calling_mods | Jan. 29th, 2016

GAME BASICS

Q: What is The Calling?
A: The Calling is a DW roleplaying game centered around the concepts of heroism and villainy, the sliding scale of intentions and perception, the struggle of doing good, staying good, and staying alive. Or, on the flipside, what lengths one will go, what villainy one will go through, to accomplish their goals. We're going for something of a sandbox, with plenty of room to play, plenty of ways to play, and a flexible gamespace that can grow and change with the players.

Q: How is the game structured?
A: The full list of comms are as follows:

Posts on the network can be found on calling_net, which is open | Network FAQ
Log posts taking place in the SFC can be found on calling_logs, which requires an application | Setting FAQ | Setting Info
Out of character communication and plotting is in calling_ooc
Log posts taking place in Homeworlds can be found on calling_homeworlds, which requires an application
Memes/crack/etc. goes in drunkdialing

Q: So how does my character enter the game?
A: Your character will, at some point, awaken to a small envelope near them. Within the envelope, they will find a smartphone-like device with the letters C.A.L.L.E.D. etched on the back. When they turn it on, they'll find themselves connected to a number of like-minded (and occasionally not-so-likeminded) individuals in a variety of locations and universes familiar and not.

For unapped players who would only like to play on the Network, the CALL Network is the only application available on the device that makes it different than a normal phone.

For apped players who will be playing in all of the comms of the game, they will see a variety of icons. And, should they push the [TRANSPORT] button near the bottom, they'll be teleported (with all items on their person) to a place called the Seven-Fold City, the main gamespace, which stands at the border of fiction and reality.

NEW!
Q: Why is calling_net open?
A: Because the internet gives access to lots of places that you normally wouldn't be able to access. Because sometimes, a character isn't the right fit for the game, or you wouldn't want to bring them into the gamespace, but they're a great fit for conversations. Because sometimes it just takes one interaction for two characters to effect one another in fantastic ways and that's a lot of effort for an app. Think of it like a continual Fourth Wall event.

Q: Do players just playing on calling_net have to abide by the rules?
A: Absolutely. While membership is open, any player breaking the rules or acting abusively or creating an unhealthy/unsafe play environment will be asked to leave accordingly. If further steps are required, we'll take them, but for the moment, we're going to leave membership open until we have reason not to.

Q: How do I contact the mods?
A: via

the_calling_rp or PM, as you like.

Q: What's my character's incentive to join the game?
A: Adventure! While there's no 'set' incentive to join the community and enter the fray, the lure of different universes, different heroes and villains, will open up new opportunities for growth, action, and changing fate. While entering the gamespace won't let Steve Rogers save his friend Bucky from falling off the train, perhaps the events of The Winter Soldier might occur differently with the assistance of Wonder Woman and Zatanna?

Q: Wait, what?
A: The keywords of this game boil down to 'opportunity' and 'effort': the goal of the game is to give players the opportunity to explore all kinds of fun and wild options to see what their characters will do in any number of situations and when facing all kinds of difficult choices... and the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Players are welcome to propose and play out all manner of far-reaching plots in the gamespace, with significant in-game consequences. That means villains can do legitimate damage and heroes can make significant effects, as long as the players are willing to put in the effort!

Q: So what's this 'heroic'/'villainous' stuff?
A: As mentioned on the network post, characters are divided into Heroes (with access to the HERO net and the CALL net), Villains (with access to the CAD net and the CALL net), and Neutrals (who only access the CALL net). You get to decide (within reason) where your character starts and you will continue to get to decide where they are as the game progresses. Changes in one's net accesses can be something your character is aware of, a pointed change ("I don't think I can do this anymore!" going from Villain to Neutral) or something they don't even see coming ("...what do you mean I'm on the CAD Network now?" as someone falls from Hero to Villain).

Q: What about this 'Mentor/Journeyman/Rookie' stuff?
A: Different characters are all at different points in their life and their heroic/villainous journey, and the ORIGINAL purpose of HERO network in-game was to provide mentor-ship opportunities between heroic characters across worlds to produce better heroes. These settings didn't change when Neutrals and Villains were let in on the fun. In-game, the CALL device decides the ranking, so characters are free to use this as a general indicator of someone's experience if they're looking for guidance OR if they need a fresh perspective. It can also be used as a filter on the networks for posting. Out-of-game, there is no difference between characters who are at Mentor and those who are at Rookie.

Q: So do I have to start as a Rookie?
A: Absolutely not. Players can app from any level, and a character's level is not necessarily determined by age. EX. Clark Kent from the DC Extended Universe is 33, but he'd probably only be considered a ROOKIE since the events of Man of Steel are literally his first time throwing a punch or facing a true opponent. Meanwhile, pre-boot!Clark Kent from the DC Comics had been handling situations as Superboy both on his own and as a part of the Legion of Superheroes even before he'd gone to college and could be considered a JOURNEYMAN at a much younger age. Also, a character who's gone through a lot in canon and turned over a new leaf/fallen from grace may be starting at the beginning of their heroic/villainous arc even if they've been active in the story for years. EX. Spike from the later seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer might be over a century old but would be considered a ROOKIE as a heroic figure since he'd until then very much been a villain.

NEW!
Q: Do you have an activity check?
A: Not really! What we've got is a check in, which is just to make sure that people are still interested in playing. We had an activity check for a while, but it runs counter to the mod's general RP philosophy and so, it's been changed.

GAMEPLAY

Q: But do I have to app a superhero?
A: Absolutely not! There's all kinds of different heroes and villains in the world: wizards and warriors, pre-school teachers and art-thieves and scientists (not even necessarily mad ones either!). You could app Velma Dinkley as a Journeyman-level Hero, considering her track record as a detective. The Master from Doctor Who would certainly count as a Villain. Leslie Knope: Hero. Michonne: Hero. Alan Shore: Neutral. Newman from Seinfeld: Villain. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Q: Yeah, but they don't stand a chance up against a guy who can throw a planet or travel through time!
A: Well, aside from the obvious Batman and Xanatos arguments to the contrary, just because a character starts as a baseline human doesn't mean that they will necessarily stay that way. There will be plenty of events, plots, and other opportunities which may grant (or remove) powers from different characters at different times. And of course, heroism (and villainy) are certainly not measured in how many punches you throw, especially when you take into account the fact that the different Cities enhance different kinds of characters. For more on that, check out the SFC FAQ!

Q: Are there any restriction on my character's abilities?
A: Only those that they have in canon and/or as per your application. We do expect folks to abide by permissions posts and to at all times obey the rules, but there are no game-specific lawkeeping bodies, magical bubbles or strange gods who are restricting your character's abilities or making them behave. We want to keep things as open and free as possible here. Primarily, we would encourage OOC communication with those you may be having a conflict/struggle with IC so that all threads act to continue the stories of the characters involved in ways that the players find fun and useful.

Q: Are there restrictions to what abilities/etc. my character gain/lose throughout the game?
A: For the most part, no. If you want to start with a complete baseline human and through the course of play, they end up, say, a werewolf or a Green Lantern or a wizard through various plots and interactions and multiversal shenanigans... go right ahead. If you put in the effort and the play, there's no reason why your character shouldn't grow and change. Two things to keep in mind, though: players can only gain inherent abilities through mod/approved player plots OR through player characters and energy present in one universe will not be present in another universe where that canon does not take place. So what we mean by the first is that you can't just make up a thread where you journey into the City of Sorcery and find the Mystical Ball of Doing Anything and suddenly have a crystal that does anything. There will be plenty of opportunities for your character to change, but we do want to make sure we keep it somewhat regulated for everyone's fun. What we mean by the second part is that, say, if your character is from a totally mundane world and decides to learn how to use the Force from a Jedi, they may be able to do so while in the SFC, but there is no 'Force' back home, which means that they will not be able to use those abilities. If said character was bitten by a vampire, however, they would remain so regardless of universe as this is an inherent change.

Q: What if I really want to enact an inherent change and no plot matches what I'm looking for?
A: If some idea really strikes your fancy, put up a post in

calling_ooc to see if there's interest. Or to see if another player might have what you need. Someone else may find this idea compelling and there's no reason not to share the plot. If you need help with logistics, figuring out how to make it work, or other concerns, feel free to contact the mods for anything specific. We're happy to help.

Q: Can I run a plot using a canon I'm not currently playing from?
A: No, though the mods are always happy to take suggestions or ideas. Feel free to drop us a line and we'll see what we can work out. The more plot, the merrier, after all.

Q: What about folks who can travel between reality and fiction in their own canon? Or travel between worlds? Do they have to use the [TRANSPORT] function like everyone else?
A: Yes. Whatever abilities that they have in their own canon is still in their own canon. Whatever reality they are able to travel to and from is still a reality within their canon as opposed to the SFC. No player has more or less access or ability to travel than any other player.

Q: Is there any canon that could be considered the 'main' canon, or a mythology that would be considered the ultimate authority in the gamespace?
A: Nope. All canons stand equal in the eyes of the SFC and in the eyes of the mods. While you may see locations or references to different canons in the gamespace and plots, none of these are more or less important than anything or anyone else who comes to the game.

CAN I APP ____?

Q: What're the main application guidelines?
A: Found right here on the APPLICATION page.

Q: What would you consider 'too little canon' to app a character from?
A: A single line in a song, a five minute interaction in a feature-length film... if most of your app and your play would be making up major details from whole cloth, then that's 'too little'. For example: Akachi Onyele is a character from the Lovecraftian themed boardgames, Arkham Horror and Eldritch Horror. She has a name, a backstory, a description, stats, items, and a visual representation in both games (as linked for example). Akachi would be a perfectly appable character. Red Meeple from Settlers Of Catan, on the other hand? Not so much.

Q: Given the nature of comic books, how can I app a comic book character?
A: There are a few options for you: if you want to app from a specific event or run for the character, you would want to specify that event/run in the app. EX. if you wanted to app Clark Kent from Superman: Birthright you would list that as your canon as opposed to just DC Comics. If you want to take that character as a whole and the character has wildly divergent versions/backstory/etc. depending on the run, we would ask you to give us a good summary of what you're bringing and what you're leaving behind in the 'Anything Else' portion of the application. If you want to integrate multiple versions of the character from completely different continuities (such as combining some of the experiences of Captain America from Marvel 1602 into a version more in line with Marvel 616), that would be considered a Fandom AU and would need to be apped as such.

Q: Can I app a character who 'turns into' or is revealed to be another character?
A: Yes! In such a case, you would app them from the appropriate spot in their timeline that you want to begin their journey on. When/if the time comes when that change would happen in game, you would then send a PM to the mods detailing the changes, the change in listings, etc. and we would then list them as Old Name / New Name [AU] since they would be a CR AU at that point.

Q: Can I app a CR AU? In other words, can I bring a character here from another game?
A: Yes. They would need to be apped like any other Fandom AU.

Q: Can I app a dead character?
A: Yes. In that case, your character will appear in front of McAran Tower in the City of Tomorrow with their CALL Device in hand. That CALL Device will not have a functional [TRANSPORT] button until such time as another character from your homeworld/canon brings you back via second-hand transport. It will function normally in every other way.

Q: What about characters that aren't human/humanoid?
A: Absolutely. They'll receive a CALL device that fits their needs, senses, and ability to operate it. As long as they're sentient, named, and able to function autonomously, they're a viable appable character.

Q: Is there an age limit for characters?
A: No, there is not. However, characters must be 18 years old or older to engage in sexual content. As per the rules listed on the app page, all players should be 18+ automatically. That said, warnings for adult content should be added to any post that contains it; NSFW is a thing, after all.

Q: Why can't I app a Fandom OC?
A: Because ultimately, it imposes upon fandom characters in ways that they, frankly, didn't sign up for. While your FOC may be a brilliantly imagined creation with depth and nuance, they also almost certainly have some degree of "canonical" relationship with canon fandom characters that those players didn't and could not have taken into account in their choice to play their own character. I may be willing and excited to play Selina Kyle, but I didn't sign up to play a Selina Kyle who has a half-sister who's the avatar of an alien cat goddess. TL;DR it's potentially harmful and/or imposes on fandom characters whether they've been apped yet or not.

Q: ...then why can you app Fandom AUs?
A: Because those are at least characters who a canonmate should, in some way recognize. The differences between, say, versions of Batman are visible and the versions can be very distinct from one another, but Alfred would, even in the case of a Belinda Wayne, probably still recognize the person he knows. Original characters? Not so much.

HOMEWORLDS

Q: What is a Homeworld?
A: A homeworld is the actual canonical home/location that your character is from. Unlike the SFC, anything your character does there goes by the rules of that particular universe. To differentiate, any posts that happen in a character's homeworld should be posted to

calling_homeworlds.

Q: Why would my character post stuff from their Homeworld?
A: Given that the game doesn't restrict movement between the gamespace (SFC) and the character's homeworld, your character can and probably will have things happen back in their home universe, sometimes (hopefully!) affected by their time in the game. If a character is going to go through a major canonical event, you can put up a post to let the other players know what they're thinking or feeling, how this affects their opinion of the SFC and the people they know there, etc. So Luke Skywalker may put up a post to let us know how he feels/how he's been affected by the events of The Empire Strikes Back.

Q: What can my character do in their Homeworld?
A: Anything. It's your Homeworld; you and your canon make the rules. You can NPC characters as necessary, write up events, angst about your lovelife, pine for the smoothies you want to go buy up at the Satellite, or whatever else you like. And of course, if another character has decided to follow you home and the two of you get up to shenanigans, that would go in a homeworld post as well!

Q: So other characters can come to my Homeworld?
A: YES! If your character hits the [TRANSPORT] button while in physical contact with another CALL device user, then that character will come back with them to their homeworld. This is the only way that a character can travel to your homeworld.

Q: Can I bring a version of the character from the game back to my Homeworld/location if they share my canon? In other worlds, put two versions of the character on the Homeworld.
A: If you like. If the character is from the same timeline, the character who is doubled will have terrible headaches whenever they consider those particular events as their recollection (their canon) is at odds with itself. As such, not recommended but possible.

Q: Can I bring other people FROM my Homeworld to the gamespace/other homeworlds?
A: No. Only CALL Device users can use the [TRANSPORT] function, even second hand.

Q: Can I bring a pet or other non-sentient/non-appable character with me?
A: If you can wrap your arms around them and they are thoroughly non-sentient/non-appable, then they can travel with you to and from the SFC. So dogs, cats, miniature ponies... sure. Elephants and talking cats who do magic... no.

Q: But if characters can bring characters through and do all manner of things in their Homeworlds, how do characters keep their canon straight? How do different characters from the same canon keep their world cohesive?
A: They have a choice. They can do that very thing, using communication and group plotting. Or they can allow their world to 'splinter' from the others in their canon. There are advantages and disadvantages for each one and we would urge players to seriously consider that before splintering. It's really down to player choice and how 'free' or how 'organized' the members of a shared canon want or feel they need to be.

Q: What's 'splintering'?
A: Splintering is what happens when game events, crossuniverse characters, and abilities/items/etc. from the SFC affect the events of a character's canonical timeline to such a point that they are effectively an AU from the other players from that canon in the game. So if Clark Kent brought the Avengers to assist him during the events of Man Of Steel, and another player brought in Bruce Wayne from Batman Vs Superman, these two would have very different ideas of what occurred in Metropolis during that time. As such, these players, while from the same canon, would have timelines that have 'splintered' from one another.

Q: Can players 'splinter' as a group? Like, say, half of the canonmates are in one universe and half are in the other?
A: Yes! You can share your splinter with a canonmate. In fact, it's likely to happen if two or more players have been in the game for a while and a new canonmate joins the gang. If the changes are inconsequential to your character's canon (ie, they happen 20 years in your character's future, etc), you would have a choice as whether you would share a timeline with those characters or no and of course, would have the option of splintering away from them at a later date if events happened to cause such a thing.

Q: What if my character comes from an event/situation that no longer happened for the characters in play?
A: Then you would automatically be splintered from the other character upon entering the game. This is not necessarily a completely irreversible thing. If you want to slowly reintegrate, it's possible, even when it comes to character deaths and the like. That's what we in the SFC call 'continuity errors' and also 'comic books in general'.

Q: So splintered timelines can rejoin?
A: Yes. And in fact, splintered timelines want to rejoin. The worlds will always be trying to course correct back to the most canonical version of events. If things settle back into a more canon-normal course, then eventually, the timelines will reintegrate if that is what all players involved would like. If the players involved continue to introduce new elements and pull the events away from what we'd know as canon, then no, that would not happen. All of it is about player wishes and consent. As with everything else, people should feel free to have fun and explore OR coordinate and integrate.

Q: Can players from the same canon and the same world travel to the splintered off version of their world with their CALL device?
A: Only in the same way that a character from another universe entirely would.

Q: What happens if a character dies in a homeworld that isn't theirs?
A: Dying in another homeworld is, in fact, dying as part of a narrative and that death would, theoretically, stick. Of course, various canons have lots of ways to get around or reverse death and you would of course be allowed to use these methods as your character's friends or allies could avail themselves of such.

PLOTTING

Q: So you've mentioned a few times that you encourage player-run plotting.
A: We do! Previously, there was a rather extensive process, but we've decided to streamline for greater viability and to let people actually get things done.

Q: What can a player do in a plot?
A: Players can do just about anything that they want which is within their character's means to one section of the City in the gamespace. This can involve anything from taking over the criminal underworld of the City of Shadows to organizing a City-wide festival to destroying (or building) a major known location to actually seizing control of a whole section of the City itself. So if the Joker wanted to take over the City of Laughter, for instance, he could do so, as long as he could organize the manpower and was willing to do the work involved.

Q: What work is involved?
A: Basically, checking in with the playerbase and the mods. For any plot that involves more than 1 building and 20 NPCs, we'd like folks to put up a post in the

calling_ooc comm to let folks know what they're planning. This should be about one week before the proposed plot. In that time, other players have the chance to question, raise issues, or otherwise plan with or around the intended plot. That is also the time wherein the mod can be pinged if someone has serious misgivings.

Once everything gets ironed out, the plot can proceed, at which point the status board will be updated with any necessary information. The player running the plot is responsible for filling out the status board update form.

So if the Joker wanted to take over the City of Laughter, he'd put up a post detailing how he plans to do just that. If a group of heroic characters might try and stop him, they'd comment and plan and work with the Joker player and come to an idea of how the event will play out in broad strokes. If players felt that there were any issues, a mod can be brought in to arbitrate but otherwise, the plot can proceed.

Q: Can a character take over MULTIPLE parts of the City one at a time?
A: No. In order to maintain one's hold and influence in the City section, they must remain in that part of the City. That means no trips home and no venturing out to try and conquer other areas. Which isn't to say that all lasting effects require your character's continual presence. The greater the influence = the greater the presence needed to maintain it. So a character who took over the City's criminal underworld wouldn't have to remain there at all times, but they would need to check in/interact with that powerbase and do things to maintain it on occasion.

Q: Do I have to do any of this?
A: Nope. As said earlier: play to your intensity level. If you're playing a dark god who wishes to subjugate all, go right ahead and plan out your conquest. If you're just a guy who wants to hang out on the Satellite,enjoy smoothies with his friends, and occasionally ask for dating advice on the Network, that's perfectly all right too.

TIMESKIPS

Q: What is a Timeskip?
A: A timeskip, as employed by all manner of series in all mediums, is when a large period of time passes between one piece of a story and another. Any time you've seen 'Two Years Later' on the screen, you're seeing a timeskip. For the purposes of the game, a 'timeskip' is what happens when a character's canon point shifts forward faster than normal time would allow for. For example, if someone apped a character as a child and decided that they would like to move forward to when that character is a teenager without playing out the ten years in between, they would use a timeskip to do so.

Q: So how does it work?
A: For obvious reasons, timeskips cannot occur while your character is in the SFC itself. So if your character is currently in the SFC, they would have to go home. While they are home, they will discover that their CALL device has gone dead and that any attempts to enter the CALL Network are denied: no communication and no transport to and from the SFC is available to them, though any intrinsic changes will maintain. Time passes in their homeworld, but just as no time passes while in the SFC according to their homeworld, the exchange is just as subtle in reverse: years can pass in days or even hours. Which is when, inexplicably, the CALL device will turn back on, behaving normally, and your character once again has access to the networks and the SFC, though they may be a little surprised to see that no one noticed their absence and that effectively, no time has passed.

Q: So that's what happens from the IC side. What about the OOC side?
A: If you could, we would like to request that you put up a notice of your timeskip in

calling_ooc to make sure that everyone is aware of the changes and when they're happening. You're welcome to put up posts in

calling_homeworlds to give people an idea of what's going on where you are. If there is a change in name, you would need to leave a note on the cast list to have that updated. If there has been any major changes to your character in that time, you would also need to update your permissions post to reflect the changes. But there's no form required; this is up to player discretion.

OTHER?

Q: Does [CANON X] exist for the characters in the game?
A: If a canon is not represented in the game, then your character is free and clear to be aware of that canon and the details of its story.

Q: What if a character from that canon applies to the game?
A: That depends! If the character lists that they are A-OKAY with fourth-walling in their permissions post, then that canon can continue to exist as part of your character's knowledge. If they are not okay with fourth-walling, then your character's knowledge would go from, say Starbucks Coffee to Celestial Dollars Cafe. From Star Wars to Space Battles. From Captain James Kirk to Captain John Dirk, etc. etc. etc.

Q: What if two characters, from the same canon, disagree on fourth-walling? What if character A is okay with it and character B would prefer not to be canon-punctured?
A: Should that be the case, then whatever pieces of knowledge that your character has of [A] and his story would be missing [B]. Ex. Van Helsing is fine with canon-puncture, but Dracula would prefer to be unknown. YOUR CHARACTER would be aware that Van Helsing had fought a powerful vampire, but you would know that character as Baron Von Lichtenstein and some of the details of his part of the story would need to be slightly altered. Obviously, if Van Helsing chooses to correct the story, that is his business, but that would then merely be characters sharing information as opposed to canon-puncturing.

Q: How do I drop a character?
A: Just fill out the quick form on the Cast List here.

Q: How do I go on hiatus?
A: Just fill out this quick form on this post with the appropriate information. You can hiatus up to two months, but you need to file for the hiatus each month requested.

Q: What do I do if I have any other questions?
A: Leave a note here with your question and we'll get back to it ASAP!

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