User:Icebreed/Newbie Rules
Welcome to Alternate Dragonball Z!
AltDBZ, or Alt as we often call it, is a custom roleplaying system and setting. In it, we make characters who possess fantastic powers and do battle with one another, as well as with evil elements who descend on our version of Earth for its power. Please note that while the name of the room has "Dragonball Z" in it, and while our room was originally strongly based upon the story of that anime show, our room has undergone many incredible evolutions that leave us with very little in common. Almost any kind of genre can fit in, if properly modified, from medieval-esque knights to people piloting futuristic armored robots. Joining us is completely free; we gather on the chat site called Illusionary Minds Chat (IMC), in a private room called "Alt DBZ".
The AltDBZ system allows characters to be completely customizable, so long as they respect the balance of the room. You can define everything about your character, from what race they come from, to where they draw their power from, all the way down to the abilities and traits that make them titans of battle. Because of this incredible freedom, our system can sometimes be complicated and complex. This guide is intended to help introduce new players to the sometimes daunting rules, settings, and nuances that our more veteran players negotiate with ease. If at any point you are confused by something this guide or the rules states, feel free to contact a member of the room staff, and they will be more than happy to assist you. Even most of the players in the room are friendly enough to lend a helping hand, if you ask nicely.
This guide assumes that you have already made an account on IMC, that it has been approved, and that you have figured out how to participate in our chatroom.
Understanding the World
Before we consider the first character you make, you should understand the world the character will be entering into. By "world", in this case, I mean the greater universe of AltDBZ. It is easy to forget that not all settings are the same. What may exist in one RP world may not in ours, and while some things may sound similar, they may be actually be very different.
Earth
Alt is centered and revolves around the planet Earth. If you click that link (you may want to open it in another tab or window), you will get a semi-organized, informational page about our Earth. It is very different from the real Earth. In fact, the real Earth shares no geography in common with our Earth, though they are presumed to be about the same size. There are other planets defined in our setting, such as New Vegeta and New Namek, but these planets are so rarely RPed on that it is generally arranged ahead of time. You should not keep your character in those places unless you have an understanding with other players to play there.
Earth still has a moon (which has occasionally been destroyed and then re-created through various powerful events), and the other planets in its solar system are the same as those in the real Earth's system.
Humans are not the only sentient species native to Earth, though they are the significant majority. Next in line of populousness are the "demihumans", which are basically people who resemble mammals such as dogs, foxes, cats, bears, pigs, and so on. Some people in real life would call such people "furries" or "anthros". There are also Elves, but they live in a tiny society that usually keeps to itself and hides from the rest of the world, so Elven characters are rare. Many strange creatures and terrible monsters live throughout the world, but they generally leave the populated areas alone.
Earth has four major continents: Cardinal, D'hennex, Azshar, and Alaris. About 90% (the vast majority) of all RP happens somewhere in Cardinal. It is somewhat equivalent in culture to the real United States of America, or other similar country. However, there are also many differences.
Cardinal
Cardinal's landmass is taken from what all of Earth used to be, in the Dragonball canon. For those who are not familiar with the show, Cardinal is a vast land that is mostly untamed. There are five major cities, not unlike real metropolises. Four of the cities are named after the primary compass directions -- North City, West City, East City, and South City. The fifth city is by far the largest, the super-city Central Capital. Each has its own feel and culture, like a different part of the world, but in all of the cities a single language is spoken. Since there is no "England", people do not speak English, but instead the language is referred to as "common." RP in Cardinal frequently takes place in West City -- the technological city, where many major corporations are headquartered -- or Central Capital, the seat of the government's power, and where the majority of people in Cardinal live. An assortment of smaller cities and settlements exist, spread all over the multi-climate continent, but they are rarely remembered. The currency in Cardinal is the "Zenny". It is equivalent to a penny.
There is a higher level of technology in Cardinal than what we have in real life, but it is not as invasive as ours is. Many people drive hovering cars, though normal cars also exist. Space travel is possible, but it is entirely private, and so it is available only if you are very rich, own your own spaceship, or have special access. Please note that all of these things need to be noted when you apply for a character, and may not necessarily be allowed, depending on what you ask for. Most people carry around "PADs" or "Pods", which are something like our real iPhones and Droid-enabled smartphones, only they tend to have a great deal more computing and access ability, as they often rely on futuristic or super-powered sources to communicate and process. The company Empirical Industries is a massive entity that controls much of Cardinal's economy, supplying the PADs and owning several private and highly secure space colonies on planets in Earth's solar system. They administer the "Portal" system, which has replaced some mass transit systems wholesale by way of magical portals that can take you to any connected destination, including to other planets, by simply stepping through. The company Capsule Corporation is an entity that came from Dragonball canon, famous for inventing the technology that can make entire houses compact down to the size of a large pill, and then redeploy again without any damage or loss in function. They also are behind the "Pods". Finally, there is a space station called ARCHIE III that processes visitors to Earth from other worlds, as there is no proper spaceport on the planet itself.
Cardinal has a military, but it is mostly ignored because their technology, however advanced, generally does not approach how powerful and fast characters are. Cardinal almost never has to worry about other nations attacking it, as most of the other places in the world have their own problems and generally ignore Cardinal.
The "Power Wielder" Culture
Characters in Alt are generally considered to be "power wielders" (as opposed to normal people, who power wielders refer to as "mortals"), which simply means they are powerful enough to hold their own in super-powered combat. Such people can move so fast that ordinary people can only see them seem to disappear and appear elsewhere, when they have slowed. They can cause so much damage with their power that, left unrestrained, entire cities can fall, mountain ranges can crumble, and even the planet itself can be imperiled. Such damage is kept in check by honorable and dutiful power wielders who feel obliged to stop more chaotic elements before they can get started. This mostly applies to the major cities, where power wielders tend to gravitate. They are augmented by Cardinal's Ranger Guard, who are a paramilitary force of power wielders who make their entire living from defending Cardinal's people from rogue power wielders, as well as policing all power wielders to ensure they do not get carried away with their powers, by accident or otherwise. There is a tension between heroic power wielders and the rest of the nation. The freelancing power wielders often wish to act as they wish, which may sometimes cause collateral damage to the cities, so long as the villain is defeated and lives are saved. The Ranger Guard, and indeed, the majority of Cardinal's mortal residents feel they are obligated to fight discreetly and should be punished if their powers bring harm to the city or its people. Because there are many more freelancers than Rangers, however, there is an uneasy truce between the two groups, especially since the Rangers tend to draw the less skilled and weaker power wielders to their fold.
Power wielders are a tiny minority of the people. In Cardinal, there are hundreds of millions of people, but probably not more than a few hundred power wielders. However, because of their enormous strength, they are considered a significant demographic in Cardinal. They are often drawn to one another. This happens sometimes simply because the energies they use can be sensed by others even when they're not using it. Other times, it is a matter of showing up for the same activities, pursuing the same interests, or of course, showing up to stop the same bad guy. There is a natural inclination to fight, or at least to become good at fighting, if for no other reason than to allow self-protection. For that reason, the Bastion was created -- an extremely sturdy, multi-chambered arena where power wielders can gather, socialize, and most importantly, test and grow their powers in a safe environment. More anti-social characters often drag their friends or associates out to the boonies, where they can thrash wildlife and landscapes with relative impunity. There are few associations of power wielders in the world, other than the Ranger Guard, but they do exist, if one knows where to look for them.
Even though Cardinal has a general modern feel, the power wielders drawn to it and raised in it are full of genre-twisting surprises. Many use old fashioned weapons like swords or bows that are either very specially made, or are steeled by a character's own powers. Some rely on guns and technological energy. Some do not need weapons, and rely on reality-bending mental powers, or are powerful mages who call upon deep energies of the cosmos to bring destruction to their enemies. The ways that power wielders fight are nearly as numerous as the power wielders themselves.
There are many other setting elements for you to explore, but for the sake of introducing you to Alt, this will suffice. Visit the Main Page if you are curious.
