait, you said I could explore; what’s up with this weird fog?
Oh, you noticed? Large portions of Vertiline are covered in a thick, impenetrable fog. The locals don’t seem too concerned by it, though they will warn your character that those who venture into the fog rarely return. The deeper you go, the more likely your character is to get lost--and possibly eaten.
That said, it’s possible there may be a way to get the fog to lift...if only you could figure out how....
How do the communicators work?
Communicators connect to a network (ArtichokeNet or AN). This network allows users to transmit via text and voice. It also keeps records of all transmissions made to the network, so that characters can go back and reference things they may have said before or people they may have spoken to.
Keep in mind though, that this is an internal network only. Google, this ain't. Your characters will not be able to use anything like the Internet to search for information over the network; it only works between communicators. If you need information on artichokes, though, or you want to look up the specific gravity of iron (7.85, for those of you wondering), the temple’s library has a copy of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. It seems at some point they must have Called a door-to-door salesman. Huh.
All communicators are also equipped with a small, glowing crystal. This crystal serves as a memory function for the aforementioned transmission logs. It also serves as a location memory, automatically recording places your character has been before. Combining the communicator’s memory with the transport crystals around Vertiline will allow your character to teleport to any location he or she has already visited. Of course, this won’t work if your character hasn’t already visited a given location, but hey, walking is good for you! For this reason, and because communicators are the only means by which Called can enter their homes, it is very important that your character not lose his or her comm. (Naughtier characters will surely take advantage of this little quirk of the communicators. Tsk tsk, you bad things.)
Posting is limited to audio and text only. Video is not supported at this time. Anonymous commenting is not allowed. Supposedly there are other ways to communicate that are even faster than AN, but nobody knows how these work.
Your character will be assigned a unique ID code that other characters can use to tell who is who from post to post. This ID is a randomized series of letters and/or numbers, NOT your character's Livejournal username. Similarly, characters cannot see the icons you use--those are for player benefit and entertainment only! The downside to this ID and to the lack of video is that characters may not immediately recognize each other the first time they meet in person, unless they are lucky enough to recognize each other's voices!
Please note that while text posts will automatically translate so that any character can read them, audio posts are untranslatable at this time.
If you steal another character's comm, it is possible to use it. Be sure to discuss this OOCly with the other character's player!
For those of you wondering what the standard communicator looks like, it looks remarkably like an iPhone and the cover looks like this!
Is it possible to lock posts?
Yes, of course! ArtichokeNet has two modes: open and locked. (Hey, give us a break, hacking magic is hard.) Keep in mind, though, that certain NPCs can see everything, whether it's locked or not.
Where is my character supposed to live in this crazy world?
Well, player, your character has options! When characters answer the Call, they are brought into Vertiline into a little pod near the temple complex, about the size of your average single bedroom. From the outside, these pods resemble giant artichokes (and in the past, someone clearly took great amusement in this fact, going so far as to nickname the local network ArtichokeNet. It stuck.), on the inside they are simply furnished and cozy; the ideal resting place for most characters.
Naturally, not all characters will want to stay in the same place, and to that end it's entirely possible for your character to rent a room at an inn, or to arrange a place to stay with a farming family (perhaps in exchange for help done around the house? It's really up to you!)
Wherever your character may go, though, the artichoke pod he or she entered Vertiline through will always remain "home" and a safe space to return to should things get a little tiring or overwhelming.
Are violence or sex allowed?
Yes. Vertiline is under near-constant attack from fell beasts (invasions are frequent, but not always particularly threatening), and a certain measure of violence is to be expected. In addition, with so many people from so many backgrounds, it’s inevitable that somebody will rub somebody else the wrong way. But be careful! Vertiline’s rulers do not take kindly to its residents harming one another. Consequences for character to character violence are swift--and severe.
Sex is absolutely permitted. Just like characters are going to rub each other the wrong way...they can rub each other the right way as well! There are no sexually transmitted diseases in Vertiline. Contraceptives, while available, are primitive and unnecessary, as for plot-related reasons, characters are unable to become pregnant.
For the sake of our under-18 players we ask that any logs containing graphic violence and all logs with sexual content be posted to Vertiline’s adult community.
What happens if my character dies?
If your character dies, the body will be immediately transported to a safe location pending revival. Revival takes place 72 hours after death. Upon revival, your character will find any wounds completely healed, and will wake up in their pod, with clothing, weapons (where applicable), and communicator handy.
Keep in mind, however, that the revival process is imperfect, and occasionally there are mistakes. So do try not to die too often! Please let the mods know if your character has died a third (or fourth or more) time, as there are specific consequences for deaths at that point.
What happens if my character kills another one?
If your character should kill another, he or she is immediately teleported to a prison island. There are two possible islands your character may end up on. One is a desert (and is hot, dry, and sandy, as you might expect) and the other is a large iceberg (which is cold, very windy, and quite cold.). As there is no teleport crystal on either of these islands, characters remain trapped there for 72 hours, at which time they are teleported back to their artichoke pods. Other than this, communicators work as normal. Additionally, while on these islands, characters will find themselves besieged by small pests: small, sandy colored mice on the desert island, and small, white mice on the iceberg. While these are not really a threat to life or limb, they are exceptionally annoying and will make it even more difficult for your character to find any sort of rest. Also, the same energy drain inflicted when your character injures another also applies for the duration of their prison-island stay.
What kinds of characters can I app?
All sorts of kinds! Vertiline is a multi-fandom, OC friendly game. Keep in mind that OCs are generally judged more critically than fandom characters.
Despite this, Vertiline cannot and will not accept apps for real persons. Historical figures from fictional accounts (such as Luigi Lucheni from Takarazuka's Elizabeth) will be judged on a case by case basis.
Dead characters (including those who have died in their canon) are also okay, as the Call does not discriminate based on time. They will be quite alive and kicking when brought to Vertiline. (Whether or not they want to be, but hey, since when do we players care about what the characters want?)
How many characters can I have?
Players are currently limited to 4 characters. If you wish to app more characters beyond that, please contact a mod. Acceptance of a 5th or 6th character will depend heavily on your activity level with the ones you currently play.
Can I app two people from the same canon?
With limitations. In order to prevent playercest, the two characters cannot be closely related within canon. You could not, for example, apply to play both Harry and Ron from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series. You could, however, apply to play Padma and Blaise.
I have a fabulous OC from the Harry Potter universe! Is he allowed in?
Unfortunately, no. OCs from established fandoms create too many continuity problems for the characters from them, and as such, are not allowed. The exception to this would be an OC from WoW or Ragnarok Online (or similar), where much of the gameplay is dependent on the player first creating an original character.
For the sake of those players who may wish to app canon characters from those types of universes, however, we do ask that your WoW (or RO or GW or what have you) character not have taken part in any major game campaigns.
For reference, we do allow the main characters from Bioware games (such as the Warden from Dragon Age: Origins) to be apped. We ask that you app them using the OC application and give one of the mods a heads-up about your app. If you have questions about similar characters, please ask a mod!
I dropped my character but want to come back. Do I need to reapply?
If it’s been less than a week since you dropped, just let one of the mods know and comment to the Taken Characters post with the same information as before, and we’ll update the lists. You can get back to playing right away with your original CR intact.
If it’s been more than a week since you’ve dropped, then yes, you will need to submit a fresh application. Keep in mind that upon acceptance, your character will not remember anything from his/her previous time in Vertiline.
What if I want to canon-update my character?
You can do that! Let the mods know, and post a comment to the reserves post as if you were reserving that character for the first time. Then submit your canon-updated application as usual. Just remember--we treat a canon-updated character as a fresh start. Your character will not remember anything from his/her previous time in Vertiline!
What happens to my character's belongings?
When your character is Called, only those items they have on hand at that time come with them. Any weapons they had on hand will be left behind.
But never fear. Characters will be able to find appropriate substitutes for their usual weapons in Vertiline.
So what kind of weapons can my character get his/her hands on?
As far as bladed weapons go, the sky is the limit. Knives and swords of all kinds are readily available to your character at one of the many armories or forges scattered around Vertiline. The temple armory is the best stocked of these, so we would advise starting there. Of course, you are not limited to traditional bladed weapons. A pitchfork makes an excellent spear in a pinch, after all!
If your character is more the firearms type, have no fear--the master smith in the temple is capable of making certain firearms and ammunition, but only up to a point. To get an idea of what types of firearms your character may be able to obtain, please have a look at this list. Anything categorized as a rifle, handgun, or sidearm is available or can be manufactured for your character. Sorry, no machine or plasma guns and no tasers! Vertiline's tech just isn't up to par with that! Firearms from pre-WWI are also available.
Your character will likely notice that Winchester Model 1895s and Remington Model 8s are the easiest rifles to come by, as they are the preferred firearm of one of our NPCs. Ruby pistols also appear to be very popular.
For characters accustomed to using more unique forms of weaponry (such as certain items in Batman's arsenal), please ask a mod. It's most likely that we'll give you a go ahead to use those weapons (or something similar to them) but we do need to know first!
What happens if my character eats his/her capybara?
That would be ill-advised! Not only are capybara friendly and useful beasts of burden, they cannot be replaced at this time.
That said, we hear they are delicious.
What if my character dismantles the communicator?
While this can be done, it would be a very silly thing to do. How will you communicate without a communicator? That's a bit short-sighted, don't you think? Additionally, attempting to dismantle the communicator will trigger the crystal inside to turn to slime (just like dismantling your Playstation voids the warranty, but messier), which has further problematic consequences.
In other words, just because you can doesn't mean you should.
What if my character eats the crystal slime?
Nothing will happen but it sure does taste awful!
My character is huge!
Oh no, he isn't! At this time, Vertiline is unable to accomodate creatures larger than about 10' in height (do you know how many buildings would have to be renovated otherwise? Lots.). If your character is larger than this, Vertiline's magic will automatically resize him to a more human-friendly size. Transformers, prepare to be go-carts!
My character can't read English/Common/Vertilinian!
That's fine! Communicators automatically translate text into whatever language your character normally reads. Books in the library work the same way. Your character will be able to read these things as necessary. Road signs, graffiti, and other types of writing, on the other hand, are in Common only, and do not translate.
My character is a shapeshifter! What will happen to him/her upon arrival to Vertiline?
Your character will temporarily lose the ability to shapeshift. Like other magical abilities, this can be earned back through mini- or major-events. Please see the question regarding magical abilities for more information!
My character is a vampire. How will he/she eat?!
Fear not! The locals have developed a most excellent blood substitute (apparently, beets are a key ingredient!) that will satisfy your vampire quiet well. If he/she prefers actual blood, well...the locals are rather thankful for your aid against the invaders. I’m sure one or two of them could easily be convinced to help a vampire out.
My character is a vampire, but many of the events take place during the day and I don’t want to miss out!
Never fear, dear player! The sunlight in Vertiline is...well...a little different. Your vampire may experience a slightly annoying rash from too much exposure, but rest assured, sun exposure is not fatal here. Your vampire is free and welcome to join in daytime events!
Help! My character isn’t a fighter? What now?
Fear not! Vertiline has something for everyone, from fighters to healers to cabbage vendors. All types of characters have their part to play. Even the local farmers won’t say no to your character helping with the harvest. Many hands make light work, after all!
My character’s magical abilities were lost on arrival. How does my character earn them back?
Magical abilities are initially removed from characters completely, though they can be earned back. Once returned, they will be marginally weakened. This means there are certain limitations on magic. Casting it is tiring, or at least, more than usual. Spells require more ingredients. The magic doesn't always respond the way you want it to...or at all. For some examples, read on:
Certain items, when handed over to specific NPCs, will prompt the return of all or some of your character’s abilities. This may be a return to full power or partial power. Magical abilities can also be earned through special events. If you believe your character needs a particular ability from the very beginning, or if you have an idea for one of these special events, please don’t hesitate to contact a mod.
Teleportation: Once regained, teleportation works largely as normal. However, as with the teleport crystals, characters will only be able to go places they have been before. This means no teleporting into a random area and discovering new or hidden places, sorry!
Telepathy/Empathy: Once regained, your character may be able to touch the minds of others. Feel free to contact other players and work out OOCly what information your telepath may glean. Keep in mind that the information your character gets may be wrong!
Psychics: So your character can see the future, huh? Once regained, your character will be able to predict the future with significant limitations. Feel free to contact a mod regarding what your character may see, but keep in mind that the information you receive will be garbled at best and entirely wrong at worst.
Flight: If your character can fly through some sort of physical means (dude's got wings!), then feel free to head up! You will notice that the higher you go, the thicker the cloud cover, until it becomes a thick, dark, soupy mess. No matter how high your character goes, the cover will not break. Your character may also notice...things in the clouds. Things that look and sound...unfriendly. Stay aloft too long, and they'll come after you. For those of you using magical or supernatural means of flight, the ability will have to be earned back (as with all magical abilities). Once regained, you will be able to fly to any place you would otherwise walk to. The same restrictions for vertical flight apply to magical as well as physical ability. Don't go too high!
Finally, because we've had a few questions about this: For the purposes of this game, alchemy (as in the alchemy from Full Metal Alchemist) is considered a science and not magic and can, therefore, be used from the outset. Keep in mind, however, that certain materials your alchemist is used to working with might not exist in Vertiline and that some formulas may not work as a result.
My character didn’t have any magical abilities to start with. Is my character doomed to be boring?
Not necessarily! Your character has the option of learning magic or special abilities (up to three of either) from any character who already knows and has earned back their own magical skills. Keep in mind, though, that your character’s ability with magic will never be quite as good as someone who came in with that skill already in place, and that your character’s learned skills are more likely to act up during plot events than your teacher’s.
I have a suggestion/idea/complaint/general comment!
Fabulous! We love feedback of all kinds, and plot ideas are our favorite! Head over to the suggestions post for suggestions or complaints, and to the plot post for...well. Plot. All comments are screened for your privacy.
Help! Real life is eating me!
Don’t worry, we understand! Vertiline is full of super awesome pretendy funtimes (we’d say the best, but we’re obviously biased), but we know that real life has to come first. Head over to the hiatus post and let us know. Any hiatus longer than two weeks will need to be approved by a moderator.
I have a question you haven’t answered!
Oh dear! By all means, leave a comment here, and one of the moderators will get back to you as soon as possible!