[Official NPC]

The Acanthan Arc will take place over the course of several in-character months. Participating characters will be away from home and in unfamiliar territory for most of that time. By its end, we expect to have introduced at least one new playable species and to have opened Acantha as a playable area. We also hope to introduce Danae as a dark god for those interested in playing villains or less-than-lawfuls.

The Arc will take participants through several different regions across Acantha, each presenting its own set of challenges and rewards. It will be split into chapters lasting 7 to 14 OOC days. Each of these chapters will cover a set period of in-character time as specified in the individual chapter introductions. Currently, the plot is slated to last 3½ OOC months, which will cover four months of in-character time, though this may change to accommodate in-character actions and consequences.

Characters cannot be in two places at once and travelling back and forth to Acantha could take weeks depending on the region the party is currently in. For this reason, we suggest not joining non-Acantha threads (with participating characters only) for the four-month duration of this plot (Erimis/June to Thallominas/November). You are welcome to join back/forward-dated threads, however, as these will not clash with the plot's chronology. (If you are unfamiliar with back/forward-dated threads, feel free to ask us for help!)

Activity

Participating characters are expected to post twice per week to keep the story moving forward. The more the merrier, however, so there is no posting order: if you see an opening, take it. Should your character fall inactive, one of three things will happen:

• In the absence of posts to the contrary, participating characters will be assumed to be following the group wherever to do whatever, and to be agreeing to everything the active characters decide. They will not be specifically mentioned, however.
  
• Blanket godmodding will be enforced, so if your character does not post in the current chapter's main thread for 3 days, they may be godmodded to keep up. Nothing remotely permanent will happen to them, but they may suffer up to life-threatening injuries in the meantime. (This is purely for the purposes of keeping the plot moving forward and has no malicious intent at all.)
  
• Absentee PCs incapable of following the group for whatever reason may be left behind. Please see below for ideas on rejoining.

Your characters are in danger!

From the moment the plot begins, your characters will be in danger from various sources. In-character actions will have far-reaching and damaging or dramatic in-character consequences. This plot will change Elysia and your character's life forever! However, no lasting damage will happen to them without your express permission (see the registration form).

Exploration & Creation

ONPC will play a more active role in this plot than it has in previous events, but we strongly encourage you to take the initiative both in and out of character. We want you to introduce new lore, so for the duration of this plot, you can roleplay something before it has been submitted to the wiki for approval. (Please see submission information for Acantha-specific lore-crafting. Pchan has already created some Acanthan lore to give you an idea of the biodiversity available in each region, so let your imagination run free!) Your creations will be reviewed, with a view to being made official canon, once the plot is over.

Many chapters encourage in-character exploration, as well. We urge you to take part in side stories, once the main thread for each chapter is complete, so that you can go back and fill in some of the time your characters spent in the region they just left.

It's as easy as one, two, post.

Once the group has left Elysia, there will be "vehicles" allowing new joinees to catch up. These will also allow participants to return to Elysia and to rejoin whenever you please. However, be warned that leaving the plot midway may bring unforeseen changes to Elysia!

Joining

Please post the registration form before you make an in-character post. This is designed to tell the ONPC team key information, such as how far we can go with your character in your absence and what items your character is carrying.

Participating characters may be split into smaller groups depending on their skills and outlook, how many characters join the plot, and how you respond to the registration questions. Groups may be tasked with the same objectives to compete with one another, or they may be sent to different regions for a completely different plot experience.

We have designed this plot to take advantage of many different skills, so there should be a way in for everyone. However, if you are stuck for ideas or need help, we have an OOC board specifically for discussing this plot.

Leaving

If at any point after Chapter Two you would like to return your character to Elysia, you can use one of the "vehicles" mentioned above. To do so in Chapter One, please post a new IC thread separate from the main party so ONPC can prompt your return.

Rejoining

If your character has returned to Elysia and you wish to rejoin the plot, you can use one of the "vehicles" mentioned above. More information about these will be added as they appear in the story. However, your character will have to find their own way to the portal (more on that later). If your character's status or inventory has changed in the meantime, please repost the registration form with any updates.

If your character was left behind through inactivity and you wish to catch them up to the main party, please post in the OOC board. Pchan or I will contact you privately with options.

Need Help?

If you have any questions, please post them as a new thread in the OOC discussion board.