Basics

The Importance of Character

Your character is the most important part of your interaction on a roleplaying board. You should be able to connect with your character in some way; if you're unable to do so, you will likely encounter difficulty writing for them. It's important to forge a connection with your roleplaying character, though it's important to remember that you and the character aren't one and the same. In Character and Out of Character are separate, and so there should be separation and difference between your roleplaying character and you.

If you find yourself struggling to write for your character week after week, consider first updating or changing your character. If that doesn't work, you can always start over with a new character. We'd prefer that you try and revamp your character before abandoning it for a new one, though! It complicates things when people constantly drop characters to pick up new ones, and it may ruin plots for others. Always remember that your character is involved in a world full of other characters, and they will be affected by your character's disappearance.

Name

When you register an account on our forums, your registration name should be your character's name. A name can be almost anything -- you can have something simple, like Luna, or a standard given name surname format, like Luna Steeps. Foreign languages, historical and legendary figures, as well as mythological and religious-themed names have remained popular throughout the years. Profanity and offensive names are not allowed -- come on, we're more mature than that. Look at baby name sites if you're having trouble (a few are listed on our resources thread)! You never know what kind of interesting names are out there!

Gender

A character's gender is also important! If you are male, you may find it easiest to play male characters. Similarly, females may find it easiest to play female characters. It all depends on your personal preference though. If you don't think your character's gender matters, that's cool, too. It may be fun and interesting for you to play a character of the opposite gender. Many roleplayers can play both male and female, though many do have a preference for a certain gender, even if it isn't their own! Although hermaphrodites do occur in nature, at 'Souls we've chosen not to accept them, simply because we feel that players would likely roleplay a hermaphrodite for "shock value." If you'd honestly like to play one, you may appeal to the 'Souls Assemblage for an exception, and we'll look at your case and make a decision based on individual circumstances.

Age

Your character's age is important. If you aren't sure what you want to work with, you can start with a young puppy. Allow its life experiences to mold it into whatever it is you're interested in playing. Some players find puppies boring to play, however, because to some extent, their age limits them to simpler perceptions of the world. In those cases, starting with an adolescent (or teen-aged) character may be preferable. If you only want to play a character for a short time but don't want a dramatic death, an older character may suit your needs. Depending on whether you decide to play a normal wolf or a Luperci, your character's life expectancy and aging will be different. Please see this page for more information! Remember though: characters do age. In a few years you will find that the young puppy you started with is an experienced, adult wolf. We've had players hold on to their characters for years and years, so you never know!

Species

At 'Souls, all characters of the Canis genus are able to become Luperci and shift. As such, a majority of our players choose to play a wolf, coyote, dog, or jackal (and naturally, all subspecies and all hybrids of any of these species) with wolves being the dominant species. You may play other canine species -- such as African wild dogs and maned wolves -- however, canines of any genus other than Canis will not be able to become Luperci. You may also play non-canine species, such as bears, cougars, snakes, birds, etc, though these characters will have to join the board as a Creature.

For more information regarding what kinds of canines can become Luperci, please see the Species Guide; it offers a list of species Common to 'Souls.

Werewolf?

One of 'Souls's unique features, as far as typical wolf roleplaying games go, is the existence of Luperci, an advanced breed of wolves with the ability to "shift" into werewolves. For more information, check out the "Werewolves" sections of this guide!

Character Adoption

As a consequence of 'Souls having been around for nearly a decade, there are many prominent families on 'Souls and several new litters are born into the territories every year. Often, these puppies will be available for adoption in the Open Characters thread along with older family members, friends, or figures from the pasts of various active characters. If you're having trouble coming up with a new character of your own, it might be interesting for you to pick up a character someone else created! Though certain aspects of these adoptable characters may be set -- family, lineage, parts of their past -- there are often many things you can still customize, such as appearance and specific personality, so you still have a lot of room for personal touches.

On the flip side, if you create a character and are interested in other players adopting related characters, such as friends or family, feel free to add to the Open Character list yourself!

More Information

1. Check the FAQ if you have questions about characters.
2. The Resources Thread has various roleplaying-related resources; many of these are great for character building.