Absit Omen RPG

Getting Started!

Now that your character biography has been approved, one of the first things you can do is set up your member board and account the way you'd like. Feel free to update this information as you play!

• Member Board: Your member board contains your approved character biographies and additional character information, such as networks, descriptions of your character's home or business, photo galleries, etc. You can also store some of these things on the wiki! It's up to you. Refer to this guide for how to customize your member board.
  
  
• Account Profile: You can add an avatar image, signature, and personal text (any text below your avatar) on your account profile page. Your profile has a sidebar for your character stamp, biography link, network link, threads, member board, and plot tracking. Go to your account profile (the tab at the top of the site), then 'modify profile', then 'forum profile'. Copy and paste the urls in the appropriate fields, then click 'change profile'.
  
  

Site Culture & Out-of-Character Involvement

• Posting Etiquette: Adjusting to the site culture and getting to know other writers can be a very rewarding part of role-playing. Read Posting Etiquette to get a good feel for how we organize and start threads, and how we treat godmoding, metagaming, posting order, and post length.
  
  
• Out-of-Character Board: We have a whole board dedicated to out-of-character fun! Many members enjoy starting discussions, displaying their art and other hobbies, and participating in games.
  
  
• Discord: Discord is open to everyone (members and guests) and it's located at the bottom of the main page.
  
  

Navigating the Site & Following News and Plots

• News: We post news and announcements in several ways! Our announcements and polls go in the News board. These threads get a blurb on the main page of the site. We post regular Fortnight Fliers, which contain snippets of our latest news and plots, information about upcoming events and the timeline, and plot summaries. Using twitter (located in the sidebar of the main page), we announce news, highlights, and new character biographies.
  
  
• Plots and Resources: We discuss and brainstorm plots in the Plot Development board. Most of our actual plot information is at our wiki under Chapters. The Wiki's Compendium houses articles that add to the setting and depth of the game (new spells, new brooms, Ministry culture, etc). All members are welcome to register and edit the wiki! Just check out How to Use the Wiki.
  
  If you've started an open thread or you're looking to jump into one, see the Open Thread directory!  You can also post in I Need You! if you're looking for someone to fill a specific role in your character's life or in a plot.
  
  
• SMF Site Features: SMF (Simple Machines Forum) is the forum software we use for the site. Please refer to our formatting guide for help.
  
  Absit Omen has several custom mods to help with organization and account management, as explained in Site Features.

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Getting Started With Your Character

• Character Development: Your member board can hold many character extras, and you can use the wiki for some character information. We also have a board just for Character Development. These are optional resources for fleshing out your character:
  
  
  • Avatar Registry: Claim a face or draw someone to represent your character.
  • Character Networks: List character connections and post in other members' networks.
  • Residences and Businesses: Apply for a board for your character's home or business.
  • Character Stamps: Like mini signatures, character stamps are displayed on the left-hand side of posts.
    
    

• Wiki Resources: The wiki is another great resource for weaving your character into the greater fabric of Absit Omen.  Once your first character has been approved for play, feel free to request a wiki account and jump in!

• Register an Account: Contact a Curator or Wiki Supervisor with your chosen username and an email address to create an account and get started!   If you are unsure how to use the wiki, you can also submit information on the SMF board using the Sign Ups & Submissions thread.
• Character Pages: Create a wiki page for your character and upload an avatar!
• NPC Registry: Create a wiki page for the non-player characters that enrich your character's life.
• Generations and Alumni Records: See the graduating classes of Hogwarts and other wizarding schools, and add your character to the list.
• Absit Omen Families and Adoptions: See the families that make up AO, adopt a character, and contribute to the list with your own character information.
• Auror Case Files:  See the current plots involving the Ministry's brave witches and wizards in crimson!

• Hogwarts Resources:  Writing at Hogwarts is a huge part of the Absit Omen experience!  We maintain a variety of records to help out Hogwarts students and professors, including:

• Hogwarts Wiki Page: Info about clubs, Quidditch, and castle life.
• The Hogwarts Cast: View special titles (Prefects, Quidditch captains) and roles.
• House Points: Where professors can deduct/add points.
• Hogwarts Classes Guide: Read over professor and student expectations and tips.
• Class Rosters: What each class is like and who is in it.
• Class Schedules: Class times.
• Class Updates: Professors post links to their current classes.

• In-Character: Need a break from traditional threads? Here are some other in-character ways to develop your character:

• Pensieve: A look into your character's past.
• Gossip and Rumors: Post true or untrue stories about your characters (or others')
• Correspondence: Owls, notes, memos!
• Character Journals: Diaries and logs.
• All members are encouraged to submit an article to the Daily Prophet and other publications!
  
  

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Want to Create More Characters?

• If you've made ten in-character posts with your first character, feel free to submit another biography! As explained in Characters & Activity, you have eight character spots before you have to ask a curator for permission to create more.