Forum FAQ
The Forum is where the action of Devia comes from. It’s current storylines are about three years in the future from the comic. Here’s a handy guide of frequently asked questions for new recruits and people unsure of creating new characters.
What is forum RP? (yes I’ve been asked this)
A forum rp is a mesageboard roleplay. People will post thier paragraph of contribution to the particular “thread” or “session” and wait in a somewhat turned based situation for someone else to post. Sometimes people follow an order, most times however, they do not. NEVER reply to yourself to bump a thread. Forum RP is much slower than Chat RP. while you’re only waiting a few minutes for each post in a chat you may have to wait as long as a week to get a reply on a thread in a forum (this isn’t always the case and prodding your fellow roleplayers via private messages on the forum is usually a good way to get replies, but please limit these to once a day)
What year is it on the forum?
1803, the year is eighteenhundred and three, three years after the turn of the century, 97 years before 1900, Napoleonic Era, not the victorian era, NOT during the american revolution. 1803. (you would be surprised how many times I’ve had to repeat this because people DONT READ)
Are Mercenaries, Pirates, Privateers People of Noble birth, such as princes, princesses, dukes dutchesses, lords, ladies, kings queens etc, allowed as playable characters?
No, no no no no no no no and no.
What if they’re from made-up countries?
The only fictional country allowed on Devia is Devia. Please don’t add your own countries to the fray. It gets very confusing and more often than not is more or less used as an excuse not to do the proper research to fit your character into a feasibly historical setting. It’s not as hard as you think it is.
What kind of knowledge or how much do I need to play on the forum?
A working knowledge of something, be it rifles, swords, tailoring, etc will work. I personally knew very little about the period when I began this project. Playing to ones strengths is highly encouraged.
What do you like to see in new users?
First and formost people who are playing mundane humans. On that note, it is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED and very close to becoming an actual rule that all new users play as new-comers. People wanting to play as people who’ve grown up on Devia or lived there all their lives would actually require a knowledge of Devia’s colonial history which new comers will have a hard time acquiring. It requires a good chunk of reading and research something that might be better for second or third characters.
Characters that are well-researched. ALL NEW CHARACTERS MUST START OUT AS CIVILIANS. Step one. Choose a country of origin. Depending on where you came from will determine (for the most part) which side you are on. This is not always the case but first we’ll cover the typical combinations. Your choices of countries are: France, Spain, Germany, Prussia, England and America, India and Africa.
America, India, and Africa do NOT have an “embassy” or official foot hold on the island. People from those countries coming to Devia will be doing so as individuals. If these individuals wish to join the military, they can join the forces of the Native Devian Empire, The Devian Republic, France, England or Prussia.
The English by and large serve the Royal forces located on Devia. There are several british individuals acting on thier own that are allied with the Empire. The same goes with Prussian and French forces. The French largely serve the Empire but some individuals acting on their own can serve the republic and some Prussians in turn can serve the empire but Prussians by and large serve the Republic.
Step two, choose your side. As stated above the countries have their allies, France and Spain are allied with the Empire. England and Prussia are with the Republic and American, Indian and African citizens (the latter, possibly freed slaves) are free radicals that may choose either side depending on where their ship to Devia drops them off at.
Step three: play yourself if you lived in 1803. This is by far a better way to play for your first character than going through the tedius process that is making up a totally new character or adapting one you have in your repitore. The problem with adapting an existing character is that 95% of the time you have expectations of that character and are attached to that characters history that changing it to fit will cause huge issues with trying to fit them into history if you don’t know that much about history. If you need help with your history please consult one of the admins or moderators, either in Deviarp chat, or in the cbox located at the bottom of the forum.
What kind of things do you NOT like to see in new characters?
Barbie doll syndrome a single person thinking they can be a sailor, a doctor, a waitress, a sword-expert etc etc etc all at the same time aka “Jack of all trades”. Namely Mary sues/ gary stues.
People who think they know enough about history that they can draw steampunk like technology into our world. New inventions if any, have to be approved by the admins and moderators. A new character coming in bringing with them the ability to create or simply bringing in new technology will be shot down faster than the laughing dog in duck hunt.
Please PLEASE PLEASE stick with technology that exists in the period, unless you’ve been with us for a few months, ACTIVELY we will not take kindly to people trying to alter the course of history the moment they arrive.
People who have supernatural powers of any sort. Its gotten to a point where we’ve had a shortage of humans, NORMAL PLAIN HUMANS. And more than likely if you’ve been directed here by one of the admins, you will be expected to be a normal human. That means no psychic abilites, no powers. Mind reading is NOT permitted. It is a form of godmoding.
God moders or power players. They are not as fun to play with as you think they are.
People who have absolutely no interest in learning about the period. Self-education will help in leaps and bounds if you aren’t SURE about what did or didn’t exist in the period WIKIPEDIA IS YOUR FRIEND. (We also highly encourage you to watch the history channel and if you have an awesome cable plan, the History international channel, and Military channel.
People coming to the island attempting to fill a pre-filled nitche. We already have an engineer, we already have a doctor that treats with herbal/ holistic remedies. People wishing to enter the medical feild will be given a test based on what they know of medicine of the period. If you pass you may be a surgeon.
People of Asian decent or with Asian names, be it thier first middle or last name. The major asian countries such as China and Japan were EXTREAMLY isolationist at the time. They didn’t have much if any relations with europe and the americas. This also especially deals with people who are “half” asian. This would have been EXTREAMLY rare if it happened at all. And more than likely it didn’t. People back in that era were rather concerned with racial purity this wasn’t always the case but unless your mother was a kidnapped chinese prostitute, it wouldn’t happen. For ease and realism we do not allow asian characters on the forum.
You’re a werewolf and I’ve seen a Kelpie and I’ve heard of Selkies. Can I be one of these things or something else mythical?
Not at this point in time. It’s possible but unlikely that at a later date we will allow new supernaturals on the forum. IF they are to be allowed they will be limited to a werewolf or a selkie ONLY. If once we allow this again, all those interested will be given reading material and a test to make certain you have read and understand the materal we’ve given you. The werewolves and selkies on the forum do NOT follow all the rules that you’ve been taught about them. We have our own set of strengths and limitations on each of them so they are not overpowered.