FAQ

[lucetimods]

Frequently Asked Questions
(The old FAQ can be found here and here.)

If you're looking for more extensive details of Luceti's situation, check out the Nitpicker's Guide. If you just want the bare-bones, read on. A Table of Contents below provides you with a run down of everything here.

Table of Contents
I. Setting Questions

1. Where is my character?
2. Barrier? What barrier?
3. Who's fault is this?
4. Is my money of any use in Luceti?
5. Will there be events in Luceti?
6. Is there health care?
7. Are there monsters in the forest?
8. What is time/day system like?
9. Are there NPCs?

II. Character Questions

1. What can my character expect upon waking up in the Luceti?
2. How about the journal?
3. How about the wings?
4. What's with the Tags?
5. Why is my character here?
6. Can my character leave?
7. Can my character die?
8. How do the characters communicate within Luceti?
9. My character has a magical ability. Can s/he use them in Luceti?
10. My character has a non-magical ability. Can s/he use them in Luceti?
11. My character is an immortal who can regenerate and can't be killed!
12. What if my character has already died in canon?
13. My character can transform! Is this affected in Luceti?
14. What if my character isn’t human or humanoid?
15. What if my character has an animal companion? Can they come to Luceti with them?
16. In that case, can my character find a pet within Luceti?
17. What if my character has wings already?
18. I want my character to have crazy cool mecha wings! Is that allowed?
19. My character can communicate with the planet/gods!
20. What's this I hear about Filial magic?
21. My character suffers from some sort of disease, disability, or injury. Will s/he still have it in Luceti?
22. Can our characters have jobs?
23. What should we do if we want characters to get married/have children, etc.?
24. What about things like guns/cigarettes/narcotics?

III. Player Questions

1. What is the format for RPing in Luceti?
2. I live in a different time zone. Can I still apply?
3. I want to app for [insert character]! Can I?
4. Is there a list of wanted characters I might check to see if I'm interested in any of them?
5. What is your application schedule?
6. How many characters can I reserve/apply for at the same time?
7. What time period should I app a character from?
8. I have a journal account I've used before/am using somewhere else. Can I use it here?
9. I have an application already written from another roleplay. Can I use it/parts of it here?
10. I don't want to participate in an event. Do I have to?
11. I want to run an event! Can I?
12. I want to fourth-wall people! Can I?
13. Can I change the timeline my character comes from?
14. I want/need to drop a character. What do I do?
15. When is activity check?
16. What do I need to do to make AC?
17. What if I can't make AC?
18. I need to speak to a mod, how do I do that?

IV. Plot Questions

1. What is Shifting?
2. What does a kidnapping involve and who are responsible?
3. What kind of effects can I use in a kidnapping?
4. What is a mission?
5. What is a draft?
6. How does my character get points for a reward?
7. What’s outside of Luceti?
8. Who are the Malnosso?
9. Who are the Third Party?
10. What’s the plot even like/so far?
11. How do I get involved in the plot?
12. Anything else? I want more!

I. Setting Questions

1. Where is my character?
You’re in Luceti. Around you are lush forests and towering mountains, and you get to stay in a cute, quaint little village. The village is a series of houses and apartment complexes, a system of cobbled and/or beaten dirt roads, a plaza at the center of town with a river forking through the village and bridges spanning over it. There is indoor plumbing and electricity, as well as furnaces to heat water and fireplaces to heat houses. There's a fountain in the plaza, as well as a hole serving as an entrance to the tunnel system that passes under the mountains. There are several shops run by characters already in town: a general item store, a clothing shop, a grocery, and a weapons shop are where character's items will appear after their arrival. All items are, of course, free.

Outside the village, there is a large mountain range and two lakes that are fed by one of the river outlets. There is a structure in the mountains that was uncovered in the event “The End;” the structure is an empty base. Beyond the mountains is an ocean that covers what was previously a vast desert. For more information regarding the layout and features of the area, please refer to the Map/Housing post and the Nitpicker's Guide.


2. Barrier? What barrier?
There is a transparent barrier around Luceti preventing characters from moving further than the designated area. As of right now, the barrier extends well beyond the village in all four directions, and it can take hours or even days to reach it. The north and south edges are easier to reach than east or west. The barrier is impenetrable by any means and doesn't change unless dictated by an event.


3. Who's fault is this?
Although the Malnosso are keeping people in the Luceti enclosure, they are not responsible for bringing them to this world. What is known is that they are scientists performing experiments for the sake of collecting data. Why, how and what for, on the other hand, are topics you are free to explore in the game. For more details on what goes on during experimentation, check out the Nitpicker's Guide.


4. Is my money of any use in Luceti?
Nope, you’ve been robbed! There is no money here in Luceti, but you don’t have to worry about food or anything of the like. Any food, supplies or medicines you need will be provided for you.


5. Will there be events in Luceti?
Of course! It would be a boring game if there weren’t. Occasionally the events will be light-hearted and silly, but sometimes they’ll be dark and trying for your characters. Sometimes, they’ll even be neutral. They’ll usually run a week long, although more involved events have been known to last an entire month.


6. Is there health care?
Yes indeed! While there is healing magic able to be learned and a multitude of healers already within the village, there is also a clinic for the severely wounded/ill and a more modernized hospital-esque facility in the Battle Dome.


7. Are there monsters in the forest?
Not especially. There’s mostly the regular wildlife; foxes, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, rabbits, wolves, deer…the like. There aren’t random giraffes or dinosaurs or anything of the like though; keep in mind that these are forest animals of the North American variety. Some events will have monsters released into the woods and mountains, so be sure to pay attention!


8. What is time/day system like?
It is your average schedule; twenty-four hours in a day. There will also be seasons, just like on earth, summer, fall, winter and spring. The amount of light and dark in a day will pertain to the season.

There is one sun, one moon, and the phases are all normal unless events state otherwise.


9. Are there NPCs?
There are a number of NPCs that regularly interact with characters in the roleplay, all of whom post to the malnosso journal. Some are friendly, some not, some questionably trustworthy. The Plot page has more info on each of them.

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Character Questions

1. What can my character expect upon waking up in the Luceti?
Your character can wake up anywhere in Luceti, inside or out, provided they're within the limits of the barrier. Characters will be wearing loose-fitting white cotton pants or knee-length, white cotton sundresses, depending on gender of choice or the whims of their captors. Their real clothes can either be folded neatly beside them, or they can find them later in the shops. However, missing will be their money and items. Weapons (non-explosives, such as swords, staves and the like) can be found later in the weapons’ shop. Any other personal items (non-magical in nature) can be found in the smaller shops around the village. However, items like explosives and any magic-based items (materia, Link’s ocarina, wands, so on and so forth) need to be cleared with a mod before they can be found. More details on this can be found in the Nitpicker's Guide. If certain unspecial items are important to a character's health, secrecy, state of being, or any such thing, they can keep them or find them nearby when they wake up. (An example of this would be glasses.)

Any powers, abilities, or super strengths they might have are weakened to 50% unless an event dictates it to be higher/lower.


2. How about the journal?
The most important item your character will find when they wake up is the journal, their window of communication with the rest of the village unless you're meeting face to face. It has their name on the front cover and is sized to scale the character who owns it. It’s basically like a written Livejournal (or Dreamwidth, what-have-you). A little picture, like your icon, will show up next to your comments on other’s entries. This way, others can see a snapshot of how your character is reacting to something. Also, the journal is magic, so it can imprint your voice, if you tell it to. There's more details about the function of the journal in Question #1 of the next section, or the Nitpicker's Guide.

If the journal is torn, destroyed, or stolen, it will repair itself and return to its owner within a day or so. Characters can put some distance between themselves and the journal without consequence, though- they can leave the journals at home when they go out, if they wish.


3. How about the wings?
That's right, wings. Your character has been fitted with a lovely little pair of short wings of varying color. They're fully mobile and physically a part of the character now, and removing them causes death. They can't fly with them, but with practice they might be able to hover a bit off the ground. Overall they're pretty useless, though. More details in the Nitpicker's Guide.


4. What's with the Tags?
The Tags are markings the Malnosso put on the Filial to keep track of all their test subjects. It's this little barcode on the back of your character’s neck; it’s painless, and relatively easy to overlook, but marks your character as an experimental subject. Attempting to ‘cut it off’ is gross and pointless, since once the skin grows back, the tag will still be there.


5. Why is my character here?
How and why they arrived in the world remains a mystery, but they are kept in Luceti rather than allowed to roam the outside world. The Malnosso keep them for experiments and sometimes to fight battles or perform special missions.


6. Can my character leave?
Technically, no. If you drop a character, the common belief is that your character was sent back to their world. In the case of someone else wanting to pick up that same character, they can; they’ll simply have no memories of their previous stay in Luceti. However, if you decide you’d like to pick your character back up again, then you can choose whether or not he or she will retain his or her memories.


7. Can my character die?
Yes. Your character is completely free to die. However, think carefully before deciding to kill your character off. When a character is brought back to life, they are brought back ‘lesser’ in what is known as a death penalty. That aside, it takes one week for a person to revive. Your character will lose something important to them; a memory, a limb, a sense, an ability. Also, you will need to clear your death and penalty with a mod before running through with it. For more details about Death Penalties and their requirements, see the Nitpicker's Guide.


8. How do the characters communicate within Luceti?
Ah, this is a big one. Communication is done through journals. The journals are hand written, but they are magical in their design. There is a small window that serves as the “icon,” where your character can be seen. Hacking is also somewhat vague; the general rule is that if your character is extremely intelligent/good with computers, they can encrypt/hack messages with less effort. The percentage of hackability is left to the mun’s discretion, but please do be reasonable and don’t abuse it. If something is unhackable, it’s unhackable. Additionally, if you are locking an entry please provide whether or not it is hackable, and a percentage on how easy it is to hack. See the journal section of the Nitpicker's Guide for details.


9. My character has a magical ability. Can s/he use them in Luceti?
That depends on the ability! Spells, elemental and physical, songs, all that jazz is allowed. Characters can even learn such abilities from their canon fellows if such abilities are something that can be taught. However, we can’t allow summon spirits, simply because of the complications involved with some of them having personalities and acting of their own accord. You’re more than welcome to app a summon spirit, though!

In regards to the ability to summon a weapon into existence, characters can keep it. An example would be most characters in the Kingdom Hearts games.

In regards to spells and powers, consider their potency to be at fifty percent. Also, there is a specific brand of Luceti elemental magic that can be learned addressed in another question.

In regards to telepathy/precognition/etc., they too are limited to 50% ability. In addition, since telepathy can invade another character's mind, it can be considered as godmoding, so if you have a character with some sort of psychic ability, you must have some sort of permission post so players can tell you what your character is allowed to do when meeting theirs.

If you are still confused as to what your character can or cannot do, please contact a head mod with your question or ask here.


10. My character has a non-magical ability. Can s/he use them in Luceti?
Any natural talent, such as swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, etc; these skills are left alone. Anything like super strength or enhanced speed and agility is toned down as per the dampening effect; consider your character at fifty percent potential regarding this. So if your character can lift a truck, maybe now they can only lift a compact, so on and so forth. If you are confused about exactly how much weaker your character is, please contact a mod for specifications!


11. My character is an immortal who can regenerate and can't be killed!
Since powers are halved in Luceti, they might not be the case. If a character is torn apart or completely vaporized, that counts as a death. But regeneration in general is allowed; it will take longer and not be as strong, however, due to the power cap.


12. What if my character has already died in canon?
Doesn't matter! Characters can be taken post-death and be alive with no consequences in Luceti. They're not zombified or anything, just normal folk.


13. My character can transform! Is this affected in Luceti?
Generally it's allowed, though it sometimes depends on what they transform into or what said transformation requires to trigger. More often than not we have no problem with it, and if you're not sure, feel free to ask us! Also, the wings remain on the character regardless of their form.


14. What if my character isn’t human or humanoid?
All characters are permitted regardless of species, provided the character is a character and not, say, a random creature in whatever fandom of your choosing. We've had animals in Luceti (such as Amaterasu from Okami) and humanoids (like Sonic the Hedgehog or various robots). If you're apping a creature that is some sort of pet/companion to another, you should consult a mod to see if the character hasn't already been allowed to have that creature in Luceti! (A good example of this would be Pokemon.) Also, some creatures may not qualify to be apped, so ask if you're not sure that they're enough of a character.


15. What if my character has an animal companion? Can they come to Luceti with them?
Depends on whether or not the character has a personality that makes them appable, and how likely they are to be apped. For example, we've allowed characters to have the following:

-creatures that are physically attached to the character (such as Ashton's dragons in Star Ocean 2 or Ginko's mushi in Mushishi)
-creatures that spiritually attached to the character (such as Yuzuriha's Inuki from X)
-creatures that act as a character's weapon (such as Pokemon)

What we allow, but with certain limitations:

-creatures with personalities and large roles in canon but with no speaking role, those that can be or have been apped (such as Repede from Tales of Vesperia or Ash's Pikachu)

What we won't allow:

-a pet/creature from a character's world that has no physical or spiritual bond with them (such as anyone but Allen Walker getting Timcanpi)
-a pet/creature/companion with a significant speaking role/personality (such as Keroberos from Card Captor Sakura)

Basically it's a case-by-case thing, so just ask a mod if it's allowed. The Malnosso occasionally send creature companions into the enclosure, so if your character has one, feel free to use the Pet Registration and bring them in. Only a character's pet or an animal close to them is allowed right now, not just a random creature from the same location. There are occasional events that allow that sort of thing, though, so keep an eye out.


16. In that case, can my character find a pet within Luceti?
Most of the animals in the village and the forest surrounding it are wild, but considering they can talk, it's plausible that a character might be able to convince them to come home with them. Try to be realistic about it, though.


17. What if my character has wings already?
Depends on the wing type. If the wings are always there (eg. an angel-type character) they are supplemented with the Filial wings, ie. having an extra, smaller pair of wings (the Filial style, for those with characters like Gargoyles who have a different sort). If they are wings that can be summoned and sent away at will (eg. the Chosen in Tales of Symphonia), they'll probably be allowed, so ask a mod if it's a concern. If the wings are essential to the character getting around (eg. a dragon or Navi the fairy), the regular wings are allowed, with the smaller Filial wings between them. It makes life awkward, but them's the breaks.


18. I want my character to have crazy cool mecha wings! Is that allowed?
Sorry, but no can do; if your character is robotic, then the wings are obviously inorganic, but serve the same purpose as organic wings. They are build to appear organic, and if they are removed then your character will “cease functioning.” AKA, die, just like an organic character. Multi-colored wings and such are allowed, of course; be as tacky as you like. The wing color is not significant; you can pick a color that fits the character or have something random and silly. You can also change the wing color if you want, or give it any sort of feather design you can come up with; all you have to do is repost their character info on the Taken Characters post.


19. My character can communicate with the planet/gods!
Your character is now in an entirely different universe and there is no means in which to communicate to their home, regardless of their abilities. Inside the barrier, there is no way to send or receive communications.

As for the planet itself, there is presently no way to communicate with it, inside or outside of the barrier.


20. What's this I hear about Filial magic?
As a resident of the world, your character will be capable of performing magic! The spirits each have their own name and personality, but do not have a physical form; rather, he or she or it can be “heard” by your character, simply by listening carefully. Also, beneath these spirits are lesser spirits, which are the ones your character will come into contact with most often. The lesser spirits don’t have individual names, and are flighty and difficult to talk to in that they don’t usually waste time teaching any skills or giving any hints on performing magic. It takes a bit of a breakthrough to hear the “true” voice of an element, but with enough trying, your character can certainly succeed. No mod involvement is required unless you have questions, so feel free to show initiative and get things rolling without us.

Full details on all the spirits and how to communicate with them can be found in the Nitpicker's Guide.


21. My character suffers from some sort of disease, disability, or injury. Will s/he still have it in Luceti?
All mortal wounds are healed upon arrival; other than that, any kind of crippling disability or disease is left with them. Unless it’s something that’ll kill your character outright and relatively quickly (something that might require constant medication and/or hospital care) then your character still has it. Blindness, a bum leg, so on and so forth, they're still with the character as well. If you’d like your character to be healed of their illness or disability either before arrival or sometime during the game, please contact a head mod with your request. These are dealt with as case by case.


22. Can our characters have jobs?
There really isn’t a need for jobs since food and clothes are provided. But if you want to start some sort of little business, then it's up to you. Think about what might be needed, or fun for your character. They're allowed to have some good times. Also, there is a school in town.It is one of the largest buildings in the village, so it’s hard to miss. If your character wants to attend school, then be sure to check out lucetischool for more information.


23. What should we do if we want characters to get married/have children, etc.?
This is a good question. Marriage between characters is completely up to the players, there is no real mod approval required. However, if you wish to have a large wedding, or something that may as well turn into its own event/affect a lot of characters, you should ask a mod as to when a good date would be to set the wedding. This way, there won't be any major events planned for the day of said marriage. You don't want fire raining from the sky while you're walking down the aisle.

As for children, Luceti will allow children to be born. Please take into account that this isn't a CRACK RP, so there won't be any random/male pregnancies. If two characters (Yes, they have to be male and female... sorry guys, that's just how biology works) decide they REALLY want to have kids together, the muns MUST discuss this with a mod. It is a BIG decision and it can place strain on the game. Please make sure the child will be accounted for and that it won't just be some random fluke. Kids are serious, even in RP. For rules and details, check out here.


24. What about things like guns/cigarettes/narcotics?
Previously these things have been outlawed in Luceti. However, cigarettes are now permitted; feel free to find them in the grocery. There really isn't any kind of carding in Luceti, so yes minors can get ahold of them. Hopefully their caretakers are watching. Alcohol is distributed at the bar, so it would be up to the owner whether or not he or she will give any to your character. Narcotics such as marajuana, heroin, cocaine and other illegal substances are not in Luceti.

On the issue of guns; if you character has a specific gun he or she keeps in their CANON, he or she may find it in the weapons shop where the other characters would find things such as swords, etc (ammunition can also be found here in controlled amounts). Very rarely a character may be able to find an unclaimed gun in the smithy, though these will generally be simple handguns or hunting rifles.

The smithy will sometimes commission weapons to be made through resources made available by the Malnosso and the skill of the workers there. Alternatively character may gain weapons (including firearms and ammunition) by earning points through missions.

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Player Questions

1. What is the format for RPing in Luceti?
There is a set posting format for Luceti for character journals, which is as follows:

As a regular journal.
Namely, just making a regular text entry. Self-explanatory.

As a recording device.
Your journal can record sound, so you can most certainly do an audio post. In order to do this, please put [Audio Post] or [Voice] or something in the subject line to specify. Please keep in mind that these don't need to run for about thirty minutes, so they shouldn't be ten paragraphs long.

For quick logs, or Action Posts.
We understand that logs are tedious and difficult to complete, so we're allowing the use of an Action Post. Simply put [Action] in the subject line of the post (or comment, if your comments turn out that way) and write out your character's actions using the following format:


[Adam walked down the road, his hands in his pockets. He glanced as the sky as he shaded his eyes with a hand; bright again today.] Wonder when we'll see some rain.

[Continuing onward down the street, he was stopped by a friend.]


Like so. Using this format will unify the way everything looks on everyone's flists and just makes it that much easier to scan through things without trying to differentiate between different formats. If your Action Post is too lengthy, please use the logs comm. If it runs over three paragraphs, consider that lengthy.

You can also combine formats, eg. have a [Voice / Action] post, where a character speaks over the journal and can be found somewhere in person at the same time.


2. I live in a different time zone. Can I still apply?
We're willing accept anyone from any place and any time zone! So no worries if you live outside of North America.


3. I want to app for [insert character]! Can I?
Just about any character in any fandom is appable as long as they're not already taken. Anime, video game, live action, movies, whatever. There are some exceptions, so make sure you check the rules about that. We also allow original characters. No fandom OCs, though. We also do not allow non-fiction (real) people. Characters based on real people will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis; generally it's allowed if the character has more fictional basis to work with and is only supplemented with their real history. (An example would be the Shinsengumi characters; the main characterization is taken from Peacemaker Kurogane, with some details taken from their real counterparts.)

In regards to character duplicates, please see the rules and/or talk to a mod before applying.


4. Is there a list of wanted characters I might check to see if I'm interested in any of them?
Nope, sorry. We used to have one, but it required too much upkeep and didn't seem to help much overall, so we got rid of it. Our players are very friendly though, so if you're not sure if they'd want a certain castmate, just ask! You can also try checking out the game director on app_this_plz to look for players advertising for Luceti.


5. What is your application schedule?
Applications are open for the first week of every month. Application Interests (aka Reserves) are open continuously, and will be cleared out at the end of each app cycle.


6. How many characters can I reserve/apply for at the same time?
Don't get excessive. The most we've seen apped in one period is three. Be realistic and not greedy- Luceti's pretty big, so you might get overwhelmed by joining with too many at once.


7. What time period should I app a character from?
You can apply for a character from any timeline within reason- eg. as long as they've been seen in enough material for that particular timeline. For example, say you wanted to apply for Beast from Beauty and the Beast. You could app him from any time period in the movie, but you couldn't app his human form from the time before he met Belle, since he's never shown in that form aside from a few images and a narrative.


8. I have a journal account I've used before/am using somewhere else. Can I use it here?
Yes to the first! For the second, since Luceti is journal-based, you can use the journal if it is being used in a community-based RP. If not, then sorry, we'll have to ask you to make a new one. It just complicates things to have entries locked or labeled to a community; it's caused confusion in the past.


9. I have an application already written from another roleplay. Can I use it/parts of it here?
If you can alter it to match the style of Luceti's application, feel free! As long as you wrote it at some point in time, we don't mind if it's been used before. The only new part of the application we need is the samples, since they must be Luceti-specific.


10. I don't want to participate in an event. Do I have to?
Nope. Most events are optional, and even the plot-related ones that involve the entire village can be handwaved if you really want to. We couldn't possibly force everyone to take part in an event, so it's your choice!


11. I want to run an event! Can I?
Sure! Players run events and plots all the time. Small scale stuff that involves just a handful of people can happen whenever you like, but if you want to run an event that will involve a large number of people, or even the entire village, you must clear it with a head mod first. Usually we'll approve of everything, no problem, but we need details to make sure it doesn't conflict with any events we might have planned.


12. I want to fourth-wall people! Can I?
For those unaware, fourth-walling means that your character recognizes another as fictional and calls them out on it. If you have a character who can do this, we ask that you have a permission post so that characters who don't want you to can specify. If they give you permission, go wild!


13. Can I change the timeline my character comes from?
You can usually change the time period your character comes from, but it depends on what you're changing it to. If you want to canon-update your character, you can, but you must re-apply for the character with the changes detailed in your app; this includes new samples.

We do not allow timeline downgrades, eg. going back in time. If you want to take a character from a previous timeline, you must reset the character and re-apply. However if you really want to have them regain their Luceti-specific memories, there is an option to have those memories regained via the mission system.


14. I want/need to drop a character. What do I do?
Sorry to hear that! Still, it happens. Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to go about doing this:

• Announce it on the OOC community. This is optional, of course, but it would be nice to let people know your character is being dropped.
  
• Comment to the Friend Add/Remove entry with manage_circle del_read [YOUR USERNAME]. There are two textboxes to remove characters; copy-paste the contents into the admin console.

15. When is activity check?
Activity check occurs every other month (bimonthly), approximately midway through (on the 15th +/- a few days). As of this time, AC occurs in: February, April, June, August, October, December


16. What do I need to do to make AC?
When the AC post goes up, post to it using the provided format. In order to make AC you must provide 30 comments that have been posted during the one month window stated on the activity check post. These 30 comments may be spread over as many as 3 separate links. Backtagging on an older thread counts so long as the tags themselves take place during the AC window.


17. What if I can't make AC?
There is some leeway to be had, if you just talk to the mods. We don't bite, we promise! But please keep in mind that it's better if you don't leave it until the last minute.

18. I need to speak to a mod, how do I do that?
There are several ways to contact the mods, but the easiest way is to use the contact information on the Resource Directory. For plot/event questions, contact one or more of the head/plot mods. For tech or maintenance questions, contact the tech mod. Using Plurk or e-mail is the best way to contact the mod team, as it isn't as time-constraining as AIM can be. Please be patient with mod questions, as sometimes it will require mod discussion before you get an answer. We generally try to give a response well within a week, so if you don't hear back, feel free to give us a poke.

THE FOLLOWING METHODS ARE NOT PREFERRED OR TIMELY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED:
- Plurking/pinging the mod plurk (which we only log into for mod announcements
- PMing the mod journal (which we do not receive notifications for and may not see as quickly

Basically it's much, much faster to contact the personal info on the above post!

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Plot Questions

1. What is Shifting?
At its simplest, Shifting is the ‘power’ employed by the Malnosso and the Third Party. It has many applications but in general it seems to be able to alter reality itself. The Malnosso synthesize Shifting via machinery, whereas the cultists are able to use it inherently. Experiments rely heavily on Shifting and it is indicated that these experiments are administered in order to better understand Shifting.


2. What does a kidnapping involve and who are responsible?
The most basic explanation of kidnappings is that they are a convenient method of hiatusing, since it removes your character from Luceti and leaves them in isolation. When kidnapped, character are subjected to experimentation that may be biological, psychological, or involve Shifting. Often characters will not remember what happened to them while kidnapped, but this is not always the case.

These kidnappings are noted as being perpetuated by a rogue faction of the Manosso. Although they are not authorized to conduct these experiments, they nevertheless use droids to enter Luceti and abduct characters.


3. What kind of effects can I use in a kidnapping?
When a character is kidnapped, it is not required to have any effect or injury as a result of their imprisonment. However characters will often be returned with lingering side effects of their experimentation. Sometimes this can be as simple as being injured or sedated, but others might include Shifting. These effects can include power removal, sensory alterations, mental alteration, transformation, and so on.


4. What is a mission?
There are two types of missions: Recurring Missions and Unique Missions. A recurring mission is available at any time and essentially acts as a convenient alternative to kidnapping you character for a hiatus. In contrast, unique missions are special events where a limited number of characters are volunteered and chosen to participate in plot developments involving the NPCs and factions outside of Luceti. However, missions are voluntary, which means a character will only go on a mission if they agree to. As an incentive, characters earn points from missions which they can use to claim rewards from the Malnosso.

Missions are further elaborated in a separate FAQ.


5. What is a draft?
Drafts are recurring events that generally happen every four to six months. In these events, a portion of Luceti’s population are forced to participate in a battle, typically against the Third Party. These drafts typically will take place over a few days and most often have the draftees defending an area and keeping it out of the enemy’s hands. Naturally, drafts are combat-heavy events and will generally have characters fighting at full power, rather than the usual 50%. Each draft takes place in a different area around the world. In the past draftees has gone from mundane locations like a city or forest to more exotic locales like the Moon and the jungle.

When a draft is announced, all you need to do is use the sign-up thread to indicate you wish to have your character called into battle. There is no cut-off quota, so all who sign-up get to go. Details about the location and general timeline of events are provided in a mod post.


6. How does my character get points for a reward?
Points are usually earned from missions, both unique and recurring. However there may be instances where points may be made available via an event or simply as a gift from an NPC. Rewards can be claimed here.


7. What’s outside of Luceti?
The world outside of Luceti is very Earth-like, containing various environments ranging from desert wastelands, rich jungles, sprawling farmlands, and massive cities. Through several drafts and missions, characters have already been allowed to see different parts of the world. As a whole, the world is divided between two main factions: the Malnosso and the Third Party.


8. Who are the Malnosso?
The Malnosso are members of a worldwide organization that acts as the only real organized society in the world. The organization appears to mold itself after a company, and so it is typically noted that its leader is the President/CEO. Having arrived in the world centuries before the inhabitants of Luceti, the Malnosso have already established a society and infrastructure on an what is otherwise an alien world. The organization may be rife with corruption, but it is not wholly evil.

Although the organization denies responsibility for bringing Luceti’s inhabitants into the world, they are responsible for keeping the Lucetians inside their barrier, while also being responsible for tattooing barcodes on their necks.

The Malnosso operate a military organization, the Malnosso Security Forces (MSF), who are continuously engaged in a conflict with the Third Party.


9. Who are the Third Party?
The Third Party is a horde of large-winged fanaticals who are commonly referred to as cultists by the Malnosso. It is the Third Party’s belief that the only true escape from this world is through a permanent death. Although most of their horde consists of normal warriors, many among their ranks possess incredible powers, putting them on equal terms with some of Luceti’s most powerful fighters. Other cultists possess Shifting to nullify the special abilities of other combatants.

Cultists are typically seen only on drafts and missions, although they have successfully invaded Luceti in the past.


10. What’s the plot even like/so far?
As a game, Luceti is already more than five years old and has seen much change over its run. Presently, Luceti’s inhabitants are aware that they are not the only enclosure subject to the Malnosso’s experimentation, and so they know that there are several other captives kept in similar situations. Luceti itself is often pitted against the cultists in the Malnosso’s never ending war. Not only that, but Luceti has increasingly been dragged into the Malnosso’s political machinations, as the organization appears to be constantly at odds with itself. All the while, Lucetians continue to learn more and more about the world in which they are trapped with the lingering implication that they might one day either become like the cold and calculating Malnosso or the cruel and fanatical cultists.


11. How do I get involved in the plot?
Opportunities to get involved with the plot most often come from Unique Missions, drafts, and NPC posts through the malnosso journal. A variety of NPCs are present in the game, some are recurring and some are one-time only. However, the village’s interactions with them will often have far-reaching consequences on what happens behind the scenes in both the organization and the world at large. Other times, characters may directly influence plot through unique missions -- many of which possess alternate outcomes depending on what choices characters make.


12. Anything else? I want more!
The above topics are discussed in more detail on the Nitpicker’s Guide.


Any more questions? Feel free to ask them here!

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Comments

[lucetimods]

You aren't required to include your Luceti history, though it's helpful if you do. So providing some links to past threads is perfectly acceptable.

[littlest_devil]

Awesome. The reason I asked is because no matter what point I take her from, literally nothing about her canon history changes (due to her extremely minimal role), but it still wouldn't feel right to simply recycle the history from the previous app without adding something to it.

That being said, I have nothing to gain from taking her from a different canon point than I did last time. Would it be okay to just keep her at the same canon point I used before and pass her year's absence off as an extended mallynap?

[lucetimods]

Since she was dropped, a mallynap isn't an option.

[littlest_devil]

That's what I thought, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask just to be sure.