What is the difference between races and magic classes?
Races define what magic is possible, while magic classes are just that: magic! All three races can possess Loom magic, but Deviants and Variants must be on the potion treatment to have Loom magic.
What is the best real world comparison for the setting/time period?
While SoS takes place in its own world and one-to-one comparisons can't be directly made with the real world, for those that appreciate numbers, SoS is largely based on themes seen throughout Eurasia and the Americas from roughly 1400-1885. Or as the staff team calls it, “Medieval-Renaissance fantasy cake with a light whip of steampunk Victorian frosting.”
How does time pass on SoS in character and out of character?
In character, there are four seasons in a year just like real life, just named as our seasons are: Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring. Out of character, we start our new year every Winter on January 1st, with two seasons a year. Each season goes for six months out of character, meaning it takes two ooc years for one IC year to pass. This is subject to change with activity changes.
How does aging work on SoS?
Characters' birthdays are based on seasons and not days. So if you chose for your character to be born in the Spring, they will age one year when we switch to that season. We ask that you always update your profile with your character's age and birth season. (Ex. 22 | Spring)
Is there gunpowder or guns in Embrathis?
To a limited capacity! Guns are considered high tier magic items with only three shots a season. Contact staff if you have interest in using gunpowder in gameplay.
Where is the character application?
Right on your user profile! Just hit "Edit Profile" and fill out every applicable field. Note: there is a character limit of 21k characters in text areas, so you can use the character development board if you feel you will exceed this limit.
What dimensions are all the 'official' images across the site?
All are measured in pixel (px) sizes! Avatars should be ###x ### , hover images should be ### x ### , character bio images should be ### x ### , inventory/tracker header images should be ### x ### , and companion images (in the inventory) should be ### x ###. ALL TBD, IF YOU SEE THIS, THIS MEANS SPOTTED FORGOT TO UPDATE THIS, YELL AT HER :SCREECH:. If a pet/companion is one of our unique fauna, feel free to draw it yourself or use an aesthetic image, rather than a real life reference. If you need any assistance cropping something, ping staff in #ask-staff in our Discord server.
How do I get magic items and how do I upgrade them?
As magic items are not craftable outside of the Thaumaturgy class, to get a magic item is very case-by-case! It could be through a quest, a reward, a purchase in the Shadow Market, or something a Thaumaturgy mage made for you! But even as a Thaumaturgy mage, there are limits, and staff must <u><em>always</em></u> be contacted before a magic items are made canon.
To upgrade an item, it is always done via quest, and these quests must be sought out in-character. Typically, it would be a Loom Quest or a Character Quest. Only Loom Quests can be purchased in the Shadow Market.
Can I reserve a faceclaim for my character's dragon?
No, you cannot reserve a faceclaim for your character's dragon. You can find a face to use as a general reference, but they cannot be officially claimed, as dragons are just NPCs.
How do I get a thread with an Admin-exclusive NPC?
Just message staff! If you'd like to develop a relationship with Astrid, work with an admin-controlled leader, or anything similar, just reach out via your admin chat on Discord and we'll get a thread worked out for you.
How do I use a certain Google font in a post or table?
Select the fonts you want to use. Google Fonts supports selecting multiple fonts at once in one code. When you have them all, grab your code from the "get embedded code" button and paste the code in the "Embed code in the <head> of your html" field. (This should be open by default). You can paste this code at the top or the bottom of your post, it will still work. To use the font, simply type font-family: 'NAME OF FONT HERE'. You will need to post this code at least once on every page where you intend to use it, or you can simply include it in your table code to ensure it is rendered correctly every time. Select the font you want and get its embedded codePaste at either the top or bottom
How do I earn chips?
Chips are earned through a mix of automatic rewards and submitted claims.
Some rewards are automatic. That means the site detects the reward and adds the chips for you. These include things like approved character creation, thread completion, board visits, post milestones, Random Encounter participation, qualifying quest/event prefix rewards, and other built-in triggers.
Other rewards need to be submitted manually. These are rewards staff need to review, purchases that need staff handling, special rewards, corrections, or anything marked as “submit.”
How do I submit chips manually?
Go to:
User CP → Submit Chip Claim
Fill out the claim with the reward name, the character or account involved, the amount if needed, a proof link, and any notes staff need.
After submitting, the claim goes into the staff queue. It does not pay immediately. Staff must approve it before chips are added.
How do I check my submitted claims?
Go to:
User CP → My Chip Claims
There, you can see whether your claims are pending, approved, or denied.
Pending means staff has not reviewed the claim yet.
Approved means staff approved the claim and the chips should have been awarded.
Denied means staff reviewed the claim and did not approve it.
Should I submit automatic rewards?
Usually, no.
If a reward is automatic, the site should award it on its own. Do not submit an automatic reward again unless something went wrong or staff asks you to.
If you think an automatic reward did not fire correctly, submit a claim with a note explaining what happened so staff can check the logs.
How do I archive a thread?
To archive an IC thread, add an archive tag to a new final reply or edit it into the last post of the thread.
Use [FIN] when the thread is complete and has reached a natural ending. This moves the thread to the finished thread archive and closes it.
Use [DEAD] when the thread is being dropped, abandoned, or will not be continued. This moves the thread to the dead/inactive thread archive and closes it.
The tag should be placed clearly on its own line at the bottom of the post. Plain and centered versions both work:
[FIN]
[DEAD]
Please only use one archive tag, and make sure the thread is actually ready to be closed before tagging it. If you are not sure whether a thread should be marked [FIN] or [DEAD], ask staff first.
In Character
What is Determination Day?
Determination Day is held twice a year, on each solstice (once a year OOC). Every major temple hosts a festival where the Loom enters each citizen’s mind to read who they are, who they were, and who they’ve become. From this, the Loom assigns the magic best suited to them—or none at all. It also exposes the Unwound and detoxed deviants/variants unless they use an effective masking potion or have the discipline to guard certain thoughts and memories (high WIS). <strong><u>ALL CITIZENS MUST ATTEND EVERY DETERMINATION DAY.</u></strong> This has been mandatory since the first ceremony over three centuries ago. Those who try to avoid it must hide within the city and evade the Keepers who patrol for the detoxed, Unwound, and dragons.
What does it feel like when the Loom is inside my character's head on Determination Day?
The Loom wants everyone to feel comfortable with Determination Day, and look forward to it. The dissection of a character's thoughts should be a pleasant feeling, like a mild high. However, resisting (whether with the masking potion or not) leaves the character with an intense headache. If the Loom breaks through your character's attempts to resist, there is a brief, sharp and excruciating pain that falls back into the typical headache.
What happens if my Unwound or detoxed character is caught?
Unless you are canon character (in which you would be sentenced to death and must escape), your character would be sent to be Re-Educated in a secret underground location by a sect of the Spinners. This Re-Education entails being put back on the treatment immediately, with positive and negative reinforcement between Veneration and Malice mages for a minimum of four threads. Staff will roll to see if your character can withstand the Re-Education, coming out with your ideals intact or being successfully Re-Educated. The Loom doesn't kill them (unless they're uncooperative bonded organics) so they do not create more martyrs.
What is the currency system in Embrathis?
We simply refer to it as generic "coin" and keep things vague. No need to keep track of exact numbers. Feel free to reference, gold, silver, and copper for ease of roleplay.
What is the level of technological advancement in Embrathis?
Embrathis is somewhere between medieval times and the industrial Victorian era. With the heavy saturation of magic available in Embrathis, technolocial advancements are heavily reliant on it, leaning more into magic than the sciences. Example: plumbing exists, but it is run by magic enchantment, with even hot water on demand for the wealthy. If you are unsure of of whether or not an advancement would be present, contact staff.
For speaking to animals with the Beast Affinity magic, how intelligent are the animals?
Animals <strong>do not</strong> have human-level intelligence by default. They can communicate through emotions, images, and instinctive impressions, but it won’t translate into clear, spoken “human words.” They can understand what you mean, but they still think and behave like animals. At <strong>Tier 3</strong> of Beast Affinity, you gain the ability to temporarily grant an animal human-level intelligence for the duration of a thread.
What happens to a shifter's clothing/belongings when they shift?
Whatever is on someone's person (within reason) vanishes with their human body when they shift. Magic items can be crafted that can be worn in both human and shifted form (i.e. an amulet or armor within reason).
How do I get a quest in character?
Pray to the Loom, or seek out leadership! Message staff if you have questions on this.
What is the difference between a companion and a pet?
A companion is a creature that is bonded, soul-to-soul and mind-to-mind, to your character. This includes thoughts, feelings, and telepathic communication. This includes dragons, as well as any other unique or mundane fauna. Dragons are the <u>only</u> companions that do not require a quest or purchase to achieve. A pet is just that, a pet! These can include any mundane fauna within reason, and any common unique fauna. If you're unsure if a creature is allowed to be a pet, contact staff. CompanionsDragons
When does a dragon bond with their bonded?
The bond is technically always there, from birth, just latent. The dragon knows the moment their bonded has been born, and they choose when to approach and complete the bond - if they ever do. Most wait for someone to become an adult, but that's not a hard rule! When the dragon does approach, completing the bond not only involves a physical touch, but both parties being willing to complete the bond.
What other ways beyond suppression does the Treatment impact my character?
When they’re on the Treatment, people will deal with very frequent sleep issues (insomnia and/or nightmares). They also will have slightly numbed senses, so things won’t be quite as loud, bright, sensitive, etc. as they would be off the Treatment. As they get older, they grow weaker and weaker, until eventually succumbing to the Treatment in early middle age. Treatment & Legal Status
Can my character craft their own doses of the Treatment?
No they cannot, this is a highly controlled and regulated "medicine", crafted with magic and components.
