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Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: August 5th, 2008

Newcomer FAQ
Where's my validation email?
How do post counts and ranks work?
Where can I find out about my character's abilities?
There's something wrong! :O
General FAQ
What can I do with NPCs?
Can I use HTML to create prettiful layouts?
Can I use CSS in my post layouts?
Character FAQ
Can my character be a different species?
Can I create my own race?
The abilities I want for my character aren't in their species guide, so can I add them?
Can my character have an extra power?
What are subgroups/classes?
Can my character bring his/her own belongings to Elysia?
Can I have a half-breed character?
What are the rules for half-breed characters?
Can my vampire character give birth?
How is a character's strength and power determined?
Setting FAQ
Argh! Portals confuse me!
What is a Sanctuary?
Can I create my own location?
Footnotes

Newcomer FAQ

Where is my validation/confirmation email?
In most cases, the email winds up in your spam/bulk folder. If you still can't find it, however, make a note in your character submission and an admin will validate your account for you. :)
How do post counts and ranks work?
Any post made in an IC area counts towards your forum rank and character level.
Where can I find out about my character's abilities?
The current level guidelines are here. :)
There's something wrong! :O
I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific. XD
There's a tech help forum (otherwise known as Bugs & Errors where the imp-catchers hang out) where you can post if you're having trouble with board settings or glitches. A member of staff will try to help you as soon as possible but the more information you give about the problem you're having, the faster they'll be able to help you. For that reason, please try to include screencaps1 or an exact copy of any error messages you receive. It often also helps if you tell us what browser you're using. :)
If the site itself goes down for a while (sadly, our host doesn't always forewarn us of problems or maintenance downtime), there is a backup blog on Livejournal where you can find out what's going on (our staff try to update as soon as they can) or even roleplay unofficially with other members while you wait, and you don't even have to be an LJ member to post! :D

General FAQ

What can I do with NPCs?
Play with them! They're so lonely. :( You can find out more about NPCs, ONPCs and Sentients, or request a roleplay thread, here. :)
Can I use HTML to create prettiful layouts?
Yes! :D The rules state that post layouts are allowed (within reason) so as long as you follow dimension and copyright rules, you can either create your own or buy one from one of the art shops in the marketplace.
Please note, however, that this option is only available for active characters of Level One and above. If you're bumped onto the Missing list or your character is retired, you will lose the ability to use HTML and only regain it once that character has been reactivated. Members of the Newcomer group (any character with 0 IC posts) do not have HTML permission, either. ;)
If you cannot use HTML for some reason, please double-check your character's usergroup before contacting a member of staff. :)
Can I use CSS in my post layouts?
You can use inline CSS2 in your post layouts. :) However, please don't try to insert style sheets3, as they have a tendency of overriding the entire site layout and I get grumpy when that happens. xP

Character FAQ

Can my character be a different species?
If by this you mean you've made a mistake while introducing your character and have realised you'd rather they be something else, then it depends. Generally, we allow up to 72 hours (3 days) for you to change things like your display name in case of mistakes. Once your character has begun posting in IC areas, however, we won't change anything because doing so could interfere with the IC world.
No, I meant Can I create my own race?
Normally, no, as we're too small to introduce new playable races when we already have some pretty cools ones to play with. Moreover, we have a pre-defined levelling system which leaves no room for unique characters in terms of powers or species. You can, however, enter our contests to create new beasts to interact with, but these aren't available as PCs. :)
The abilities I want for my character don't fit their species so can I add them?
Nope, 'fraid not. EF has a levelling system involving abilities and powers that are determined by a character's genetics and thus their species. This means that every member of a particular race has exactly the same potential according to the choices they make (all Skotadi Warriors have the same training, for instance). If you don't like the abilities your character would gain as a Gold Dragon, choose something else that you prefer. ;)
If you feel strongly that a race should have the abilities you'd like for your own character, don't hesitate to suggest them to the admins. If they agree, they'll add them to the species' guidelines so everyone of that race can use them. If not, well, they can always say no. XD
Can my character have an extra power?
By default, this would be a no. As mentioned above, each Elysian race comes with a standard set of abilities that cannot be changed without divine intervention. The only time you may be granted an extra power is if you have enough karma to ask Xanth for a boon.
What are subgroups/classes?
Subgroups are the different classes available at various levels that allow you to further customise your characters. They're subdivisions of the races and are kind of like jobs in the real world, honing a character's skillsets and abilities into specialised areas. Each class has its own set of abilities and quite often its own philosophy as well.
Can my character bring his/her own belongings to Elysia?
Your character is allowed to bring one "heirloom" item with them when they first start out. This item could be anything from a sword to a necklace but should be the only expensive item they have when they're first introduced.
Other than the heirloom item, you can claim to have any items not sold anywhere on the site (for instance, your character can bring clothing with them because there's no clothing store). If it's for sale, however, you will need to buy it before you can say you have it.
Please be consistent when tallying up your character's wealth and inventory. If they're Level One and come from a poverished family they are not going to own three wardrobes full of Jimmy Choos. ;)
Can I have a half-breed character?
In a fashion, yes. Actually we do have some kicking around Elysia. ^^ However, at this time, we don't allow mixed-race characters to have powers from both their parents, so even if your character is a hybrid they can only have the powers of one.
We are working on a way for half-breeds to get both sets of powers without gaining an advantage over pure-bred Elysians. However, our current levelling system doesn't really cater to that so we've found it's best not to allow mixed power sets for the time being.
What are the rules for having a half breed?
As mentioned above, you may only have a half-breed character if you don't try to use powers from both sides of their bloodlines. They can be either/or and won't be able to change their path choice once it's set.
Can my Vampire character give birth?
Elysia's vampire is not from the normal vampire mythology. They are not the undead, so technically they could give birth. However, Elysian Vampires are created by a virus, specifically the BloodLust virus as mentioned in the Vampiric History. This virus, among other things, prevents the Vampire from aging. If a Vampire was to have a child, that child would contract the virus during foetal development and once born would never age. In other words, they would be a baby forever.
How is a character's strength and power determined?
A character's skills, abilities, powers and such are determined first and foremost by their level. Please read the species guide for more information. :)

Setting FAQ

Argh! Portals confuse me!
Wait, is that a question?
If you've read about the Portal Nexus and are still confused, feel free to post in Q&A or PM an administrator for help. :)
What is a Sanctuary?
Sanctuaries are individual areas that belong to a specific race. These areas may be small enclaves or entire planets and usually have their own government, laws and customs. In the past, Sanctuaries were closed to everyone except members of the species who lived there but in recent times some have opened the proverbial gates to strangers. Indeed, the Anyeli even offer luxury apartments in their Cloud Palace!
Many of the rituals and rites your character goes through will be performed in their Sanctuary and they will be entitled to free shelter there as long as they're Level One.
Can I create my own location?
The simple answer to this is: Yes. There's no way we can describe each and every street or even town within Elysia or the Outer Realms so we encourage our members to get creative. However, please keep the EF setting in mind when you're thinking up new places, and check with the site creator if you're not sure.
Please don't try to introduce new regions or realms, only small locales such as the town where your character grew up. We have contests for larger areas and they're strictly managed by the administration. >D

Footnotes

1 Screencaps
A screencap, screenshot or screenie is an image captured by your computer of what's currently displayed on your desktop and is the best way to show us exactly what's gone wrong. On most computers you can take a screenie by holding down CTRL or SHIFT and pressing PrtSc, then paste the image into an image editor such as MS Paint or Photoshop. Then you'll need to upload the image to a host such as tinypic.com and include the image url in your "halp!" post.
2 Inline CSS
Inline CSS is where you override the page layout by inserting CSS tags directly into HTML tags.
p becomes p style="margin: 10px;"; b becomes b style="font-size: 20px;" and so on.
Inline CSS works in post layouts because the CSS only affects the individual HTML tag it was applied to. :)
3 Style Sheets
Style Sheets are effectively 'lists' of CSS tags that affect the entire page globally. If you want to alter the way all the HTML links on a page are presented (eg. removing the underline or changing the colour), you'd create a style sheet that would look something like this:

However, these style sheets are not allowed on EF because they affect more than just your post layout and can break the forum skins. ;) For that reason, if you wish to customise links and such tags, you'll need to use inline css on them individually.
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