THE FAQ
planar3d
Version 5.0, revised 7-7-2000
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_________________________________________________________________
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CREDITS: Becca Ward, David Womack, Johny Enright
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. About this FAQ
1.1 How often is this FAQ posted?
1.2 Comments, corrections, improvements?
2. The Dragon's Inn newsgroup
2.1 What is the Dragon's Inn?
2.2 Is this a newsgroup for AD&D type roleplaying?
2.3 What is a thread?
2.4 What types of plotlines exist in alt.dragons-inn?
2.5 What is alt.dragons-inn.misc used for?
2.6 Can I advertise on the newsgroup?
2.7 How do I post to the newsgroup?
3. How to play
3.1 What's the first thing I should do to get involved?
3.2 How do I create a character?
3.3 I really want my character to be an incarnation of
Raistlin, Vanyel, or Rand Al'Thor. Can I make a
character like this?
3.4 Can I make more than one character?
3.5 I've made a character. Now what do I do?
3.6 Do I have to start my character at the Inn?
3.7 What rules do I have to obey?
3.8 I really want to write another character's
dialog/actions/thoughts. That kind of thing was
allowed in other online games and it should be
allowed here!
3.9 Say I decide to stop playing. Can other writers
play/write my character?
3.10 I'm really into role playing, and my character
hates another player's character. Can I go ahead
and hurt/kill the other person's character?
3.11 What are the mechanics of writing a thread?
3.12 I really want my character to meet another player's
character!
3.13 I posted my character to the Inn, but everybody
ignored me. What now?
3.14 What's the policy on violence, swearing, explicit
sexuality, etc.?
4. Ifreann: The Setting
4.1 What about the Inn, Montfort, and surrounding areas?
4.2 Is there an existing, predefined pantheon?
4.3 Can I use my own gods and deities?
4.4 Can I add a shop, guild, etc. to an existing city
or town?
4.5 I want to create my own city or town and place it on
the map. Can I do that?
4.6 If I set a storyline in Montfort, do I have to get
anyone's permission to do that?
4.7 I checked the web site and there isn't much detail on
the cities and towns. Is anything being done about
this?
4.8 I want to build my own house/tower/castle. Can I?
4.9 I love technology. Can my character use a gun?
5. Miscellaneous
5.1 The web site is outdated. What gives?
5.2 I don't think I am a good writer.
5.3 I have a disagreement with another player.
5.4 Can I list my character or thread on the web site?
5.5 I have more questions. Who should I ask?
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1. About this FAQ
1.1 How often is this FAQ posted?
As of 7-7-2000 there is no automated system that posts this FAQ
to alt.dragons-inn or alt.dragons-inn.misc. To obtain this FAQ,
visit the Dragon's Inn web site at http://www.dragons-inn.org.
You can also receive the FAQ from talo...@maniac.deathstar.org,
or stor...@deathstar.org.
If all else fails, post a request for the FAQ to the
alt.dragons-inn newsgroup. More than likely, someone there
will heed your request and send you a copy.
1.2 Comments, corrections, improvements?
If you have corrections, improvements, ideas, etc., please
e-mail them to dwo...@dragons-inn.org or plan...@hotmail.com.
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2. The Dragon's Inn newsgroup
2.1 What is the Dragon's Inn?
As one correspondent so aptly stated, this is an ongoing,
multi-user dialog that is creating a fantasy story on the fly.
People create a character, write a story involving that
character (preferably with other writers), and post it to the
alt.dragons-inn newsgroup for all to enjoy. The stories are
usually posted in parts, not all at once.
These stories take place on a planet called Ifreann. On this
planet is a town called Montfort, and in this town is a tavern
called The Red Dragon's Inn. The Inn is a good place to start
your story, look for other writers, or introduce your new
character.
There is a web site dedicated to the support of the Dragon's
Inn newsgroup. It is located at http://www.dragons-inn.org.
2.2 Is this a newsgroup for AD&D type roleplaying?
Not really, no. This is collaborative storytelling, not
roleplaying. No game system or dice rolling is used. Stats
are inappropriate. Rather, the actions, thoughts, plots, and
plans of your character are what's needed. The events that
happen in the stories are determined by the players
through cooperation.
If you're looking for a D&D-focused newsgroup, try
rec.games.frp.dnd or alt.games.rpg. Someone there should
be able to point you in the right direction.
2.3 What is a thread?
A thread is just another word for a story. Once a story is
started, and the writers add to it over time, it
unravels/grows like a string of thread.
If you've visited the newsgroup, you may have noticed a format
to the article subject headings. It's nice to have a somewhat
standard format in the subject because it makes it easy to
tell which posts belong to which threads/storylines. Plus,
other readers can find your characters and stories easily.
Over time, we have learned that the following format works
well:
[Thread Title] - Brief Descriptor
Thread Title = This is the name of the story that
the post belongs to.
Brief Descriptor = This is kind of a brief
description of the post, like the title of a
chapter in a novel.
Example 1: [War] - The Battle Begins
This post is part of a story called "War". In this
post, a big fight is about to get underway. Hence
the descriptor "The Battle Begins".
Example 2: [Dragon Flight] - The Dragon's Lair
This post is part of a story called "Dragon Flight".
In this post, the characters probably enter the
lair of a dragon. Hence the descriptor "The Dragon's
Lair".
Example 3: [Dragon Flight/War] - Reptillian Aid
This post is part of both "Dragon Flight" and "War".
Sometimes stories crossover into each other. In this
post, some dragons from "Dragon Flight" join the
battle occurring in "War". Hence the descriptor
"Reptillian Aid".
Your first post at the inn might read: [Inn] - New Character
If you decide to place your character in the
Dragon's Inn to start with, the title is "Inn".
And because your character is new you use the
descriptor "New Character".
2.4 What types of plotlines exist in alt.dragons-inn?
Risking over-simplification, alt.dragons-inn divides
into two basic types of storylines.
First are the more traditional "quest" stories. Generally,
these are started by someone who has a goal they want to
achieve: overthrow an evil king in a distant country, explore
a mountain for treasure, seek a cure to save a comatose
beautiful princess, or find a magic chalice.
Often, the "lead" character comes to the Dragon's Inn to
recruit adventurers. Once a team is assembled, the characters
begin the quest by leaving Montfort. The writers make up
whatever geography is necessary to get them from Point A (the
Dragon's Inn) to Point B (wherever the quest ends).
The web site has ASCII and GIF maps that provide rough
outlines of Claremont's layout and surrounding areas. See
section 4 of this FAQ for information on the setting.
Second are the more complicated storylines where a number of
threads crossover and are inter-related. The events in each
thread are, to a certain extent, tied to the events in other
threads. These stories can involve dozens of players, most of
whom play multiple characters.
Characters can appear in more than one thread, and events in
one thread can affect another thread. Because of this
interdependency, these stories require a lot of
behind-the-scenes coordination.
2.5 What is alt.dragons-inn.misc used for?
The stories posted to alt.dragons-inn are usually a team
effort. They involve multiple writers, and these writers
often talk to each other to coordinate the plots of their
stories. alt.dragons-inn.misc was mainly created to hold
those types of discussions.
Writers can post their ideas to one another on
alt.dragons-inn.misc while they post their stories to
alt.dragons-inn. This keeps alt.dragons-inn from being
cluttered with talk.
You should know that some writers elect to discuss their
characters and stories via e-mail or in chat rooms
because it affords them more privacy.
Don't be alarmed if you can't find alt.dragons-inn.misc
on any of the nntp news servers you connect to. Many of
them don't carry alt.dragons-inn.misc, probably because
of the low amount of traffic it gets.
2.6 Can I advertise on the newsgroup?
Sadly, it has become necessary to add an administrative note on
this topic. alt.dragons-inn and alt.dragons-inn.misc do not
welcome advertising. They do not welcome on-topic advertising.
They do not welcome off-topic advertising. Period.
Discussion of netiquette, especially regarding advertising or
spamming, can be found in the groups news.answers and
news.announce.newusers.
2.7 How do I post to the newsgroup?
It is assumed that you have some understanding of Usenet. Any
newsreader will do when it comes to reading or posting a
message. There are many freely available news readers (I like
WinVN).
Of course, you must have access to an nntp news server that
carries the newsgroup alt.dragons-inn. Most ISP's will provide
you with an nntp server to connect to. If you don't have one,
try using some of the public access nntp servers at
http://home1.gte.net/docthomp/servers.htm.
You can also read newsgroups through your web browser by using
the services at http://www.newsguy.com or http://www.deja.com.
If you don't understand what was just said, don't worry. Usenet
is easy to learn, but you'll have to read about it in another
FAQ. There are many downloadable FAQs on the web that cover
Usenet. Read one and it will teach you all the necessary basics.
To get started, try reading some of the material found at
http://www.newsguy.com/intro.htm.
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3. How to play
3.1 What's the first thing I should do to get involved?
The first thing you need to do is read this FAQ. It covers
all the basic information about the Dragon's Inn newsgroup.
You may want to lurk on alt.dragons-inn a while to get a feel
for how things work and to see what possible storylines might
be opening up for you to participate in.
Once you feel ready, you'll need to create a character.
3.2 How do I create a character?
This is the first step. To write a story you will need
characters and the creation process is simple. You can make
any kind of character you wish save that you cannot create
or use a character from a book or movie. Read question 3.3
of this FAQ for a better explanation.
Want to write a human or elf? Fine. Want to play a fairy, noble
lord, vampire, fair maiden, peasant, or dragon? That's fine too.
This is a fantasy setting. You can make up an entirely new
creature and play/write it, but try to be reasonable.
Understand that it may be difficult to join a story if you
create a character that is very powerful. Super powerful
characters with limitless abilities can become tiresome to
those who try to interact with them. Example, the godlike
character takes over and solves every problem that arises. As
such, the other characters are overshadowed. This is a perfect
formula for boredom.
This does not suggest that your character shouldn't have some
strengths or talents. Read some existing posts and you will see
what we mean. You'll read about characters that have weaknesses,
faults, good qualities and bad qualities. These make the most
interesting characters.
Consider adding a touch of personality. Is the character gruff,
trusting, suspicious, cruel, stern, friendly, etc.? You may
want to add a bit of color; some eccentricities or quirks, if
you will.
Now you've created a very viable character! You need not
define every nuance or detail. Develop the character as you
write/go along and interact with other characters.
You'll find these traits are best developed within the
context of interaction with other characters. The very best
characters aren't static. They evolve, grow, and change.
3.3 I really want my character to be an incarnation of
Raistlin, Vanyel, or Rand Al'Thor. Can I make a character
like this?
You should realize that the characters and worlds created
by published authors like Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman,
Mercedes Lackey, Robert Jordan, and many others are
copyrighted. Such writers are, and must be, vigilant about
protecting their material from unauthorized use by others.
In fact, the newsgroup has occasionally received posts
from published authors requesting that their copyright be
respected.
So, what does this mean? Think of Weis, Hickman, Lackey,
and Jordan as fellow players of the Dragon's Inn, and apply
the same rules that must be observed regarding the characters
of other players. Question 3.7 of this FAQ explains these
rules but the most important one is to not use anyone else's
characters, storylines, or creations without that player's
permission. This is simply a matter of respecting the
integrity of a character or concept created by someone else.
Besides, it's much more creative for the writer, and much more
interesting for the reader, to come up with an original
character.
3.4 Can I make more than one character?
Yes. You can have as many as you want.
3.5 I've made a character. Now what do I do?
Okay, you've got your character in mind. What's next? The
answer is that the character needs to be part of a story.
If there is an existing story that you'd like to join, it may
be full. So, it's best to contact (via private e-mail) a
player of the story that you want to join and ask if the story
has room for another writer. Don't try to join an existing
thread without permission from the people that write it.
In the alternative, show up at The Dragons Inn and introduce
your character there. If there are other characters present
then you can form your own adventure with them. If you have
an idea for your own storyline, have your character make an
announcement of some sort.
Keep your eyes open for other people posting to the Inn
itself. If another person's character asks for companions for
an adventure, have your character approach them. It's
probably best to send your response via email too, since
some news servers can be incredibly slow.
3.6 Do I have to start my character at the Inn?
No. If you'd like a more creative way for your character to
appear than merely showing up at the Inn, simply begin your
character's story someplace else. There is nothing wrong with
that. You can write a series of posts that outline the
character's past, leading up to their appearance on Ifreann.
This is an outstanding way to catch the interest of other
players. They may perceive your character's background as the
seed for an exciting future adventure.
3.7 What rules do I have to obey?
There are a few common courtesy rules that must be obeyed.
Most are matters of etiquette and grounded in common sense.
- Don't do anything to anyone else's character without the
other player's permission. This principle is the heart of
The Dragon's Inn. You don't own another person's characters.
Therefore, you should not try to affect them without approval.
It doesn't matter if your character is the most powerful deity
ever to exist and my character is a lowly ditch-digger. Your
deity can't hurt, brainwash, capture, or rob my ditch-digger
without my permission.
Likewise, you can't invade a city or country that was created
by someone else without clearing it with the other person first.
In short, contact the other person via email and ask if they'll
agree to your idea. If they decline, then you will have to find
something else to do.
You wouldn't appreciate it if someone sent a story to the
newsgroup that described the death of your character without
clearing it with you first. The Dragon's Inn newsgroup does
not work like that. Trust and an honor system is the order
of the day.
- No fighting in the Red Dragon's Inn, no matter how powerful
your character may be. The Inn is neutral ground, not to
mention the de facto starting point for new players. Whatever
you do, the Inn is not to be destroyed, trashed, damaged, or
harmed in any way. To better write your characters inside the
Inn, visit the web site to learn about the powerful magic wards
that protect the Inn. Basically, anybody that turns violent gets
wrapped in a magical bubble.
- Many writers have to cease participation in a story. If you
have to back out of a thread, please inform any other players
you are involved with so a way can be found to easily remove
your character from the story.
3.8 I really want to write another character's
dialog/actions/thoughts. That kind of thing was allowed
in other online games and it should be allowed here!
Other roleplaying venues have different rules. Here, the
default rule is that each individual player decides what
his/her character says, thinks, feels, does, etc. You can
only interfere if the other player gives his/her consent.
Now, if you are in charge of a thread, and you want to give
the thread's participants the leeway to write things for
other people's characters, make sure that everyone agrees
to that approach. Please realize that this method is not
the norm. As always, ask the other players, and please be
gracious enough to respect their decision not to adopt
this method.
3.9 Say I decide to stop playing. Can other writers
play/write my character?
No. Not without your permission. Conversely, you should not
attempt to take over or use an inactive thread or character.
They were created by someone else and belong to that person.
Just because the creator doesn't have time to take part in the
Dragon's Inn newsgroup does not allow you to use an absent
writer's creations. This is a trust/honor system. We expect
you to do your part in this regard.
3.10 I'm really into role playing, and my character hates
another player's character. Can I go ahead and hurt/kill the
other person's character?
No. Not without permission from the other character's owner.
It is inappropriate to injure other people's creations,
whether they be a character, place, house, or whatever.
Reread question 3.7 of this FAQ.
3.11 What are the mechanics of writing a thread?
There are a couple ways to actually go about writing a
storyline. First is the free-for-all, post-directly-to-the-
newsgroup method. When you want to add to the story you're in,
just send a message directly to the newsgroup. You may want to
email a copy of the post to the other participants of the
story.
Another method is the to make a draft of the post via email.
All the players participating in a thread circulate the post
among themselves, adding to it as they go along. When the
post reaches a suitable length, it is sent to the newsgroup,
and everyone starts working on the next part of the story.
This method allows greater coordination, helps to eliminate
plot inconsistencies, and makes it possible for readers to
see a sizable portion of the story all at once (i.e., they get
to read a much longer piece of writing rather than snippets).
Which is the best? Neither, really. All that matters is what
the writers of the storyline feel most comfortable with.
Threads seem to work best when 3 to 5 people are involved.
This is not a hard and fast rule, just simple logistics.
Having more than 6 people to a story can be very difficult
to coordinate, not to mention time consuming.
3.12 I really want my character to meet another player's
character!
Fine, but contact that player via e-mail to arrange the
meeting. The other player may not have time to write such
a meeting this instant and is under no obligation to do
such a meeting if he/she does not want to.
3.13 I posted my character to the Inn, but everybody ignored
me. What now?
Patience and persistence are virtues. Players may be committed
to other stories. It can take time to join or assemble a team,
and you may find yourself in for a wait.
Expect players to disappear after a few posts. Many players
realize that the Dragon's Inn doesn't hold their interest, and
some don't have time to stay current with it. You may have to
make several attempts to find a storyline that actually makes
it out of Montfort and on its way to fulfilling its quest.
Also, the thread might peter out for lack of participation
after it is launched. This is a fairly common occurrence. Most
importantly, don't give up.
3.14 What's the policy on violence, swearing, explicit
sexuality, etc.?
Well, there is no secret cabal or ratings board that sits in
the shadows and passes judgment on the material you post to
alt.dragons-inn. Keep in mind that some of the people that
frequent the Dragon's Inn are age 14 or under.
If you feel that a disclaimer/warning is appropriate for
material, we ask you to place it in the body of the message
and not in the subject header.
We assume that everyone is capable of using their own good
judgement.
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4. Ifreann: The Setting
4.1 What about the Inn, Montfort, and surrounding areas?
Curious about the setting? Details about the Dragon's Inn, the
town of Montfort, and other places can be found on the web site.
Remember, you are under no obligation to stick with the setting
material presented on the web site. If it creates problems for
you, ignore it.
Most of the material on the site is presented as is. Use it if
you like. However, some of the places and characters are not
open to public use. These private areas were created by another
writer and cannot be used by you without the owner's permission.
Ask if you are not sure if a creation is public or private.
Some public creations:
The Red Dragon's Inn
Montfort
The Golden Griffon Inn
Some private creations:
The Bard's Hall
The Tower Guard
The PanDaemonica
The Montfort Mime
Temple of Sh'aljien
Ingraham
Jord
Morrow's Hold
Shalidar lands
Claremont
If you want your story to affect the setting, understand
that other writers do not have to acknowledge any events
that you write, especially if such events make drastic
changes to the setting (i.e. blow up Montfort).
4.2 Is there an existing, predefined pantheon?
No. Even if there was, you are under no obligation to use such
gods in your own stories.
4.3 Can I use my own gods and deities?
Absolutely! Please do, but remember that other writers don't
have to acknowledge any gods you create.
4.4 Can I add a shop, guild, etc. to an existing city or town?
Yes, as long as the city or town is open to public use. If
the place is private then you must obtain permission from
the city's/town's creator.
4.5 I want to create my own city or town and place it on the
map. Can I do that?
By all means! Contact plan...@hotmail.com and I will TRY to
add it to the existing maps. Also, your creation doesn't have
to be on the map to exist.
4.6 If I set a storyline in Montfort, do I have to get
anyone's permission to do that?
No. Referring back to question 4.1, Montfort is a public
area. If you want to set your thread in Montfort, you are
free to do so without asking anyone's permission as long
as you follow the rules. Read question 3.7 for the rules.
Keep in mind that some of Montfort's features are not
public but private. As of 7-7-2000 some of these player
controlled creations include, but are not limited to, the
Coliseum, the Montfort Mime, the Inebridee Brewery, the
Montfort Armory, and the Temple of Sha'ljien.
There is a lot of detritus in Montfort, left over from old
storylines that are now defunct or long-standing storylines
that are currently dormant. If a thread or character has
been inactive for a while, don't assume that it is
available for public use the same way the Dragon's Inn is
public. Ask their creator for permission to use them.
4.7 I checked the web site and there isn't much detail on
the cities and towns. Is anything being done about this?
Some work is being done but it isn't anywhere near complete.
If you would like to add some detail just send your
suggestions to dwo...@dragons-inn.org or
plan...@hotmail.com.
4.8 I want to build my own house/tower/castle. Can I?
Of course!
4.9 I love technology. Can my character use a gun?
Yes, but remember that the general flavor of the setting is
oriented towards swords and sorcery. You can be denied
admission to another player's story if guns and cannons just
don't fit in.
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5. Miscellaneous
5.1 The web site is outdated. What gives?
Sorry but the web site's maintainers are often busy with
other things (jobs, school, projects). Send an e-mail to
dwo...@dragons-inn.org or plan...@hotmail.com and we will
fix the problem when we can.
5.2 I don't think I am a good writer.
It can be kind of scary to put your writing out on a public
forum where it is open to criticism (both valid and invalid).
The point of The Dragon's Inn is not to produce publishable
material, though there are some folks here who can come pretty
close to publishable quality.
On this newsgroup, the goal should be to have some fun
writing with other people, to develop characters, and to
concoct plots to entertain one another.
Yes, you may very well be criticized by some people who
don't think your writing or characterization is up to snuff,
but don't let that scare you off. The more you write, the
better you'll get. And though there will always be those who
feel the need to throw their two cents worth in, remember
that it isn't your job to entertain those folks. If they
don't like the job you're doing, they simply should not read
what you write, and do their own writing to impress us all
with their superior skills.
5.3 I have a disagreement with another player.
Don't we all, eventually? The long-term participants in
this newsgroup pride themselves on creating and maintaining
an environment for entertaining roleplay/storytelling. This
means an environment where insults, shouting, flames, if they
occur at all, only take place in the realm of private email.
If you have issues with another player, keep them out of the
newsgroup unless the disagreement involves an issue common
to the newsgroup as a whole.
5.4 Can I list my character or thread on the web site?
You can place a short description of your character or thread
on the web site using some tools that have been placed there.
As of 7-7-2000 these tools appear to be working.
Beware, as stated in question 3.13, people often leave the
newsgroup, and some of the characters or threads in the
registry may no longer be active.
5.5 I have more questions. Who should I ask?
Want or need more information? Send your questions to
dwo...@dragons-inn.org, talo...@maniac.deathstar.org,
stor...@deathstar.org, or plan...@hotmail.com. You can
also try asking the entire newsgroup by posting your questions
to alt.dragons-inn.misc. The folks on the newsgroup itself
almost always stand ready to help out newcomers.
If your nntp news server doesn't carry alt.dragons-inn.misc
then go ahead and post your question to alt.dragons-inn.
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