CITIZEN'S HANDBOOK || READ FIRST

Ardent

your blood on my teeth
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
  1. Not accepting invites at this time
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per week
  2. 1-3 posts per week
  3. One post per week
  4. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
12NN-4PM, 7PM~
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
  4. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. No Preferences
Genres
Horror, Dark Fantasy, Modern
THE PREMISE
Men. Machines. Gods.

We all live in Neoterra, the last surviving city on Earth. Everywhere else has succumbed to wars, famine, and the ever-rising seas. A vast ocean lies beyond our walls. In the face of uncertainty, we fall back into old habits. They are all we have ever known.

Corpos (corporations) have seized power just as they have seized our lives. Fighting back is fruitless. Cut off one head, and two more grow in its place. The divide between us and the wealthy has grown cosmically large. When we search for the skies, all we see is an endless network of steel, made to wonder whether heaven exists when all we have ever known is hell.

Meanwhile, our wealthy gods live in their lofty palaces, up in the skies where they float out of reach. Untouchable. Undefeatable. Deaf to our cries and blind to our suffering. We dream of revolution but never wage war.

But then it happened–the greatest event mankind had ever seen.

Fire and metal. They gutted the night sky, shrouded it with smoke. The palace fell to the water like an angel cast from the heavens, releasing something into the ocean's unseen depths. Just one look and you would fall prey to its power. It glows and entrances, beckoning its quarry to join its watery graveyard of fallen souls.

Somehow, we are the only ones immune.

Things have changed. We can feel it in the air. We can see it written in the sky. There is an imbalance that seeks to destroy our oppressors. Is this the change we have been seeking for so long? Is this where our freedom begins?

We can only hope… and yet, hope is such a fleeting, treacherous thing.
 
What is Neoterra?
Neoterra is a large-scale cyberpunk role-play. It won the 2021 WaRP world-building contest and acquired its own subforum as its prize.

If the concept of a subforum eludes you, think of it as Neoterra having its own forum within Iwaku. This makes it so that Neoterra can host multiple ongoing campaigns at once, as well as have its own dedicated area for out-of-character shenanigans that would otherwise be very disorganized and difficult to navigate without the current set-up.

I understand that this can all be very overwhelming, so I have created this thread to help you get started.

Well, still interested? Read on!
 
The Rules
THE THREE GOLDEN RULES
1. Iwaku rules apply. Obviously.
2. GM word is law. That's not to say I won't listen to your suggestions–I like to think I'm a reasonable person–but I will always have the final word. If you disagree with the way I run things, that's perfectly fine, but let's save both of us the headache and part ways if it turns out that our differences are irreconcilable.
3. Don't be a dick. Keep the peace and be respectful. I understand that not everyone will see eye-to-eye in what I expect to be a large group, but I expect you to exhibit proper decorum in the group chat. If you are someone who is particularly passive-aggressive when things don't go their way, or is always starting fights, or is generally unpleasant to be around, the boot out the door will be swift.

I also ask that you let me know when arguments within the group occur. I like to be aware of what's going on, so I know when to step in and prevent disagreements from escalating.


ROLEPLAY RULES
1. Abide by the fundamental role-playing rules. This means no godmodding, powerplaying, hijacking of characters, and so on.
2. Read, read, read. Read before asking questions, and more importantly, read before writing in-character replies! I don't expect you to peruse every single lore and information thread, but you should at least read the required ones.
3. This role-play will contain some adult themes, but this is no place for sex scenes or gratuitous gore. Ensure that these fade to black.
4. You can make as many characters as you want for side stories, but I ask that those joining main storylines stick to one or two characters at a time.
5. Worldbuilding never ends! You are free to suggest fresh ideas for the world of Neoterra. In fact, I encourage it. Just don't get too excited and claim something is fact without getting my approval first.
 
Posting Expectations

SPEED

MAIN STORY
campaigns will ideally have a biweekly posting speed.

SIDE STORY
campaigns will have their own individual posting speeds. This will depend entirely on the people running them.


CONSISTENCY

MAIN STORY
campaigns must adhere to the lore and timeline as they are considered canonical events. As such, they will be actively moderated.

SIDE STORY
campaigns will have much leeway and will not be heavily moderated by the GMs. However, if they are inconsistent with the pre-established lore and timeline, they will not be considered canon.


LENGTH

This is not a chat role-play, so expect an average of three-five paragraphs per post. Each post should move the story forward and give your fellow role-players something to work with. That said, we're not in the business of writing manuscripts here, so don't fret too much over quality or quantity. The most important thing is we're all having fun.


REQUIREMENTS

All in-character posts must contain [1] the character's name, [2] the character's whereabouts, and [3] the character's interactions (if currently engaged). Placement is at your discretion, but do ensure that they are clearly visible.

-- REGARDING CODE: If you want to code your posts, do ensure they’re readable and responsive across all devices (a.k.a. mobile-friendly). I prefer a plain text reply over a broken and unreadable mess of a code any day.
 
Getting Around
SUBFORUMS

Do you still find yourself a little bit lost? Here's a list of each subforum, what they mean, and what you can and cannot do in them.

THE MAIN FORUM [LINK] - This is, essentially, the main page of Neoterra. Here you will find introductory threads (such as this particular one you are reading right now), and the lore.

Only GMs hold the authority to post in the main forum.

OUT OF CHARACTER [LINK] - A subforum of Neoterra, accessible through the main page. Here you will find all out-of-character threads featuring character indexes, art, mood boards, playlists, discussions, and so on.

All players are permitted to create new threads and reply to existing threads in this subforum.

IN CHARACTER [LINK] - A subforum of Neoterra, also accessible through the main page. This is where you will find all ongoing campaigns as well as archived ones.

All players are permitted to create a new thread in this subforum. Reply permissions may vary depending on the thread.


PREFIXES

Prefixes are colorful labels that help indicate a thread's purpose. Neoterra has ten prefixes, which are as follows:

MAIN STORY
Threads with this prefix are GM-led campaigns. Main stories will follow specific storylines and will almost always require prior approval of character sheets.

SIDE STORY
Threads with this prefix are player-led campaigns. Side stories could be about anything so long as they are set within the world of Neoterra.

OPEN
Role-plays with this prefix are open to new players.

CLOSED
Role-plays with this prefix are not accepting new players at this time, or is invitation-only.

INFO
Threads with this prefix will contain general information about the role-play, such as the rules, posting expectations, announcements, and so on.

LORE
Threads with this prefix will contain lore.

OOC
Create a dedicated OOC for your private campaign with this prefix.

CHARACTERS
Character indexes are labelled with this prefix.

EXTRA
Character questionnaires, short stories, art, mood boards, character playlists, etc.

REQUEST
Pitch side story ideas, request 1x1 partners, and advertise character relationships with this prefix.

 
Getting Started
JOINING A CAMPAIGN

Head over to the out-of-character subforum and see if there's an
OPEN
campaign that interests you. Read the entirety of the original post. If it is a
MAIN STORY
campaign, it should contain a list of required reading material and a character sheet template.

Proceed to read what is required, then create your own character using the template. Submit the sheet to the original poster for approval. Remember to wait for a response before participating in the campaign!

On the other hand,
SIDE STORY
campaigns will likely have different rules. Simply read the entirety of the original post and do what it says.

-- TIP: If you want to go the extra mile, read all the lore! It's not necessary, but it WILL greatly aid you in character creation and interaction!


STARTING A CAMPAIGN

Anyone can start their own
SIDE STORY
. You do not need to ask for permission, or participate in a main campaign to start your own role-play. Run your own campaigns without GM intervention so long as they are set within the world of Neoterra and you are not breaking any rules! You don't even need to make character sheets unless you want to. Yes, it's as simple as creating a thread in the IN CHARACTER forum and jumping straight into the action.


AN INVITATION TO THE DISCORD SERVER

Would you like to get to know our community better? Maybe you need some more guidance? Join the Discord server!