FAQ

[iterumadmin]

Frequently Asked Questions

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❖ Basics
What sort of game is this?

Iterum is an invite-only pan-fandom roleplay game featuring elements of horror, mystery and science fiction with options to interact in both log and network formats. Taking place in the City, characters will be guided through the disturbing ups and downs of day-to-day life through in-game events and smaller plots run by both moderator and player alike.

Characters arrive in the City by a means unknown to them or anyone they might ask that resides there. While there is speculation as to the purpose they are there for, no one really seems to know what that reason is. One thing is for certain and that is the City itself stays shrouded in mystery, even though it seems that there are some people that have more information about the history of it than others do.

Is this a reboot or remake of Bete Noire and City of Sin?

In a sense, yes. City of Sin had been an unofficial spinoff of Bete Noire and saw many characters move from the original game to the new setting with their memories still very much a part of them. Iterum is a City of Sin redux and welcomes back characters from both settings while inviting new ones.

Will there be Magistrate NPCs in this game, too?

Yes, mostly new ones, but there might be a couple of familiar faces that veteran characters may recognize!

What kinds of characters do you accept?

Canon, AU, and CRAU characters are permitted across all fictional canon sources. This means books, movies, tv shows, video games and web series. Malleable protagonists are also accepted as long as they have sufficient history to meet the application requirements.

Original Characters are accepted from both original and fandom worlds with the stipulation that there are no direct ties to any central or supporting character within the canon.

we will not be accepting reservations for characters whose canons are less than three months old. This includes OCs and AUs for that canon.

In the event that you play a character that has been played at another time by someone else, a first come, first serve basis will apply.

We do not accept real-life people, multiple's, characters with canons that are less than one month old, or characters under the age of 18, due to the nature of the game.

What is AC like?

Activity check takes place from the 1st to the 7th. In order to remain in the game, players are required to submit 15 proofs per month in either network or log format over no more than three (3) threads. These can be used in prior month logs, however, the submitted replies must take place in the month being checked.

There will be no warning list. Anyone who does not post to AC by the time it closes on the 7th will be considered idle and removed.

Players on hiatus of two weeks or longer during the month being checked are exempt and do not need to reply to the AC post. New characters who are accepted during the last application round will only need to respond with a check-in.

A strike can be requested for players who are unable to meet AC. However, in order to clear the strike, 20 comments must be submitted during the next activity check, barring any extenuating circumstances, of course.

Is there a game cap? What about cast caps?

The game will be capped at 80 characters with no more than 6 characters per canon permitted. Players may only play one character per canon.

At this time, there will not be a limit to how many characters you can play at once. However, if a player wishes to bring in a new character while struggling with activity with their current load or chronic hiatuses are taken then the mods reserve the right to decline any further applications until more consistency in the game is met.

How do reserves and applications work?

Both reserves and applications are always open.

In order to submit an application, you must have a reserve and an invitation. The latter can be gifted by a player already in the game or by one of the mods.

How does time run in game?

The game is currently set at a 1:1 day ratio. One real-life day = one in-game day. There is a calendar to help people keep track of the passage of time, as well as mark upcoming plots and events and other dates that might be relevant to our player's interests.

❖ OOC Info
I want to bring a character into Iterum that was in Bete Noire/City of Sin. Do I have to submit a full application?

For the first month after the game's opening, players who were in one or both games will have the opportunity to return with a total of two characters of their choosing. They do not have to be the same ones they played in the past. If they are, they can come in canon fresh or with their CRAU memories from their time in the prior settings. Applications for these characters will be in a more condensed format and only request some basic information.

After the first month, full applications will be necessary to join the game for both old and new characters.

You mentioned this was an "invite-only" game. How do invitations work?

Characters who have previously been in Bete Noire or City of Sin will be given two character slots at the time the game opens. If the player wishes to extend one of those invites to someone they know, they may do so.

Earning invitations thereafter can be done after passing their activity check and may hold a maximum of two invitations at any time. Invitations cannot be stacked.

Do I need a reserve to put in an application?

Yes.

If there’s already a reserve up for the character I want to app in, can I submit a ‘challenge app’?

No. If there is already a reserve for the character you wish to play, you may only apply for that character if their reserve expires.

I want to apply for more than one character at one time! Can I do that?

While we appreciate your enthusiasm for the game, after the first month after the game opens we ask that players limit themselves to applying for one character per month.

I want to apply for a child character. They are very mature, and they come from an insanely violent and sinful world so the City wouldn't be different or traumatizing for them.

Child characters are not permitted under any circumstances. You may bring your character from a post-canon point where they have become an adult, although they will be counted as an AU version of the character. This rule was made based on the comfort level of the players and the moderators and is non-negotiable.

Can my character bring their pet/mount/animal companion into the game with them?

When applying for a character, please mention the presence and details of the companion. Requests are subject to review by the moderators and will be determined at the time of application.

Animal pets or companions that are sentient and could be applied for as characters in their own right will generally not be approved to be brought in. However, the line for a valid, "appable" character can be a gray one so these requests will be granted on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, if a character's pet dies it will not be resurrected through the normal player resurrection means.

Can my character bring their vast fortune with them from their home world?

Characters brought to Iterum will not be able to remotely access their accounts in their home universes. In addition, any currency they have on their person will not be valid in stores in the City, though there may be NPCs willing to exchange for a (high) cut of the proceeds.

If they have universally valuable items like precious metals and/or gems that were on their person at their time of arrival these can be sold. Prices that one can get for their items will not be as high as they would be in the character's home universe.

What kind of currency does the City use then?

They have their own version of the dollar. Just as with our various currencies, its worth varies on the strength of the economy in the City.

Can my character bring their universe-ending weapon with them / have use of their universe-ending abilities?

Short answer is no. We like this universe and it would ruin everyone's plans, not to mention end very poorly for your character. The moderators, in these cases, will modify weapons like they modify character powers so that they aren't as destructive or game-breaking. If you have questions with regard to your character, their powers or weapons, please drop a question below and the mods will get back to you as soon as they can.

❖ Setting
Who are the Magistrates?

The Magistrates are a group of NPCs who each run a district and who appear to collectively run the City. Please find more information on who each of the Magistrates are here.

How does my character arrive?

Characters wake up in the housing within the district that is themed after the sin you have chosen for them on their application. All characters arrive with only what they had on their person at the point they leave their canon. Keep in mind that there are certain obvious limitations here - please do not abuse what all your character could bring with them. In addition, it’s noted that some characters may have the ability to "access hammerspace", so to speak. In this case, we ask that characters not abuse the privilege, and maintain an even playing ground. If you have further questions, feel free to ask the moderators.

What is the in-game network like?

Upon arrival, each character receives a device not entirely unlike a cellular phone. This is the default for any characters with modern inclinations. For others, it will be a device that appears familiar to them. For example, a character from 2014 might find themselves with a generic-looking tablet-style device, while a character from closer to the turn of the century may find themselves with a flip phone complete with an antenna.

In the case of less modern characters, they will receive a handheld device that would be familiar to them and appropriate to the world that they came from. Examples of this might be a notebook, where all text messages are sent and received as written words, or a mirror where a character might be able to view other characters and speak to them through it. As a result, some devices might only send and receive voice or text, while others may have greater availabilities, such as video and games. We leave it up to players to determine what will work best for their characters.

Can the network be hacked?

Currently, no. The City will prevent anyone from doing so. Any attempts made will be worked around as characters try, cutting them off at every turn.

Does everyone speak the same language on arrival?

No, they do not, and this is important to remember. There is one exception to this, and that is if a character goes to the Tower District. Standing within the confines of the Tower District while broadcasting a message to the network will automatically be able to translate to English what that person is trying to communicate in their native language. In-person and through video format on the network, characters will still look as though they’re speaking another language, like a badly dubbed movie. There are services that will translate documents for a price and the Magistrates seem to be able to speak and make themselves understood in all languages.

How big is the City?

It is fairly large and takes approximately forty-five minutes to drive from one end to the other at the farthest points, with variances in traffic. With the Tower at the center, the radius of the City's edge is about 15 miles in all directions. There are further details on the World Information page.

Can my character leave the City?

There is nothing stopping them from driving, flying, sailing or walking out of the boundaries of the City, but everything seems to taper off into a formless gray void after a few hundred feet. If the character goes further than that, they will either find themselves turned around and heading back into the city of their own volition, or reappearing back where they started in between blinks.

The furthest location from the City currently is the Island, with a small border of lush rainforest that characters can travel into before the gray void sends them back again.

What happens if my character dies in-game?

Once a character dies in-game, they will appear very much dead. In fact, for all intents and purposes, they are. Death lasts for a minimum of 3 in-game days to a maximum of 5 from when they expire. From that point, your character will reappear either at their assigned housing in their district of arrival (whether or not they've subsequently moved), or in the morgue.

Where can my character live? Can they buy or move into a place that isn't the one that was assigned to them on arrival?

When your character arrives, they will wake up at their new residence in the district that pertains to the sin you have chosen for them.

They can choose to buy a new residence if they have the means, and they can move in with others or have people move in with them if they like. If they move, their original residence will still be available to them. Different districts have housing worth different amounts. Be realistic as to what your character may be able to afford. In general, homes in the various districts run from least to most expensive: Shantytown, the Red Lantern District, the Gardens of Pleasure, the Coliseum District, Leisurebrook, Finance Street, and the Tower District. The middle range tends to be fairly even and affordable, followed promptly by a sharp upward spike when it comes to the Tower unless it is the housing your character is originally assigned.

Further information on housing can be found on the Housing page.

Does my character have to pay for rent on their assigned house? What about food?

Assigned housing is always free. Only if a character chooses to move will they have to deal with paying for their new residence. The housing is fully furnished as applicable to the district: an apartment in the Tower District will likely be better furnished than one in the slums of Shantytown. As far as food goes, you're just going to have to work for it. However, everyone does receive a care package upon their arrival that should hopefully cover them for a little while. Long enough to get settled and get a job.

What if my characters "Sin" changes over time to something different than the one they arrived with?

If, over time, their basic "Sin" changes to something else, like a very prideful person is changed by their experiences in the City and becomes more wrathful instead, they will wake up one day in a residence in the district corresponding to their new sin. This should not fluctuate from day to day and be done at the player's discretion only if their character's fundamental nature has significantly changed over time. We also ask that players who wish to make this transition contact the moderators to clear it before making any changes.

Any further questions or clarifications may be asked by posting it below. Mods will get back to you with an answer when they are able.