What For Crown and Glory Is

Boiled down to the dregs of its essence, For Crown and Glory is an alternate-universe roleplay set in the middle ages (around the 1500's). It is a time of corsets, kings, lords and ladies, and, as always, scandal. It is a time where a man doesn't rise based on his merits, but who he is connected with and how ruthless he can be. If you are unfamiliar with the time period, some links are provided at the bottom of this post, leading to various webpages that might explain what's going on.

As a medieval roleplay, For Crown and Glory considers itself VERY realistic. There is no magic, no drugs or poisons that weren't around during the 1500's. Catholicism is, currently, the main religion and women often marry those they don't like who are twice as old as they are. It is a place, sadly enough, where commoners do not know how to read simply because there is no use for it for them.

The Community Here

Building on top of that, For Crown and Glory is a community (and I daresay, a family) that loves to plot with others and meet new people. No matter how long someone has been on For Crown and Glory, we treat them with respect and kindness and we consider them one of the family. Indeed, often we talk with each other OUTSIDE of For Crown and Glory, talking about our lives in general rather than just knowing each other for the sake of roleplay (really, you can pm me anytime as I love to talk to anyone about anything.)

We even play games with one another in the General Discussions forum. Some of them are in character and some of them are completely out. Don't be shy! Just jump right in! I promise we don't bite!

But There Are Requirements!

At For Crown and Glory, we like to have member's maintain a certain level of activity. It is required that a member posts one post per week per character. In other words, the more character you have, the more posts you will be required to make each week so that you maintain a level of activity that we prefer and admire on For Crown and Glory. If you find that you cannot continue this level of activity because of family events happening or just because life has suddenly hit you hard, we ask that you put a topic in the Absences Forum so that we are well aware of how long you will be gone and (if you would like to tell us) the reason why.

We also require that each post have a minimum of 400 words. This is simply because we hold the idea that the more you provide the other person with, the more they have to reply to and the easier they can reply. If you have any issues making this word count, the administrators (specifically, Riv) will make time to help you make the word count. After all, we want you to succeed and feel comfortable posting here and we fully believe that we can help instill confidence in you to be able to make the word count limit. We can also help pass along tips and hints to get that word count up.

If you are ever confused about how many words you have currently, Cait, an honorary administrator, has helpfully placed a word count box right beneath the box where you enter your post.

Registering, Joining, and Application Process

If you have decided to join, you will want to register. The best thing to do is pick out a canon character. Once you have picked one out (based, we hope, on a connection you feel to them, not because of the play by), register using the intended character's title, first name, and last name. Keep in mind that during this time, people didn't have middle names, just first and last names.

Once you have registered, post up a request to reserve a character in the Reservation thread. The reservation will then be placed into the list. Please be accurate in your idea of when you will be finished with the application. Keep in mind that the application process goes as followed:

Reservation: One and half weeks maximum of reserving a character.
Application creation: In four days, we need to see a rough draft of the application up and see that you are continuing to work on it so that we know you haven't lost interest in the character.
Application critique: This is where an administrator (the one that added their name to your form) will go and critique your application. Considered by all to be the roughest part of the application process, it is simply done to encourage quality over anything else and make sure that you are diving deep enough into the character and considereing all angles. After the critique is done, an administrator will post up the kinks and wrinkles in your app and how to fix them or they will give ideas on what might need to happen to make them even better. Rarely does anyone ever get past this stage WITHOUT a word from the administrators. After all, there has never been a perfect application.
Revision or Acceptance: Once the critique is over, the administrators will wait for word that you have revised the application. After this point, the administrator will continue to demand revisions OR will tell you that your character has been accepted and then move the character to a new area (the accepted characters area).

When you are finished with your application completely, we ask that you reply to your own application and tell us that it is finished. That way we know when to start the critiqueing process. Please keep in mind that our critiques are never anything personal. They are not intended for you to feel miserable or inadequate. Nor are they intended for you to feel as if we do not care about your feelings. Instead, they are simply done to show you what we are looking for and how your character can be improved (even if it's just to add some flaws to them.)


Help for the Application

Since we've probably scared you just now with our talk of applications and critiquing, it is probably best that you realize that if you need help AT ANY POINT, you can come to the administrators and ask for ideas or a preliminary run through before we even look over your application. We will be able then to provide you with what is already in our head as well as what you could further incorporate into the application. It is my own personal greatest wish that you see the adminstrators not as people out to get you, but just, instead, as people who want to help you in any way possible.

We are currently in love with people taking up canon characters at the moment. Any personality or appearance flaws we mention in the subplots and such are NOT to be discarded. They are there for a reason and thus are necessary in the character.

Things that we really like in an application are things such as going into detail. Going into detail is MASSIVELY important on this site. We consider ourselves an advanced site (or at least, the bottom rung of advanced) and want to continue that, even in applications. Though the application says minimum paragraph amounts, be sure to realize that even though it says minimum, we would LOVE it if you did more. In personality, especially, we want more since this is what makes your character a person rather than just another character. We like flaws as well, physical, mental, emotional and so on. Don't make your character into a Mary-Sue or Gary Stu, after all, otherwise, I will ask you to put flaws in there and if you don't, well, you're going to be asked to revise, revise, revise, until we find one in there. We don't want perfect people on the site but regular, normal people.

With appearance, it is the same. Some characters are noted for their beauty in the subplot. If they aren't, well, then, it up to you to decide what they look like. Just keep in mind that, once more, if there are no flaws, I will make you put some in there, whether it be a massive nose or a scar over their chest or small breasts or huge buttocks. Real people look, well, real, and I want to see that in your application.

If you have further questions, please pm Riv or Rose.

Then You Start

So you've gotten accepted. What now? On For Crown and Glory, probably the best way to get going is to post in the Whispers and Schemes forum. Give us an idea of what kind of plots you're looking for with your character by simply posting a topic there, saying what you want. Members will reply soon enough, offering up their characters and their own ideas for plots with yours. Whether or not you take them up on the offer is up to you. If you want to roleplay with someone in particular but they haven't replied to your post in Whispers and Schemes, you can always PM them and send them ideas.

Also, you might just want to start an open thread. An open thread is great as random people just jump in with you. Once more, don't be shy, we all want to play!


The Subplots

Speaking of plotting and scheming, you might have noticed something called Subplots on the board. Subplots are, basically, minature plots set within the whole of the board. They involve, usually, less than seven characters, and spin around those seven characters and their interactions with one another. Subplots are generally created by the administrators though members have been known to contribue in the past.*

In the case of a subplot, it usually gives the characters a starting point for roleplay. For example: in Subplot II, Act XII, four ladies and a poet are all involved. The event of them forming the Circle of Virgins has yet to happen and thus can be roleplayed. However, the event of them creating it and the events leading to the strife between them (Tavarii kissing the poet) must happen as written because it leads to the subplot starting in full force. What happens afterwards, between the poet and Tavarii, Tavarii and the girls, and then girls themselves, are up to the roleplayers themselves. This gives a starting idea and then, like winding up a toy and letting it loose, lets it go where ever it might have a mind to. If you play Elizabeth Hart, you might decide which rumors she'll spread or how she'll spread them or what evil things she'll do to Tavarii. If you play Tavarii, you might decide how to deal with those rumors and the scandal now following Tavarii.

There are two types of subplots of For Crown and Glory: Subplot I and Subplot II. Subplot I is MAJOR events that will effect everyone and everything like a ripple effect. A Subplot II basically encompasses just those people involved but CAN effect major plot events and other people's character's feelings towards yours. For example: While the Subplot II, Act XII plot might involve just the four girls and the poet, it might effect the poet by having his reputation spiral out of control as a womanizer or as someone with a silver tongue, therefore raising the amount of jobs he has. Tavarii, on the other hand, might have her reputation suffer so much as a result of kissing him that NONE of the other noble ladies might want to speak with her.

It can also provide a great reason and setting for big character development.

*If you have a subplot you'd like to put up, please submit it to the administrators first simply for critiquing and deciding if it is too complicated or too unrealistic.

The Passage of Time on For Crown and Glory

For Crown and Glory passes the time by season: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Within each of these seasons is three months so feel free to roleplay whatever happens within those three months.

One thing we do ask you to keep in mind is the roleplaying of relationships on the board. Please keep in mind that love at first sight barely, if ever, happens and so love must grow over longer periods of time than one thread. Be sure to make more than one thread showing the development of the relationships with your characters. This way, it not only shows the growth of their relationship over time but it also shows the development of their own selves in the relationship and in their feelings.

Also keep in mind that, should you miss a certain period of time, you might post a topic in the Memoirs area. You can easily go back to the time your character was a small child or even back to a year ago. The point of this area is simply to provide roleplayers a chance to roleplay out the earlier parts of their character's lives when they had yet to be picked up by a player yet. It can also show the relationships between family members at that time or a change that drastically influenced your character to be who they are today.

Various Links
Life During the Middle Ages
Food Eaten at the Time
Music at the Time
Clothing
Life During the Renaissance