NPC FAQ

What is a NPC?

NPC is short for "non-player character". They're also known as "minor characters", or in the case of films and TV as the supporting cast. All it really means is that a character might have a minor role in a roleplay thread but isn't big enough to have an ongoing storyline (or their own account).

Examples of NPCs might include

• family members for your Played Characters [PC]
• job characters (eg. couriers, shop staff, instructors, etc)
• friends
• significant characters in your PC's life (eg. sparring partners, mentors, training instructors, etc)
• passers-by
• your PC's pets and/or companions (including a Dracovarian's dragon)

What are ONPCs, then?

ONPC is short for "Official NPC". They're played by our staff writers, usually for official plots and events, but can also be requested for quests. They're distinguished from normal NPCs because they are significant characters in terms of the game's setting (such as the Zanaryan Shrine Lords or a major villain), as opposed to regular NPCs like an local inn keeper.

What can I do with NPCs?

NPCs are essentially there to make your roleplaying life easier, and to bring our setting to life. They're not intended as a way to get around the character limit rules by giving you extras without requiring an application, but you can do whatever you like with them otherwise (within reason, of course).

Do NPCs require an application?

No. That's the good news. ;) However, you're encouraged to add them to the NPC Database using the NPC template, especially if they appear more than once. This way, there's some consistency, not only in the characters themselves but in the world also (eg. if you say a NPC works as a waitress at Kerry's Kafe, and someone else takes their PC to Kerry's Kafe at a later date, it'd be neat if you'd posted the profile so they could use the same waitress).

Admins do keep an eye on NPC submissions purely to make sure nothing too fanciful or extreme is going on and that all characters fit into our setting, but they're not moderated like Player Characters are so you have a lot more freedom with them. Just remember to keep things balanced! It's no fun for others if characters are too strong to compete with, even if they're NPCs. ;)

What can I do with ONPCs?

ONPCs are in many ways a whole different kettle of fish because they're the ones in key positions in Elysian society. The leaders of the Elysian races are ONPCs, as are the Zanaryan Shrine Lords, and many others whose actions can have a major, or global, impact on the setting.

For that reason, use of the ONPCs is more restrictive and they're designed more for use in site-wide plots and events than day-to-day threads. Unlike standard NPCs, these guys aren't going to be the wife, daughter, mother, brother of your PC, or their training instructor (unless you've spoken to the staff about it first), but they're not untouchable and you can request them.

While some are only playable by staff writers, others are available for you to play with staff approval. Some (such as the Shrine Lords, are actually expected to appear fairly often, so don't be shy in making requests! ;)

How do I get someone to play a NPC for me?

If you want a NPC in your thread but don't want to play them yourself, you can either post in the Plotting Board to ask if anyone's interested in playing them for you, or nudge people in the shoutbox.

Our members are always friendly and usually very helpful, but if you don't get any interest from them, you can always ask a staff writer instead.

Is there a special account for NPCs?

Yes.

This account is available to all our members and even guests who would like to test the waters before joining. It has similar usergroup permissions as the Elysian (established, active characters) group and is moderated just the same. The only differences are that NPCs cannot level up or make model claims.

The NPC account should not be used for threads in which your character stands to gain something (eg. a cool weapon, money, etc) unless you have approval from the staff writers first, but we're usually pretty easy-going about this. (The exception to this rule would be quests, but rewards for those are granted by the ONPC team, anyway, so you're free to play NPCs as long as they don't try to give your characters extra rewards.)

How do I get someone to play a ONPC for me?

You can request an ONPC here or by contacting one of our staff writers directly. Please be patient with us, however; sometimes we can't join/start a thread right away.

Not all ONPCs are restricted so you may be able to play them yourself (especially handy if the staff writers are too busy to help you out right away). Just check the "Playable?" notes in the character's profile, but remember that you'll need staff approval first, especially if your character stands to gain something from the thread.

Occasionally, the staff writers will post an ONPC in a random thread (especially if it looks like that thread isn't receiving much interest) as a way to liven things up or give members something to do. All threads are potential targets (including [C]losed and [P]rivate threads) so if you really don't want to be interrupted, please put a [NO] (short for "No ONPC!") tag in your topic title.

Is there a special account for ONPCs?

Yes, the "Official NPC" account is used by our staff writers to post ONPCs. If you see a post made by this account, you shouldn't ignore it, especially if it's in your thread, as it may contain important plot/quest/setting information.

The ONPC account is similar to the NPC account in many ways but is primarily for official plots and events (small or large). If you're part of the ONPC team, you'll be able to find the password for this account in the private staff area, but if you're not staff and still want to play an ONPC, you can do so (with permission from the staff) using the standard NPC account.

How can I submit an ONPC?

You can submit NPC profiles to the ONPCs wikigroup just the same as any other page, using the ONPC Template. However, ONPC profiles require approval from a member of staff, so you need to save as a draft and ask someone to review it. Unless there's a problem, they'll try to publish it as soon as possible. :)