Play By Post Primer

[The Story Guide]

Hello! As some of you are new to play-by-post (PBP) gaming, this is a primer to help understand how things work on the site, expectations, and a space to ask questions as needed. This information isn't in any particular order but is numbered for easy reference. 

1. Character Submissions - Please send character sheets (the mechanics) and character backgrounds (the fluff of what your character did before the game starts) to the ST account (Dirthera in this game). This allows the ST to have an easy way to read over submissions and approve them or PM you back with questions/concerns/directions for changes. STs may also use PMs or the submission PM to talk privately with you about the character, character advancement, or something going on in the game. An xp log on the character sheet is also a good idea, updated each time you gain/spend XP. 
    
2. OOC Thread - This is the public thread for discussion of game-related stuff that is not In Character (IC). It stands for Out Of Character, and is meant to still be focused on the specific game it's an OOC thread for. For general chatting/shenanigans, the Discord server is best. 
    
3. Plot Threads and Non-Plot Threads - For this game, plot threads will be marked with [War Table] at the beginning, with currently open plot threads stickied to to the top of the Topics tab. Non-plot threads should have a title and is tagged with the initial location and an in-game date (I will have a thread that is just a running calendar with links to threads). Tags are put together when a thread is started and have commas between them to separate the tags. 
    
4. Signatures - Go to the down-carrot to the right of your account name, then to Account Settings, then to Signature. You'll be able to make a spoiler within your signature to put your character's sheet. This is for easy reference of both you and the ST. All characters need their sheet in a spoiler in their signature. Many people also include a quote indicative of the character either before or after the spoiler. 
    
5. Time Commitments in Regular Posting - PBP games are slower than table-top games. It's the nature of the time it takes to write and the back-and-forth outside of immediate real time. That being said, responses and involvement still need to be timely. In a plot thread, I'd prefer not have more than a few days go by without a contribution from a player. In side threads, the pacing is more up to you guys, but a similar response time at a minimum is usually appreciated by the other players.
    
6. Combat Posting - Combat situations (likely to primarily come up in plot threads) have a quicker pacing because the ST needs to know what everyone is doing in order to have the NPCs respond accordingly. So, in combat there will be a 24 hr rule: if your character hasn't acted within 24 hrs of a combat round being started, the ST will either choose an action for the PC or pass them. One way to avoid being passed is to give me a brief list of your character's general combat priorities and responses (think the AI list you could create in the game). This gives me a guidline and some incentive not to just have the character passed. For example, if I'm playing an Inquisition Archer, my priorities are probably: 1) Attack any enemies I can shoot at so long as no enemies are in melee range of me; 2) If there are melee'ers near me, drop the bow and pull out my daggers. 3) Retreat if I'm severely injured and call to the mages for help. That covers most circumstances for the character and gives the ST an easy reference list. 
    
7. Absences & Proxies - If you have to be away from the game for a length of time and you know beforehand, please drop me a note in either Discord or a site PM. If you have someone who's going to post for your PC while you're gone, let me know. If you have an emergency crop up and you're just gone for a while, that's okay. Real life is always more important. Drop me a PM when you get a chance or when you get back to let me know what happened that you are or will be back. I'll llama/fade your character for that time. If you're gone long enough that all the threads your character was involved in otherwise close up, I'll put your character on the inactive list and if/when you come back, we'll hash out what's been going on with them during that time.
    
8. XP and Rewards - XP and other rewards will be granted when Threads and Chanter's Boards are completed. I'm going to really try to keep everyone at exactly the same spot. In PBP games, people come in and out of the game over time, so this is an experience in rolling with wherever you are and getting to see what mixed groups look like over time. That being said, War Table threads with generally hand out more XP than other threads, and Chanter's Boards won't necessarily hand out XP - they may give Connections or money or some other appropriate reward. Chanter's Boards will also be marked if they're OOC (say, putting together playlists for your PC and an overall theme for the game is a fairly standard one) or IC (write up a scene with an NPC around Skyhold that shows how the regular people of Skyhold interact with and view your character).  

That's all I can think of right now. Please post up questions as you have them: I can't help if I don't know help is needed!