INCENSED MODS (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
treasuremap) wrote2012-02-10 03:02 pm
treasuremap) wrote2012-02-10 03:02 pm
RULES/FAQ - CHAPTER I
RULES/FAQ
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RULES
HAVE RESPECT. Remember the golden rule: treat others how you'd like to be treated. When in doubt, communicate with your fellow players, and please observe the IC/OOC divide. There is a no tolerance policy for wank and bullying, and any toxic behavior brought to the mods' attention will result in action taken, including and up to being removed from the game. If you are unable to resolve an issue, please contact the mods and we will advise as needed. RP is a hobby, and hobbies are supposed to be fun. If you aren't having fun, take a step back. We want this to be an enjoyable experience for everyone.
DON'T BE A POWERPLAYER. In other words, no godmodding (taking control of another character without permission from that character's player, or forcing actions on that character during a thread without checking if it's okay first), and no metagaming (projecting OOC knowledge onto characters ICly). Nobody wants the game spoiled for them, so please mind your actions, particularly when concerning in-game plots and events. Much of the plot will be revealed to players at the same time as their characters, with discoveries and new elements being uncovered at a fairly even pace. However, anything players know should not be used to gain an advantage for their character, or to spoil the plot for others.
BE ACTIVE. Activity check (AC) will be due by the last day of the month and can be submitted anytime before then. Any characters who have not had activity check posted for that month will be swept by the 5th of the next month. Characters accepted in the same month as their first activity check will be exempt, as will players who have been on official hiatus for at least two weeks during that month. We will also allow exceptions in special circumstances, however, if we notice a pattern of using hiatuses or exceptions in order to remain in the game, you may be asked to provide extra proof of activity.
Proof of activity will be check-in with a brief summary of what your character has done in the game that month. This can be a few sentences, paragraphs, bullet points—whatever works for you, so long as it gets the point across. You may provide links to threads and the like in your summary, but it is not required (unless otherwise asked, which we may request if we find a lack of substantial activity from your character). Activity must be done in any of the IC communities except for the meme comm (which will not count for AC, with the exception of the Test Drive Meme), or character inboxes.
PARTICIPATE. While there will be opportunities for characters to fly solo, many of the events will be collaborative between players and, at times, the NPCs. We all have lives and different schedules, so pacing will vary, but the story can't continue without character input, so please, get involved! It's OK to break out of your comfort zone and try something new, too. And as always, if you have any suggestions or ideas for the game, we are always open to hear them.
PREMISE & ARRIVAL
What sort of game is Incensed?
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incensed is a fantasy horror game where characters will be tasked with fighting their way through dense jungles, forgotten ruins, and myriad twisted flora and fauna to locate powerful and valuable relics that will grant boons to whoever holds them. The ultimate goal will center around finding a way to put an end to the "incense," a scented, fog-like substance that blankets the entire continent with devastating psychological and physical effects awaiting anyone or anything exposed to it. Characters will be encouraged to join one of the four guilds, otherwise known as coteries, where they will be given tasks to complete and, under the guidance of each coterie's leader, eventually converge on the source of the incense and uncover the truth behind a century-old mystery.In-game events will run on a quarterly schedule: one quieter month with a smaller, more minor event, if any; one middle month for questing and any player-run plots; and major story events every third month. Depending on the time of year and player input as well as the pace of the story, there may be busier quarters than others, but as events will be interactive and collaborative, we will be mindful of pacing and people's time, with plenty of opportunity during the downtime for establishing CR, participating in smaller quests, and worldbuilding.
Haven't I seen Incensed before? These comms are pretty old... Yes! This was a very different game back in 2012, and while there were some applications and a couple of IC posts, it never actually got off the ground and fizzled out as soon as it started. We're looking forward to giving it another shot with a fresh coat of paint and new management.
What exactly are the effects of the incense? Since the incense tends to stay low to the ground, like fog, all of the major settlements are built high up on plateaus and surrounded by mountains and windmills to protect themselves from the effects. While in town, characters will be affected very little except during windstorms and certain events.
Outside of the city walls, some effects can be felt depending on location; Coba and Tikal are located more inland and are more susceptible to wind than the other two cities, but all are susceptible the further away from the city you go. As they go below the cloud of mist, characters will begin to feel mostly psychological or minor physical effects which will increase in severity the longer they are exposed to it.
Deep in the jungle, and in particular close to certain ruins, however, the effects begin to affect characters at an exponential rate. Where minor exposure may take hours to drive characters to the brink, at this point, for some it can take only minutes. If characters are careful to cover their nose and mouth, breathe in as little as possible, and make quick trips, their likelihood of recovery is high. However, combatting the effects will be key in retrieving the relics, which means they'll undoubtedly be left suffering from a few things by the end of a mission.
A non-comprehensive list of effects are as follows:
✶ extreme irritability, mood swings, oversensitivity to stimulus
✶ heightened senses, often resulting in overstimulation
✶ paranoia and hallucinations
✶ anger and aggression, lashing out violently
✶ excitability, energetic outbursts and manic or reckless behavior
✶ acute increases in physical output: faster breathing, hotter blood, adrenaline-fueled strength and speed, quicker reflexes
✶ intoxication, general poor judgment, delirium and confusion
✶ becoming uncontrollably overwhelmed by emotions, memories, or other stimulus, resulting in erratic behavior
✶ increased monster aggro—characters will be targeted more often, and more aggressively
More extreme effects can also include:
✶ bodily changes: appendages, tentacles, and other monster-like transformations
✶ out of control innate powers or drained energy
✶ afflictions and "mist-sickness," which functions a lot like poisoning and can lead to coma or even death if not removed from the exposure area and treated quickly
Most of these symptoms start out unnoticeable and grow steadily more uncontrollable the longer the person is exposed to the incense. It becomes nearly impossible not to act out, and it's widely known that death can result from an out-of-control person on incense, particularly since the only way to escape the effects are to remove them from the area of exposure and get them fresh air. This can take up to several hours to wear off depending on the severity, and can even be permanent at times. How long and how severely these things affect your character is up to you, and you may choose what effects they can be affected by—there are no rules or guidelines on that.
But what even is the incense, actually? As it turns out, it is not supernatural or literal, actual incense or mist, but rather horribly corrupted mana/life energy. How and why this is happening is a mystery the characters will need to solve throughout the course of the game, but it has since ICly been established that the incense works by affecting the life force of all things because it is the life force of all things, only warped by something sinister. Characters with magical ties will be able to sense its spiritual and elemental properties, but at this time no one has found a way to "cleanse" it.
Characters can transform into monsters? They can, either temporarily or permanently. There is no specific list of monsters available—it can be something from the bestiary, something from your characters' homeworld, or something else entirely. Transformations can be as dramatic (full blown turning into a dragon, various body horrors) or as minor (kitty ears) as you want, so long as the scale and magnitude doesn't break the game. Transformations also do not have to be strictly organic—characters may also become more elemental, or even mechanical (but cannot be robotic, unless you want the tech limitations to constantly wreck them).
Transformed individuals typically suffer from other debilitating long-term symptoms like rage, mania, pain and the like more than others, so keep in mind that your catboys may bite. These effects can be permanent, can take effect gradually, and can also change or disappear as you please. A character dying may not necessarily "reset" them back to normal, or maybe it will—if you want it to! There's lot of creative freedom here, so go wild! This mechanic is also not mandatory under any circumstances; it's only an option available to anyone who would like to play that sort of thing out.
Does my character have to be affected? Can someone be immune? There are no immunities and no easy cures, period. It's not possible to be exposed to the incense and not be affected, but how it does so is up to player discretion. If a character stays in town indefinitely, there is still a chance during some events that they may be affected, so you can't avoid it forever, however the worst of it will be during quests and plots involving the ruins.
Is it possible for characters to build up a tolerance to the incense over time? To some degree, yes... in the sense that constant, prolonged exposure will more than likely result in permanent, debilitating effects your character will eventually become accustomed to. The incense works in mysterious ways, though, and will always be looking for new ways to screw people up, so is it possible to eventually become immune to it entirely? No.
Are animals affected as well? What about fantasy creatures such as Pokemon, summoned monsters, etc.? Animals (and plants as well) are all affected, yes; with some exceptions, the native monsters on Copalli were once all regular animals that were mutated over time into different species. Any companions from your characters' world can (and will, eventually) be affected in the same way as human characters, including and up to transforming into monster forms themselves. These also can be temporary or permanent, depending on what you'd like to play.
What if my character doesn't have a respiratory system/doesn't breathe? Will they still be affected? Yes. Exposure can happen even if a character holds their breath for a long time or if they don't breathe at all, as it will also "sink in" to any pore, apparatus, or what-have-you it can touch. Effects will happen much more slowly to those who don't breathe, though, so they may have an advantage—at least until they get inside the ruins.
...What happens when they get inside the ruins? Powers and inhuman abilities will begin to act strangely. Characters with cybernetics may begin to "malfunction," those who practice magic may not be able to control their spells, animal companions will behave erratically, and the like. The incense (or whatever is controlling it?) will do everything in its power to halt intruders, and like the other effects, you may choose how this hinders your character. Don't worry, though—it is possible to beat.
What does the incense smell like? That's up to you. Some say it smells earthy, and some say it smells floral or fruity. The truth is that it's up to character interpretation and will smell "familiar" to each one.
What happens when my character arrives? Characters will be sent by player choice or, if they have no preference, by RNG to one of four locations (Tikal, Coba, Kiichpan or Coatepec), arriving out of a sudden cloud of incense somewhere within the walls of their assigned city. There is no specific “arrival spot” where someone is more likely to appear—it can be anywhere! They will “wake up” there and this will only be surprising to the locals if it’s an especially odd place to be. Upon arrival, there will not be much in the way of NPC involvement, no “welcome committee,” “starter packs,” etc. NPC townsfolk will simply think they’re adventurers coming in from another city, or perhaps from some mysterious place beyond the mist, and won’t treat them with much fanfare. The coteries will be glad to have them even if their skillsets don’t align with the specialty of that group—anyone can be taught! The leaders of the coteries will be Intrigued, to say the least, about these new arrivals, and some may have questions about the worlds they come from, but will generally avoid prying too much. Each coterie leader will explain the gist of what they aim to do, what their jobs are, and will provide characters with their communication medallion (see more on this below), something that even the native members wear. After that, they'll be on their own to begin taking quests, exploring, and saving the world.
Minor quests will be available pretty much all of the time, and characters may take on as many as they wish (within reason/being realistic with what your character is able to do). Characters are encouraged to party up as survival outside the towns is dangerous. These will be broken down by area, although characters may travel to another location and take quests there as well and are not locked to particular coteries, in most cases.
How will characters communicate? Is there a network? The "network" comes in two parts. Upon joining a coterie, your character will be given a large golden medallion on a chain to wear around their neck, the back of each emblazoned with the crest of their coterie (a jaguar, eagle, snake or lizard). These medallions enable characters to understand both the natives and each other, as well as speak in a universally understood way; think of them as portable translators. Without them, characters who speak the same language would understand each other, but not anyone else, so they would really be wise not to lose this object as it cannot be replaced. The medallions must be worn in order to be effective, but it doesn't have to be around the neck; anywhere on the body is fine.
Not only do these medallions translate spoken language in person, they can also be used to communicate long-distance—speak the name of the person you want to reach into it, turn it in your hand, and you'll be connected to them so long as they also have their medallion. If two characters have the same name... you'd better hope they have a surname. And if they don't, you might end up talking to the wrong person. The name the medallions respond to will be the name your character gives to the coterie, which can cause some confusion if your character is the type to give out fake names. There is no IC way around this, and names cannot be changed once they're "registered."
The other part of the "network" comes in the form of journals. Writing done by one character will appear on the pages of everyone's book, and they are all linked this way. The same goes for stains, spills, stabbing a hole in the pages, etc. On the front of each journal is a round divot where characters can insert their medallions, enabling a sort of one-way voice-to-text function, if you will (that is, you can speak to the journal and have your words transcribed, but it will not read the words on the page back to you). The journals will not auto-translate written text, so it is possible to write in foreign languages.
Characters are not given the journals by default; they can be bought from a particular trader in each of the four cities, and can be replaced if lost or damaged, but you cannot own more than one per character at a time. Journals will not function until your character signs the inside of the front cover—this will also act as their "signature" on their entries. If a character comes into possession of another character's journal, it will stop functioning and will simply be a blank, useless book.
What if my character can't speak, read, write, etc.? Sadly, there are no magical workarounds for that at this time. Characters who cannot speak won't be able to use the voice function, but will still have spoken word around them translated for them. Characters who cannot read/write won't be able to utilize the journal effectively—they can use the voice-to-text feature to dictate written words, but unless someone writes very hard on the page and they trace the letters, or if someone is able to translate for them, they won't be able to see written responses.
What happens if a character dies? Within six hours after death, the character's body will dissipate into wisps of incense and disappear. They will return 24 hours after death at one of two locations: back in the city they arrived in originally (whether that's the current city they're living in nonwithstanding), or in the spot where they died, up to player choice. At that time, they will reappear just as they did originally, made of mist and tumbling out of a cloud back into the real world. And yes, animal companions can die and respawn the same way.
During that 24 hours, they will have no "presence" or memory of that stretch of time upon returning. There is currently no "cost" for dying, but this may change if anyone happens to die enough times.
APPLICATIONS & CHARACTERS
Is there a player or character cap for Incensed? Yes, the current player cap is 50. You can see the updated number of players at the top of the taken list. There is no character cap, however players may have a maximum of four characters in the game at a time.
How do I reserve and apply for a character? At this time, Incensed is not accepting applications.
What characters can I apply for? We are currently accepting applications for canon characters from any video game, movie, TV series, comic book, webcomic, etc., as well as original characters. We do also allow malleable protagonists, however, we will only accept one version of these characters. That is, there can only be one version of Byleth from Fire Emblem, Traveler from Genshin Impact, or Warrior of Light from FFXIV.
At this time we do not accept applications for real people such as musicians, historical figures outside of fiction, etc., fandom OCs (original characters created for a specific canon's universe), Alternate Universe versions of canon characters, or CRAUs (canon characters apped in with memories carried over from another game).
How long should I wait to apply for characters from a new canon? One month from release date. This also includes new seasons/chapters/etc. when canon updating, to give people a fair chance to avoid spoilers.
Do you accept "challenge" applications? No, applications will be judged on a first come, first serve basis. If we do receive two applications for the same character at the same time, we will look over both applications and accept whichever is better.
Can I reapply for a dropped character I previously played? Yes. If you were the last person to play that character, you may reapply for them with or without their memories from their previous time in the game intact, whichever you prefer. On your application, be sure to make a note that you are reapplying in the subject line. Please note that they won't be able to be apped in with any items they would have had in-game currently on their person, nor waiting for them immediately upon arrival; unless they had close CR who may have saved some of their things, NPCs will typically claim anything left behind by a dropped character. Any changes to their powers, permanent bodily/mental changes due to the incense, and the like will also be reset.
If you are applying for a dropped character that someone else played before you, none of this is applicable and must be treated as a brand new arrival.
Can there be doubles of a character (show version vs. book version, etc.)? No. There can only be one version of any character—we will only accept Kingdom Hearts Cloud Strife or Final Fantasy Cloud Strife (this also applies to OG Cloud Strife and Remake Cloud Strife), to use an example.
What if my character died in canon? That's okay, they're not dead anymore. They will be fashioned out of mist just like the rest, even from beyond the veil of death. Characters coming in from after their deaths may remember what happened to them or not—up to you.
My character was injured/is dying at the point in canon I want to app from, is that allowed? That's fine. NPCs and other characters can attempt to help them as best they can, but there will be no guarantees at saving their life, so you may play that out as you see fit. If your character dies from these injuries immediately upon arriving, they will still be subject to the 24 hour respawn period, though.
What if my character is terminally ill, has a disability, requires a special diet, etc.? There are no magical cures for ailments, injuries and disabilities upon arrival, however there will likely be healers or medicine in-game that may help, so you may play that out as you see fit. As for special diets and requirements, such as vampires, they will still function the same here.
Are non-human characters humanized? Not at all. Animal characters will stay animals, robots will stay robots, etc. Characters with cybernetics may keep those, however if they require electricity to function they will eventually break down as there is no such power source on Copalli. There are no options to humanize characters via the setting, so if they are not human in canon, they will not be human here. The only change would be characters that are gamebreakingly large or cumbersome—they will be sized down to a more manageable size.
Are character powers enabled? Character powers are fully enabled, however abilities that obstruct the flow of time or space will have a cap placed on them. That is, no creating portals in order to escape to other dimensions (including off the planet the game takes place on or "alternate realities"), teleporting, or changing the flow of time. Powers will also receive a considerable nerf the closer they get to the ruins, as the incense and whatever is controlling it attempts to dissuade anyone from getting close. Magic-users will find their magic less effective or difficult to control, super strong or fast characters will be come slower and weaker, etc. Once they leave the area of effect, their powers will return to normal. Healers will also be effective when treating others under the effects of the incense and may be offer to some reprieve, but they will be unable to prevent characters from being affected.
Everything else, in the meantime, will be fully functional, and that also extends to weapons. We only ask that before you cause significant damage to any NPCs or part of the setting that you PM a mod for permission first.
Can my character bring an animal companion/familiar/etc.? Yes, provided the animal companion is not sentient enough to be considered an appable character themselves, characters may bring one animal with them. This also includes Pokemon, Personas, summonable beasts, etc.
What items can characters bring with them on arrival? Anything that's on your character's person can come with them, including weapons and technology. However, keep in mind that there is no way for tech to function for very long, and there will be no way to obtain more bullets, laser gun cells, etc. at any point, so many things will become functionally useless before very long.
Can I change my character's canon point? Yes, just fill out the form here. Characters being canon updated will be treated much like dead ones; they will dissolve into mist and be reformed again 24 hours later at minimum, up to seven days later. Rolling back a canon point is a special case scenario that will need to be discussed with a mod for approval. The same goes with character resets. Contact the mods for further discussion on those.
SETTING
What is the setting like? The world the game takes place on is called Talam, and the continent for the setting is called Copalli. Its weather, seasons, and the like are most similar to Central America several hundred years ago. Copalli is covered almost entirely in dense jungle and rainforest, with mountainous regions and various plateaus housing the four main cities. While we don't have a real-world land mass in mind, the continent is roughly (give or take) 1800km/1100 miles from the western-to-eastern coast. While not technically an island, the shallows and peninsulas that connect Copalli to other continents are impassable at this time. For further details on the setting, please see the locations page here!
Inspirations for the setting, including the names of the cities, some characters, and other elements are heavily influenced by ancient Mesoamerican culture, architecture, and language, particularly the Mayans and Aztecs. What started out as a Road to El Dorado nod expanded well beyond that, some of which will be revealed as the story progresses. In most cases these influences have been heavily fantasy-ified, but we have done our best to be respectful toward the very real people and places these locales, names, and symbolisms represent even in the modern day. We have also lifted ideas directly from some of our favorite role-playing games and movies, most notably Final Fantasy IX and its own Mist. Some monsters, story elements, etc. will look familiar to fellow fans, but we hope what we've come up with will provide a few surprises, too!
What is the housing situation for characters? Housing will be free for coterie members, otherwise they will have to pay for living arrangements (which are plentiful enough to have their pick of). “Rent” isn’t expected, but paying for utilities and groceries, as well as any other supplies, is. Characters won’t automatically have any in-game currency, or an immediate exchange of their denomination into local currency (however, some merchants or maybe even someone at the nearest coterie may be willing to buy some of your character’s currency if it’s interesting enough). Naturally, “nicer” homes in the heart of the town (safest from the mist) will cost more, becoming less costly the closer you get to the walls. Coterie members will be automatically entitled to something more mid-tier, with options to upgrade relatively quickly.
Can characters live outside the city? It's possible for them to, yes, but likely won't end well. There are next to no settlements outside of the plateaus, but if your character were intrepid enough to, say, scale a mountain and build a home there above the mist, they might stand a chance. Outside of that, survival below the mist will eventually drive characters to madness, so it isn't advised.
How difficult is travel between the cities? How long does it take to get from place to place? To cross the continent on foot would take over a week if everything went perfectly and you never needed to stop to rest. For normal people, and factoring in incense effects, stopping to rest, and dealing with monsters, it's closer to two weeks. Characters who can fly or otherwise move at super speeds can save days and hours off their trips, but hindrances will always pose a problem one way or another.
As of February 2022, however, beast-drawn carriages and wagons have been deployed in each city to make transport faster and safer. For a small gold fee, one of these transports can get you to your destination in half the time. There is always the possibility of a terrible mishap along the way, however—the only certain thing in life is uncertainty, after all.
Is it possible to travel outside of Copalli? Not at this time, no. But maybe once the incense is dealt with...?
What is the technology level on Copalli? The short answer is that there is none. There are no capabilities even for solar power, no electricity, nothing. The setting is as ancient as it comes, and it doesn't seem like it's any different outside of Copalli, either. They have carts and carriages, but few animals to safely pull them (or to ride on in general), so faster travel is at times scarce. The windmills are their primary source of energy for anything they do have, and there are even watermills for hydro-powered looms in a couple of the cities. There is no way to build any sort of technology at this point, either, and none of the locals will know what to do with anything characters may bring with them.
One thing we would like to stress it that we have no intention for this to change—while the setting will slowly grow over time with characters bringing things from home with them, hunting for available resources and utilizing them, etc.,
incensed was designed specifically to be a tech-free game. We would prefer to keep advanced weaponry, machines, more complex tools and the like out of the game entirely, as the idea is to play in a less convenient setting and to be subject to the various struggles of surviving in it. We are always willing to discuss what would be "too much" if you're unsure, but request that players please use their best judgment with regard to what it's possible to find, build, etc. in this world. Thank you for understanding!Can my character start their own business? Yes! Every city except for Coba has a marketplace and ample space to set up a business (although nothing whatsoever is stopping anyone from setting up shop in Coba if they'd like, for that matter). Much like housing, "rent" won't be expected for the space, just the cost of utilities and supplies. You'll have to procure the materials to sell whatever you're selling, but this can be done for trade and profit.
At this time there is no "businesses" page, but you may comment to the locations page under the city the business is located in to make mention of it if you like.
What is the currency on Copalli? What is the economy like? "Currency" exists in the form of gold pieces, referred as exactly that. Money does change hands plenty on Copalli, and is universal across all of the cities, however the much more valuable form of commerce is done in trade. Coterie members in particular will have access to many valuable things natives, other members, and other characters will likely be in need of. In the marketplaces, trade is the preferred form of barter as well. Food shortages are rare, but anyone who can grow things, cook, or kill edible monsters will always be welcomed with open arms, as will anyone who can make weaponry, or things that might help protect against the incense such as masks.
COTERIES
Does my character have to join a coterie? Technically, no, but this is the only way characters will be able to participate in the story, receive a communication medallion, or benefit from any perks coteries are privy to. Most employment opportunities, business, and politics wind up filtering through the coterie anyway, so it's by far the best way to get involved and make a living. Characters don't need to fraternize with their coterie to benefit from it, necessarily, but so long as they have that emblazoned medallion and something to prove they're making an effort, it counts.
What will my character do in the coterie? It depends on which one they're in. Further details on what each coterie specializes in can be found here, but the short version is that they'll be fighting monsters, exploring the land, and recovering lost treasures. The main goal will always be to put a stop to the incense by gaining control of the four cursed relics, something that all four coteries will work together to accomplish during story events. In-between those, though, their jobs range from security to courier work, capturing monsters to ride, bringing back supplies, and tending to the wounded. They'll also get to know both their leader and the other members over time, and who knows where those connections might get you?
Can you join multiple coteries? Characters can only be a member of one coterie at a time, however it is possible do jobs for other ones when visiting the other cities. Depending on which coterie your character is in, the leader of a neighboring coterie may welcome them or treat them with disdain, but in general no help will be outright refused. It is possible to leave a coterie and join another; when this happens, your character will exchange their medallion for one with the symbol of their new coterie on it. No, they can't get the old one back; it's gone forever.
Are characters able to interact directly with the NPCs/leaders? Yes, at times. NPCs will never comment to characters' journal entries, voice posts, or logs, but there is a specific post here where characters will be able to interact directly with the leaders of their coterie. This is meant to be limited to more minor interactions such as asking questions or reporting in on a situation outside of the city, or maybe even catching up for a drink... if they're in the mood. The leaders of the coteries aren't always available or willing to chat, and may not always be completely forthright with their answers, however they are all generally interested in helping their comrades.
Who are the coterie leaders? What do they look like? You can read more about the four coterie leads and see their picture on the Coteries page! In short, their names are Alaric, Florian, Jun and Aminat, although they typically just go by the name of the animal their coterie is based on (Jaguar, Eagle, Viper and Salamander). Each of them have their own specialties, motivations, and roles in the story and gameplay, which you'll find out over time, and by interacting with them!
What are the pay and rewards like? There is no "paycheck" exactly, but members will be given free housing, free training and supplies, and oftentimes will have free or easy access to food and other amenities. When completing quests and other missions for the coterie, they will be rewarded in gold pieces primarily, but may also get to keep a relic or tool they find. Since this is based off of RPGs, don't be surprised if Jaguars are paid in better weaponry and Salamanders in fancier, older books to read. Rewards for jobs completed will be listed on the quest posting, so you'll have an idea of what to expect at the end.
QUESTS & EVENTS
Where are the ruins located, and how does my character reach them? You can see where the currently mapped out ruins are on the locations page! New ruins, from story-related ones to mini-events, ruins for quests, and just random ones thrown out for fun will be added to the page and the game map over time, and announcements will be made when new content is available! Quests and events will help direct characters toward suspected locations, and at times the mods will respond to players in a "choose your own adventure" interactive style until they find something (or die, I guess). In many cases characters will have to party up to reach them.
What does the treasure do? Well, it's treasure. It's shiny, valuable, and rare. Most of the easier to obtain relics characters find will be good only for trading or selling, or else keeping as tchotchkes. The more uncommon ones, though, will grant characters special powers upon possessing them—things like rapid healing, greater strength, night vision, the ability to conjure certain elements, and many other things. Not all that glitters is gold or a mysterious old artifact, though: there will also be ancient equipment to find, like armor, weapons, and accessories, just like in RPGs. In some cases, boss monsters will drop special items, or quest rewards will be something else entirely that may or may not be useful—you'll just have to wait and see.
How will relic distribution be determined OOCly? By RNG, for the most part. If a party of characters successfully completes a quest and obtains a relic, RNG will spare them the trouble of infighting for it and it will be granted to that character. Now, if the players of that party decide amongst themselves to thread out a fight after that... that's on y'all. A description of what the prize does will be provided so players (and by extension, characters) can decide to roll for need or not—we won't trick you into fighting over garbage. Most of the time, anyway.
What happens to a relic if the character in possession of it is dropped? Their coterie will claim it, in most cases. Characters can in theory leave their items behind to another character if they plan ahead, and in most respects those wishes will be honored upon discovery. It's possible for someone to steal it, too, but coteries won't look too fondly on that kind of behavior. Not even the Vipers. (Probably.)
What about the four cursed relics? You'll just have to wait and see what's up with those as the story progresses!
What sort of monsters can my character expect to face? A non-comprehensive list of mobs can be found here, however generally they will be the sorts of things you'd find in any RPG. Wolves, birds, viney evil flowers, possessed crabs, land worms, floating things that look cute but cast misery-inducing spells, and so on. There are also "friendly" creatures and domesticated animals that haven't been twisted by the incense's influence, as well as other fantasy creatures that may appear more rarely, or during events. Oh, and deep within some of the temple ruins, there are also boss monsters.
...Boss monsters? You heard me.
Are players able to run plots of their own? Absolutely! Drop us a line over on the suggestions page with any ideas you have in mind.
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On robots, pretty much yes. I'd say it's possible to jerry-rig a charging method via characters who can do lightning magic or something like that, but there's no tech to easily support it and no materials to build it, so anyone/thing that needs a charge would run out of juice eventually.
On Madoka, the grief seed/soul gem system can still work here! An item of similar use can be dropped by certain rare/boss monsters and used up to a point for purifying purposes—once the bestiary is up any special drops will be listed also so that'll be something to keep an eye out for. For added challenge, the incense is especially fond of taking someone Going Through It and making them worse, so that might be something they'll want to party up to deal with... juuuust in case.