The big enchilada, the coup de grace, the whole purpose of Vaxia: Roleplaying, or as it's often written, "RP."

In order to roleplay you must know first what type of style we RP in Vaxia. We use a third person point of view and narrative style when writing our posts. Posts are what we use to communicate what our character does. Since we do not have a graphical system like Diablo or any other fighting, roleplaying, or strategy game, the descriptions in our posts are crucial. We must describe what our character is doing, as well as when and where they do it.

RP happens 'in the moment' so any actions the character is making at that time will be in the present tenses. If talking about something that happened previously then past tense will often be used. When talking about future plans, the future tense may be used. There are no strict rules or preference on tense usage, so use whatever method flows best for you.

Let me give you an example of what I am talking about:

Jace pushes open the door to the Bard's Inn with a heavy sigh, still worn out from practicing with his sword all afternoon. The tall half-elf makes his way to the bar, settling on a bar stool and ordering himself an ale. Feeling his scabbard thump against the rungs of the stool he's sitting on, he unclips his sword-belt and rests it gently against the front of the bar, careful not to scratch the wood on the ornate hilt. When his mug of ale arrives, he thanks the barkeep and taking a long drink, glancing around at the other patrons and toward the stage to see if any of the locals are brave enough to try their hand at singing.

In Vaxia, it's customary to post when you enter an IC location, especially when there are other characters already present. It's a wonderful opportunity to describe what your character looks like, or what rough state or mood they're in, to help set the tone for others' reactions to your character after you enter. Don't count on everyone reading your character's description! If there's something unique about them that would make them stand out in a crowd, cover it in your first post.

When you RP, you are telling a short story about what your C is doing. The only trick is that their story happens one tiny scene at a time, reacting to and interacting with the scenes of the other characters around them. Be sure to leave the other roleplayers space for their characters to interject or reply to what your character is saying. There is nothing wrong with a short post, especially if your character is asking someone a question :)

Let's take a look at how you might RP after you make your entrance. Someone might approach you, or you might have your character approach someone else, or, on rare occasions, neither. Be patient! It may take a post or two before another character comes over to say "hello," especially if your character hasn't previously met anyone in the room. Give the other players time to look for a way to weave their stories into yours. Sometimes, it won't happen at all, which is unfortunate, but it's important not to try to force it. Keep at it! The more you make yourself seen IC, the better the chance another character will get curious and come say hello, if your character isn't the sort to do so themselves.

The trick is to just respond how your character would, doing what they would do and saying what they would say. Here's a good example:

Character 1: Spotting the tall half-elf enter the inn, Kennedy gets up from her seat in the corner, grabbing her half-empty mug of ale and making her way to the bar. Glancing Jace's way, she plants herself on a stool not far from him and slides her mug over to the barkeep. "You look like you've been hard at it," she says with a grin, eying the sword resting against the bar. "Practicing for the tournament?"

Character 2: Jace pauses to swallow and set his mug down before answering the woman, not wanting to be rude. "I have been," he answers, following her eyes to the sword. "Oh, heh...yeah. I heard the winner gets a date with the princess. That was a prize I couldn't pass up!"

Character 1: Kennedy tries not to roll her eyes at the man's answer. Yet another combatant lured by a chance at a few hours with a princess. She chuckles at Jace. "That's it? Not the chance to prove yourself in the arena? With a sword like that, I figure you could even beat someone like me." She offers a hand to greet him, using the other to grip her newly-filled mug of ale. "Kennedy de Silva. Pleasure to meet you."

You see how they responded to each other? That's what RP is. You respond to what the other party is doing and try to keep things moving forward. For a more generic breakdown, see our Diagram of an RP post page.

If you're feeling intimidated by jumping into RP, just let the other players know that you're new using the OOC (or Out of Character) box. They'll know to be patient and help you with any questions you have. You can also ask for help and answers in Limbo at any time. Limbo is an out-of-character area, so there's no need to RP there :) Just post however you're comfortable.

That's basically what you need to know about RP!

Post Color
You can set the color of your text to help everyone tell the difference between your posts and others, and to give it a bit of a personal flavor. The problem is - sometimes your choice of color is - in a word - painful on the eyes. Please don't abuse the eyes of others. For help on finding a post color that you like see: Text Color Help Guide