We've heard from players more than once that they appreciate the consistency of the Warden's Vigil world and they like the rigorous application process. One of the main things we focus on in the profile approval process is the logic inherent in the profile, for a very good reason.
Adhering to logic makes a fantasy world more believable. If the fantasy world is believable, it's easier to immerse oneself within it. And if that happens, the roleplay experience is more satisfying and engrossing.
Players can't disregard logic once their application is approved. Your responsibility as an accepted member of Warden's Vigil is to help maintain the believability and suspension of disbelief on the boards, and this is done by ensuring that your roleplay makes sense.
Character[]
Your character must relate to events on the boards in a manner that is logical given their personality and history. A devout character, for example, should not instantly turn away from their religion on a whim without ample support and build-up to this event. A character should not act as though another character, with whom they've roleplayed for less than one thread, is their best friend/significant other/confidante, unless this was a relationship agreed upon in advance and assumed to have been already in place.
Often, we want characters to act in a certain way or make specific decisions based on wishes the player has, not the character. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but nudging a character in a particular direction based on these wishes still must be logical from an in-character perspective.
As a player, you have a responsibility to be true to your character and roleplay them as being in-character at all times. We each put pieces of ourselves into our characters, but the characters should be separate entities.
Lore[]
Because Dragon Age is not set firmly in a real-world timeframe, we have some freedom to play around with what exists in this world, within reason and within established lore. A general rule of thumb is that if it didn't exist in medieval times, it should not appear in Thedas.
There have been exceptions to this rule in the past, and we will likely continue to make exceptions in the future. We're willing to be flexible on the creation or availability of certain items, as long as there is a logical reason for them to exist. An example of this is alcohol. While some of the alcohol we refer to may not have existed in medieval times, it is far easier to use and remember the real-world names of various alcohols than create Thedasized versions.
To play on WV, members need a good understanding of the Dragon Age universe. We don't expect everyone to be experts, but there are plenty of resources available to help you research and make decisions about what you should and should not include in your posts. The Dragon Age Wiki, for example, is one site you should have bookmarked. We've also compiled a significant amount of WV-specific information on the Warden's Vigil Wiki.
Some areas of lore where logic is particularly needed:
- NPC creation. When creating NPCs, make sure that their race meshes with their occupation. Because they are a warlike race, a Qunari would not be a non-weapons oriented merchant, and you would not likely encounter one in Ferelden. An elf, with the exception of one in Highever, would not be an official guard or knight.
- Creating locations. Environs, such as an inn, have limitations. Remember that only castles and very upscale establishments would have private bathing rooms for each suite. It would be more common to see a bathtub in the main room or to have a bathing room for the entire inn. No rooms would have a stove, though they would have fireplaces for heating purposes.
- Markets and food. Markets can be an enjoyable outing for characters, to shop and discover new items, but remember to keep the availability of items logical. In winter, Ferelden markets will not have fresh fruit of any kind. In the growing season, the only fresh fruit they would have would be what is in season at the time. Since Ferelden is not a tropical climate, tropical fruits will rarely, if ever, be available, because they would not survive the transport. Fresh meat may be for sale, but meat will more often be salted. Fresh fish will be available only in coastal towns, or towns located close to a lake or river. Salted fish may be available in towns a greater distance away.
- History. Make sure that whatever history you refer to in your posts is referenced on the Dragon Age Wiki or fits in with established history. If you wish to modify or added to established history, you must contact the moderating team with your proposal.
- Music. If you are in a tavern, or have a character who is a musician, there is likely to be music as part of your posts. Because music is such an important part of the 'feel' of a thread, it's especially important to ensure that you use something appropriate for the world of Thedas. For most people, Medieval era music is obscure at best, so using music from a different time period (Renaissance, perhaps Baroque or Classical even) might substitute adequately. Using music from the twentieth or even late nineteenth centuries of any style is too far from the feel and instruments of the world; you should work and do some research to find appropriate music.
As a player, you have a responsibility to uphold the lore of WV's version of Thedas. Before you make reference to something, make sure you do your research, both from a real-world perspective and a Dragon Age one. If, after conducting your research, you still have questions, please contact the moderating team.
We Need Your Help[]
Without the help of our players and their commitment to remaining in-character and logical, our version of Thedas becomes difficult to maintain. Lack of consistency can have a real impact on players' enjoyment of the site by affecting players' immersion and ability to suspend disbelief.
As an approved player on Warden's Vigil, we need your commitment to remaining true to your character and to the world in which you're playing. This means policing yourself and checking that the references you want to make in your next post are logical. If you have a question about another player's post and the logic they've employed, contact them to ask, or chat with one of the moderating team.
Together, we can ensure that the Thedas of Warden's Vigil is as close to a living, breathing entity as we can possibly make it.