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Guidelines: Playing a character affiliated with noble houses - Printable Version

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Guidelines: Playing a character affiliated with noble houses - Neus - 09-17-2015

If you've seen or been brought here by one of the posts containing information on the noble houses of a certain region, and thought to yourself, 'I want to play a character that belongs/is associated with that house', good news! You are totally allowed to do that and are encouraged to give it a try. However, I must ask you carefully follow the listed guidelines when doing so, lest you run into problems IC and OOC down the line.

Guidelines & Rules
1) No immediate relation to those listed under Important Members.
  1. In each noble house's list, there's a small section listing some names and positions of important people within the house. You are not allowed to make a character with a direct blood relation to those NPCs. For example, you cannot be the head or heir's son, grandfather, wife, brother, and so on.
  2. You are also not permitted to make a character with direct influence or interaction with the important members without GM approval, which can be obtained by PMing one (not me) with your concern or wishes. The simpler the question/request, the faster the response time will most likely be.
  3. You are allowed to be a distant relative, provided it makes sense in the context of the house. For example, you couldn't be a distant relative of the Azanbe clan, due to the unique traits of their offspring.
2) Honor thy house and family.
  1. Keep in mind the values, goals, and history of the house your character represents. Acting in a way that betrays them, making an embarrassment of yourself, or gaining a dark, violent, and terrible reputation (provided that isn't what the house is known for, at least) could result in unpleasant IC consequences, including expulsion from the house, if they become common knowledge.
  2. Most characters, especially those belonging to vassal houses, would consider their position important and value it, rather than run the risk of being stuck on their own with few allies. There are exceptions, however.
3) Vassal Houses
  1. If you are the type of person who would rather be in full control of a house, but still want to be associated with a particular noble house, you are permitted to create or be a member of a vassal house. Vassal houses are lesser houses that pledge service and are loyal to one of the larger noble houses. For example, the Kusanagi clan is a vassal house to the Yut clan.
  2. Since these are smaller houses, you are free to play the head, heir, and so on, provided it does not violate the first rule. Consequently, they are less powerful, not as large, typically not as wealthy, and don't command as much influence until the patron house gets involved. Keep this in mind if you create your own vassal house.
  3. Exception: Vassal houses pre-established in lore follow the same rules as noble houses. For example, you cannot be the head of the Kusanagi clan.

The above guidelines and rules are subject to change at any time; if they do change, I will make a post in this thread.

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Suggestions
1) Fly the flag.
  1. Displaying your house's colors and sigil is very common and can be a good hook to roleplay opportunities with others.
  2. For colors, clothing, cloaks, and shields are good ways to display them.
  3. For sigils, you can be creative. However, common places to display it would be sewn into your cloak, as a brooch, painted on your shield, as a piece of jewelry.
  4. Vassal houses can use the patron house's sigil and colors, or a variation of them. There's no hard and fast rule there.
2) Maximize your roleplay venues.
  1. You can use your patron house's values and goals as an excuse to weasel your way into situations you might have had trouble doing so on your own, or as a way to start roleplay with someone you don't know or would have little reason to otherwise.
  2. Collecting your character's actions (as part of their house or involving another character from a house) into an In-Character forum post is a good way to gain exposure to the GMs, to other players keeping up or involved with your house, and can help encourage other players to create characters of the house, or seek you out in-game for roleplay regarding the events.