	GUIDE

		SITE RULES - This is a Mature site which allows swearing, sexual content, and adult themes. However, excessive and explicit sexual content to the point of pornography, is considered inappropriate. - No word counting elitism. We understand that quality is not always quantity and it erally depends on the situation. Do try your best! - We expect everyone to be treated with kindness and respect. - No force-breeding/claiming or god-moding unless for plot purposes and it has been cleared with all players involved. - Please only use pictures/HTML/character ideas that are your own creation or which you have permission to use. - Bring up any issues with staff (Nuri and Karida) for mediation. - Nuri and Karida are happy to answer any questions or field suggestions on the chat board. GAME CONCEPT Novitam tries to leave a lot up to the characters at the beginning as the plot develops. Your characters have been abducted. Taken from their homes in the dead of night, blinded and disoriented, they have no idea where they are. When they come to they feel different, in pain, changed. They have become bionic, some part of their body has been replaced with mechanations. In congregation, all of the land's new inhabitants reveal themselves to have been changed in different ways. None of them know how they got here, nor does anyone see anything when new arrivals come. How will your characters interpret what has happened to them? Is it magic? Gods? Are you all experiments? What is going on? Factions may develop based on species, belief system, etc. How your characters react to the situation is up to you! CHARACTERS - Characters can be any species of animal found on earth, including humans and domesticated animals. - The mech technology has allowed all species to communicate with eachother. - Size, color, and other characteristics are expected to be realistic aside from whatever biomechanical changes. - Characters must have at least 1 alteration upon their abduction, though they may not discover it until an event in their life reveals it. - Characters may only join with up to 3 changes. ENVIRONMENT Novitam is very similar to Earth, but limited to a much smaller area. It seems almost as though different ecosystems and eras have been combined haphazardly. Though it depends on the terrain, generally all four seasons are present in their strongest capacity: frigid winters, wet springs, sweltering summers, and brisk falls. CIVILIZATIONS The civilizations are somewhat fluid: - Currently each board is named for what kind of terrain/environment it is. Whatever guild takes over a board can claim the land and name it. - Guilds may be composed of a single species or multiple species, your choice. - To claim a territory the guild must be at least 4 strong. Loners or smaller groups may wander in and post on the terrain if it is unclaimed but once a large enough group comes along to claim it the predecessors are at their mercy. - Leadership and ranking is determined by each guild. - If a leader is absent and no one is left in charge for 2 weeks, another group may instantly lay claim to the territory. - Humans may live in the wild territories and animals may take over towns, anything goes. - More territories may be discovered if population expands enough. FIGHTING - Fights can be for anything: pride, territory, characters, certain mechanics, etc. - To fight for a territory you must have your group of 5 ready to move in. - The battlefield can be any other board on Novitam, players decide on the terrain. - Fighting is done by roleplay unless a coin flip is agreed upon. - Challengers set terms, the challenged may ask for concessions. - Both players must agree on 3 objective players to judge. - You cannot challenge a character who's player is away. Challenged person has a week to respond. - Fights may involve more than 2 characters. - Judgement is based on: Plausibility, Creativity, Clarity, and Style. Each is graded on a scale of 5 points. BREEDING - Breeding may only occur within the same species or plausible cross species (dogs and wolves, horses and donkeys, lions and tigers). - Chance of live birth decreases with cross-breeding. - Breeding may happen throughout the year. - You may stay pregnant and age your young as you wish. But no breeding several times immediately one after another. - You may request things such as gender/color or leave it to fate. Stats will be posted ASAP! - Only individual births unless twins/litters are requested in applicable species. Twins in species such as humans and horses are possible but rare. - Young are born without mech, normal. Parents (or possibly others!!) may decide to equip them with their own prosthetics, mech that has been won, or if they are skilled, mech that has been created. In the future perhaps an NPC situation will be created to abduct the young and alter them. STEALING - You can only steal other characters, not prosthetics or territories. - You can only steal characters who belong to a guild. - Post on the territory owned by the guild, or if they don't own a territory post on a common board addressing the guild/leaders. - You do not have to use your name but there must be a clue to who you are. - There must also be at least 3 solid clues as to who you are stealing. - After a week, if no correct guesses are made, reveal the clues and staff will decide if it is valid. - Steals may be blocked by any guild/territory member. FREE SPACE - Free space boards will be made available when activity calls for it. - Characters may group together and decide to create an area special to them. ie. Oracle, Temple, repair shop, experimental lab - These boards will have moderator/NPC involvement. - Players may decide if an NPC/minor character will be played by a single player or available for any player to voice.