Lady's Cage Mush - Character Generation

To start the character creation proccess, log into the mush at www.aelfhame.net:2500, and use: 'create charname password' to begin the proccess. Follow the directions there and on this page to complete your character.

Step 1: Character Concept.

Do you want to be a smart-aleck troublemaker, an itenerant merchant, or a surly lawyer? Having a job not only provides you with a good starting point for role-playing with others, it also can earn you some extra money from other players. A page with some good ideas for character jobs in a fantasy world is here. The race and faction pages mentioned below are also good sources for character archetypes.

You should also pick a good name, something that works well for your race and character type. For example, tieflings and other fiendish races tend to sound like roars and clocks, while an assimar would be more soft and roll off the tongue. Your login name and one you use most frequently is only one word, so be sure to make it not to long and hard to remember. Finally, do not call yourself after any NPCs from the Planescape setting or famous people.

Step 2: Race and Faction.

If you aren't familiar with the Planescape setting, our web Library has a detailed desription of each race and faction available. When you start out, you will only be a namer in your chosen faction: further rank is gained through roleplay. Also, while on be sure to look at '+census', as factions with fewer members tend to have more advancement and faction shaping opportunities. We'd also like to keep races and factions balanced, for a wider scope of roleplaying variety.

Possible races are: Aasimar, Bariaur, Bladeling, Formian, Genasi, Githzerai, Githyanki, Khaasta, Nathri, Planar, Tiefling, and Tso.

Possible factions are: Athar, Believers of the Source, Bleak Cabal, Dustmen, Fated, Free League, Society Of Sensation, Sign of One, and Transcendent Order.

Any characters outside of that range are asked to head on over and look at the Special Applications section below.

Step 3: Statistics

There are six statistics for each character, set during the character generation process. They are Health, Knowledge, Psyche, Belief, Power, and Presence. Each of them range from 0 to 10 -- 2 being the mortal average, and 5 being the mortal maximum. Paramortals' stats rarely go above 8.

Health: Health is a general measure of physical fitness and coordination. Hardy adventurers, nimble burglars, and mercenaries tend to have higher Health levels than the average sit-at-home mage or clerk.

Knowledge: Knowledge covers intellect, level of education and book-learning. A person who learned everything she knows on the street might have a Knowledge of 1, whereas a scholarly recluse might have a Knowledge of 5.

Psyche: Psyche represents common sense, guile, cunning, and sanity. Barmies take up the below-average range of the scale, the most psychotic and insane being Psyche 0. The sane and urbane compose the higher range. Slaadi, though often cunning, don't have much continuity of thought: thus, Psyche 3, at most. Most yugoloths, on the other hand, are considered a bit demented -- but since they work plans through and think things over carefully, tend to have above-average Psyches.

Power: Power stands for how much magical knowledge and skill a character has. The average planar, able to see portals, spell crystals, and with some general knowledge of magic on the planes, has a Power of 2. A beginning mage, who knows a few cantrips and small spells, would have a Power of 3. Power 4 is designated to fairly experienced magic-users. An arch-mage, on the other hand, would be considered to have a Power of 5. Many paramortals have a higher Power level, which allows them to use magic with more ease than the average mortal.

Belief: Belief represents the strength of a character's beliefs, whatever they may be. A person can be completely insane (Psyche 0), but he can still strongly believe that he is a fish (Belief 4). Belief also has a special function on the Outer Planes; see the Special Game Rules section. Belief is also special because it is the one stat that mortals can reach above 5 in.
Members of the factions tend to have higher beliefs as they advance in the ranks. The minimum for each rank is 2 for a namer, 3 to 4 for a factotum, 5 for a factor, and 6 for the factol.

Presence: Presence is the charisma and sheer attitude that a character displays. In the case of paramortals, it represents the otherworldliness that surrounds them, the aura of Good or Evil, Order or Chaos. Though for most mortals, Presence is something only felt by talking and interacting with others, the presence of powerful paramortals can be felt when they even walk into a room, as a sort of palpable aura. A very charismatic man, such as Factol Rown Darkwood (of the Fated) would have a Presence of 5. Extremely powerful paramortals (Leonal: Presence 8), can attmpt to hide their aura while in disguise, in which case it tends to gravitate to the highest mortal Presence allowed (Presence 5). Presence is unalterable during chargen, and is set by various statistical factors.

A Note to AD&D players

Although the original rules for the Planescape setting are from AD&D, we have completely eliminated AD&D rules from the MUSH and would like to keep it that way. References to alignment, hit points, armor class, and so on are irrelevant to the MUSH. The only statistics are the six we have designated: Health, Knowledge, Psyche, Power, Belief, and Presence.

Step 4: Setting a Background

A fully detailed background isn't required, but does give the Wizzen an idea of how to involve your character in TinyPlots, and generally help to create RP. A good background can also give you a few extra points to spend on your statistics. Once your done with this step, head out to Sigil and roleplay!

Special Applications

Sometimes we get requests for characters that just aren't covered in the on-MUSH character generation process. These special characters are asked to complete a special application and e-mail it to psmush@mimir.net.

Character types that are covered by the special application are: Members of the Xaositects, Harmonium, Mercykillers, Fraternity of Order, Doomguard, and Revolutionary League factions. Special applications also cover each of the paramortal races: Archons, Baatezu, Eladrin, Guardinals, Modrons, Rilmani, Slaadi, Tanar'ri, and Yugoloths. We are not accepting characters that do not have a faction, or that have a non-standard mortal or paramortal race.

The application isn't an arbitrary hurdle that the wizzen have placed in your way; playing a member of one of the more disruptive factions, or handling the power of a paramortal can be a touchy thing, and we want to make sure that you, the player, have the skills to interact with the rest of our playerbase responsibly. This application should be legible, and adhere to the rules of proper English grammar and spelling.

All application submissions to the wizards should be in the form of standard ASCII text e-mail. Do not send: attachments of any kind from any source (use cut and paste), RTF type e-mail, HTML, pointers to web sites, or MIME encoded e-mail.

Include a short application "header." This short non-narrative summary should begin each application, just to let the wizzen know immediately what kind of character you are seeking to play. The form of this header should look something like this:

Name: Jezi Neferton
Race: Fire Genasi
Faction: Athar
Rank: Namer

Your application should be dependent on how many words you feel will effectively communicate your character concept to the wizard who reviews your application. However, as a vague rule of thumb, for a factioneer or a mortal, around 500-700 words. For a paramortal, 1,000-1,200 words would be a comfortable length. Anything that's longer than that is too long. Conversely, we definitely get applications that are too short; sending 50 words for a paramortal isn't going to be enough. Use your best judgment. If the wizzen want more details, they'll ask for them.

There are three components to an excellent character application. These are: Correct English and syntax, Compelling world-consistent narrative, and internal character motivations. In addition, the staff are highly unlikely to approve an application with: Shapeshifting, telepathy, wealth, or a high level of magical prowess.

The more interesting you can make your writing, the better your application will be received. Be sure to address your character's motivations and mental processes. Some people find it easier to focus on specific mental objectives for the character. These would include things like his fears, his mental hang ups, his quirks, his goals, his dreams and desires. What makes him do the things he does?

Within a week, the wizzen will get back to you with one of three responses: your application will be turned down outright, the wizzen will give a request for more information, or you will be given a notice of acceptance. If you havn't heard back from anyone in a week's time, send a follow-up query to psmush@mimir.net.

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Planescape is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast.