Player Characters
All players start with playing one CharGen Neonate PC and up to a maximum of 3 mortal PCs. After 3 months of activity a player may create a second vampire PC. This second vampire can be a Childe (via the IC embrace or a mortal PC), a Neonate (via CharGen) or a Feature.
All Players can have up to 2 vampire Alts. All Staffers can have up to 3 vampire Alts. No one plays more than 1 Ancilla Feature PC.
Embracing Alts
Q: I've been playing my Mortal newspaper reporter and I think she's about to get embraced. I already have two vampire characters on the grid. What do I do?
A: The general policy on this MUSH is that everyone may play a vampire, but no player may run more than two vampire PCs (this is stated quite clearly in the Introduction and Multiple Character policies).
This means that while you are welcome to run mortal alts and ghoul alts (provided that they are not ghouls of your own vampire PC and otherwise minimize potential conflicts of interest), you may never run more than two vampire PC's unless it is for a very limited duration and approved in advance by staff.
So. If your mortal alt seems likely to be embraced, it is your responsibility to take appropriate steps to ensure that you stay within the two vampire limit. This might mean that the alt doesn't survive the embrace, or goes mad and kills itself, or gets bloodhunted immediately and leaves town (or gets killed). Alternatively, you may decide you prefer to play a newly embraced vampire and make arrangements for one of your other vampire PCs to leave the game. Communication with staff is important - keep them informed.
Setting your Main Character
When you have Multiple Characters you must set one of them as 'MAIN'.
| +setmain <player> | +setmain changes one of your alternate characters to be your main character instead. You must use this command from your main character, and <player> must be one of your alternates. Your main character must not be a vampire for this to work. Your main character becomes an alternate character, and the specified alternate becomes your main character. |
Multiple PC-Alt Restrictions
Independent of the requirements set forth in the CharGen files, Architects are privileged to impose restrictions upon additional characters by the same player to ensure that characters belonging to the same player do not interact with each other or otherwise create the potential for a conflict of interest. In general, players of multiple characters are obliged to adhere to the following common-sense guidelines:
PC-Alt Guidelines
1) In order to avoid conflicts of interest between PC alts, one Alt will NOT:
- be part of the same clan, the same faction or the same coterie as the other Alt
- have the same allies or enemies as the other Alt
- share IC-information with the other Alt, be it acquired via RP, rumor, coded investigations or otherwise
- pursue the same plots as the other Alt
- attend the same scenes as the other Alt
- spread or add to the rumors or propaganda of the other Alt
- undertake actions or make decisions that will affect the other Alt, or its direct allies/enemies in ways that are beneficial.
2) In essence, it is the players own responsibility to ensure that conflict of interest between Alts does not occur. Similarly, players should aim to prevent conflicts of interests between the alts of other players.
3) When conflict of interests arises, or players find themselves unable to adhere to the above guidelines, they are obliged to inform and consult with Staff in order to find a solution. Architects are empowered to approve temporary exceptions to the above.
4) When the above guidelines are transgressed without staff-approval such will be considered cheating and sanctions will follow. Players that are caught breaking the rules will not be considered for Features, and can be denied the right to play a second vampire for an indefinite period of time.
Non Player Characters
Some Staffers or players will be asked to play NPCs. There are no limits to the number of NPCs, other than the amount the NPC Actor can manage.
NPC-Alt Restrictions
NPC Actors are expected to adhere to the requirements as set forth in the NPC files. Due to NPC management and monitoring, NPC-Alt restrictions are less severe than PC-Alt restrictions. Still, basic conflicts of interest should be avoided by the following common-sense guidelines:
a) NPC Actors will do their very best to be discriminate in what their PC can know IC-ly.
b) NPC Actors will try not to use their NPC to forward their PC's goals or opinions.
c) Actors will aim to keep their NPCs and PCs separate. They should not pursue the same plots, alliances/enmities or attend the same scenes.
d) Exceptions to the above can be made for the sake of IC-consistency. However, when conflicts of interest arise, or when a NPC needs to make a decision that affects the Actor's PC, the Actor should consult with Staff.
