SITE RULES
The First Age is a relatively stress-free zone so long as out of character discussions are respectful. Keeping that in mind, here are some agreed upon standards for everything to run smoothly. If anything comes up, please feel free to contact an Admin.
Posting
We maintain a post-by-post game written in third person, never first person and rarely omniscient points of view. While the overarching plot is game-mastered by the site owner, it will be the individual authors which drive events forward. There are no word limits on posting, however think of threads as book chapters and your posts like individual scenes. Dialogue heavy texts with another author will likely be shorter than action sequences but aim for at least one paragraph for every post.
It is reasonable that dialogue heavy text or combat scenes may be written via instant messenger or chatroom venues. If this occurs, copy and paste the entire conversation into a post in the appropriate forum.
Characters
To begin play you will need to create a character. Following character submission guidelines, you will need to fill out an application and submit it for approval via official forms found here. You may create as many characters are you feel you can consistently maintain. Each main character (any character with a biography) must be under separate forum accounts. There is no rule regarding whether you wish to tell other authors which characters are yours. Secondary, side, or non-playing characters (PPC or NPCs) do not need separate accounts.
Game master
In RP tradition, our site has a game master (GM) which may contact you via private message or a forum post with a plot twist, event, or circumstances which you will need to incorporate into your current story.
Timeline
Due to the important plot-points correlating with site timeline, large changes in season and general passage of time is maintained by the owner. This information will always be found in the news feed across the top of the forums. You must be logged into your account to see this news feed.
Pictures/Avatars
You will need one picture of your character for your account and one to link from this website. You may use two separate images, so long as they are of the same person. Both need to be representations of your character rather than generic avatars about yourself. Keep the picture, style, dress, etc in context with our modern setting and current timeline. You picture must be of an actual person, not a drawing.
Photomanipulated images are allowed, but only if the work is your original manipulation. If you do elect to use another person’s original work, you need to supply proof of usage rights, usually found on the artist’s profile page by contacting Admin with this information (PM on the forums). Otherwise, any image in the public domain is acceptable. This day and age, copyright is too important to break and the owner is not willing to risk being sued over avatars.
You may use celebrities or movie characters for your picture, but we ask that you refrain from using anyone grossly iconic – the year is 2045 after all, everyone still knows what Elvis looked like. This definition is obviously subjective, if you have any questions, contact Admin.
Do not use a picture of someone already in use by another character. Pictures are limited to 220×220 pixels. Banners may be used in your account signatures so long as they are kept in character.
Maturity
Our audience targets adults over the age of eighteen, but we are not an “adult rated” site. You are free to play your character in any way that you choose so long as your character does not cross inappropriate thresholds. For instance, you may not write about a character engaging in heinous violent crime, molestation or offensive sexual acts. If you do, your account and posts will be deleted if necessary.
Creative language is allowed so long as it is used sparingly. However, derogatory, hateful, or racial language (we all know choice-words which fall into this category) are not allowed . If your character has some prejudices and you are not creative enough to demonstrate them without the use of certain name-calling, perhaps your character’s personality needs to be readdressed. Maintain the context of general high fantasy, urban fantasy or sci-fi novels &/or movies, and everything should be fine.
This rule does not mean your character cannot use foul language or be involved in romantic &/or violent scenes, but this website does not fall within the erotica genre. If it appears your posts contain more sex / cursing than actual story, you will be contacted about it. Any breech of the aforementioned “appropriate thresholds” is solely up to the subjective discretion of the site owner; who, like Justice Potter Stewart once described, “will know it when I see it.”
Combat
In character fights, both verbal and physical, are inevitable in a setting like this. All authors should maintain positive relationships with one another to not allow what is happening between characters to affect the way their writers interact. Combat should never be written blow-by-blow like a Jackie Chan movie. While great on film, blow-by-blow scenes are rare in fantasy novels.
Dramatic outcomes of any given combat scene should be worked out ahead of time by the authors off screen to the extent those involved are comfortable to plan. The best way to do this is via private message, facebook or chatroom meet-ups. Explain what you are willing to allow your character to go through (minor wounds or death, if you wish), and post one another taking turns going on the offensive and defensive. Remember fight scenes realistically are quite short, so unless you are participating in a battle, the physical action should not be a lengthy process if written correctly.
Otherwise, the victor of any combat scene should largely be determined by whichever author is clever enough to think of a way their character can win. Both parties should be mature enough to recognize a legitimate win.
Character location
In general, your character cannot be in two places at once. It is contradicting and frowned upon to participate in multiple posts at once except in extenuating circumstances. It creates problems within storylines for yourself – as you are unaware when any given story might leave a lasting impact upon your character – and those around you. If you are traveling, not everything literally needs to be posted (the plane ride, for instance), so long as travel is somehow explained.
Obviously, extenuating circumstances may arise. If your character is “stuck” you’re unsure whether its acceptable to “move on” please contact us (PM, post, or chatroom).
Moding & power-moding
Moding is defined as writing the action, emotion, or intent of another character without their express permission. Some things are assumed and when writing between familiar authors moding is rarely an issue. When writing with someone new to you, be respectful and careful at first until you come to learn how comfortable you are with one another.
God-moding is defined as using an overpowered character to dominate every scene he or she is in without prior approval. Powerful characters are encouraged, but god-moding is not. Even the Ascendency, while mutually regarded as the quite powerful, will not god-mode.
Disclaimer
The owner claims no right to the Wheel of Time story, content, or images. However the conceptual plot of “The First Age” as a website is the original work of the owner and should not be reproduced, copied, or plagiarized. Any member who participates in The First Age with original creations (character or plot) will retain ownership of their own work, however by submitting it to our forums you must recognize you are freely giving us partial ownership. We will always credit your authorship, no matter what, however once submitted the work will remain on our site as partial property of The First Age and likely used in future work.
The First Age is intended to be a work of fiction. Any and all consequences which reflect world events in real life are coincidental and unintentional. We do not condone illegal or immoral activities in real life and any questionable activity which reflects upon this website will not be tolerated. This website exists for entertainment purposes only.