Game FAQ

What is Elysian Fields?

Elysian Fields (EF) is a play-by-post roleplaying fantasy game that draws inspiration and elements from traditional and modern fantasy as well as steampunk and various others. It's like a MMORPG but requires more imagination and some writing ability.

What is EF based on?

It's not specifically based on anything except the imaginations of its founder and the members who have had a hand in its development. EF does draw inspiration from a number of sources, both in and out of the fantasy genre, and from mythology to film, but no one thing has influenced EF's development beyond a spark of an idea.

Is EF a canon game?

No. We only accept original characters. There are a few NPCs that you can adopt, and if you're stuck for character ideas you can ask other members if they have ideas or are looking for players for relatives of their own characters, but these are not canon and are managed by the creators themselves, not the staff.

What level are the writing skills of the players?

They vary from beginner to advanced. Most of our members are experienced roleplayers.

Do I need prior roleplaying experience?

For the most part, no; we welcome beginners. However, we do expect your best effort so it's worth reading our Roleplay Guide and the articles in our Information forum.

We also recommend using a spellchecker (most word processors have one or you can find one online), especially if you aren't confident in your ability to communicate clearly.

Are there any events?

Yep! We host annual and one-off special events like the Xanth Day festivities in August and Xanth's Grotto at Christmas. We also have OOC contests and the occasional official plot. :) We're always open to new ideas for games, events, contests and the like, too, so don't be afraid to suggest things for us to do. ;)

How do I sign up for events?

It depends on the event. For submission contests like Exploring Elysia or Design a Creature, you'll need to create a page draft on the wiki for your submission using the Submissions guide, but for others you'd submit your entry either by posting it as a reply to the contest thread, or by PM to the contest's organiser. Many of the special events don't require that you sign up at all, so you can simply jump into the thread whenever you like for as long as the event's running.

Some events and plots do require notice that you're joining beforehand, but any special instructions will be included in the event's introduction.

Can I quit at any time?

Yes. We aren't going to hold you hostage! EF's meant to be fun, not a chore, so you can leave whenever you like. We'll be sad to see you go, though, and would greatly appreciate notice rather than you just leaving without saying a word, especially if you're in active threads.

If time constraints is the only issue, you might want to consider self-retiring your character instead of quitting altogether. :)

"User-driven" means I can write whatever I want, right?

No, actually. We're big on involving members in how our game and world develops, but there are limits. EF is set in a fantasy world but the things in it still need to be justified. Monsters don't play nice, there are in-character consequences for going against the cultural grain, and your character will get some very strange looks if they behave abnormally.

You also have to consider the "Mary Sue" factor. It's fun to set a character apart from the rest, but if they sparkle too much, they'll be no fun to play against.