From Mizahar Lore

Revision as of 21:10, 17 April 2009

Mizahar is a collaborative storytelling environment that should take very little preparation to start playing other than some reading of the Mizahar Lore in its rather extensive wiki. A new player should review the Valterrian, study the maps, review regions, and do some browsing of cities just to get a feel for the game. Getting a flavor for the local environment will help considerably when deciding on a character concept as a whole, which is the most important part of roleplaying in Mizahar. If a new player loves to roleplay and really enjoys to write they will have no problem with succeeding in Mizahar’s game world. Mizahar thrives off of character interaction, and each new player brings a breath and scope to the game that can never be anticipated. People are encouraged to breathe life into their characters through the stories they tell, their characters interacting each other, and within the Mizahar World.

Read the Rules and Browse the Wiki

Before you do anything else, read the Rules. Go over the Terms of Use, and then make sure you read the Mizahar page. Feel free to browse the wiki and read the Creative Manifesto to get some idea of what sort of world your getting yourself involved in. There is also a FAQ that will also help you get started with some commonly asked questions. Once you have a firm grasp on the rules, what we do here, and are eager to join, go ahead and start your character.

Start your Character

Starting a character is relatively simple. You need to decide a few basic questions. As you read through the following sections, it might be helpful to take out a piece of scratch paper or open a notepad on your computer to start taking notes on all the decisions you make as you read through this guide. That scratch piece of paper or notepad document will form the basis of your Character sheet when you get to that section.

Now, its time to make some decisions! This is the fun part.

Character Name

Hopefully you've already picked your character name in creating an account on Mizahar. If not, feel free to do so now, keeping in mind that account name is indeed your PCs name. Multiple word names are allowed.

Race, Age, and Gender

Next, select a race and all the attributes that go along with that race (age, gender, physical appearence). A comprehensive lists of Character Races can be found within Mizahar’s lore. By reading each of the races, you can get some idea of what those races are like, what genders are allowed, and what location they are prominent in. Here is a short list of current races and a brief description of them. Feel free to read the more in-depth writeups before making your selection.

Here are a few of the races:

(Insert brief list of available races)

Appearance

After you decide on a race, you will have a better idea of the physical description of your character, and what physical parameters are allowed for the race you've chosen. Some races on Mizahar are dark skinned, some incredibly pale. Stick to the guidelines for the appearnce of the race and customize your PC in terms of those parameters. Pick height, weight, skin color, eye color, hair color and anything else distinctive that might represent who your PC is. Any drastic deviations from the guidelines the race descriptions give you requires Special Permission.

Picking a Home Region, City, or Other Domain

The second big decision after Name, Race and Gender is basically 'Where are you from?'. Which area is your PC from or where are you going to be primarily playing? Where you are from doesn't have to be where you are planning on playing, but most people starting out might find some advantage playing from racially familiar locations. Most PCs should feel free to start out in Syliras, which is a melting pot city in the Sylira region made up of mostly humans, though all other races are welcome. You are not required to start out in Syliras however. Instead, you can start out in any open domain you’d like. A domain consists of a city, area of interest, ruins, etc that has an active storyteller within it. Here are a list of some of the regions, their cities, domains, and place of interest which are open (or will be) for play.

Sylira

The main human population is concentrated in this region, divided into a series of fortified independent cities of which Syliras is the capital. Temperate to tropical, this area is controlled by the Syliran Knights and is considered one of the most civilized sections of Mizahar.

• Syliras - Capital city of Sylria, Syliras is the cultural melting pot of humanity where folks are slowly rebuilding civilization in a setting forged by the honor of the Syliran Knights. Place of the massive Ironworks, and extensive agriculture, plus the location of the Miza Mint, where coin across the nation is made... Syliras is an important part of the Mizaharian World.* Sahova - An island colonized to serve as a magical research facility populated by undead, Sahova has stood the test of time and continues developing weapons for a long dead nation.
• Zeltiva - A port city surrounded on three sides by mountains, Zeltiva is the home of the finest shipbuilders and sailors in Mizahar. It also boasts an exceptional university, and is a center of trade in both goods and ideas
• Nyka - A religious city known as the Celestial Seat, Nyka is ruled by a council of minor gods and Alvina who call themselves the Celestials. Finding strength in numbers, these gods and their followers try to run the city according to their invididual talents.
• Ravok - Built on an enormous lake, Ravok is the home of a floating city populated with humans who are more at home on the water than anywhere else.
• Sunberth - A former mining town almost entirely destroyed in the Valterrian, Sunberth is populated by the descendants of the mine workers. They hold a tremendous grudge against the way their ancestors were treated, and have come to believe that the post-cataclysm chaos is actually better than the "order" that preceded it. As such, they have a great antipathy toward anything resembling "civilization" in the law-and-order kind of way.

Taldera

Vast tracts of wilderness fill this northern region. Taldera is famous for its enormous wildlife, its lack of settlements. Karjin, Novallis, and Avanthal dominate this region, of which Avanthal is the capital city and by far the largest.

• Avanthal - Frozen city of the north, famous for their Polar Guards and Goddess Queen, Avanthal is the home of some of the toughest cold weather people anywhere. Primarily a human settlement, Avanthal creates a unique survivalist atmosphere in a wintery wonderland that is normally locked in ice 365 days a year.

Kalea

This forboding mountain region is home to some of the most skilled metalworkers anywhere. The Isur are a relic race from the pre-Valterrian times who make their fortress homes in the heartland of Kalea. Humans and other races are also founding Kaleea.

• Sultros - The mountain kingdom of the Isur, the heart of Sultros is a massive citadel built atop Mt. Izurith in the Kitrean Mountains of Kalea with a vast underground cavern containing the city below. Connected by a series of massive tunnels are four smaller citadels with accompanying caverns for the various Isurian clans. Region: Kalea
• Wind Reach - A remote western outpost in some of the tallest mountains of Kalea, here humanity has formed a unique bond with enormous oversized eagles they live in harmony with. Often never touching the ground, these unique humans reside in The Aerie, an ancient dead volcano they've carved out for their enormous companions.

Falyndar

Tropical jungle fills this region, making its people elusive and resilient to all sorts of hot weather and inhospitable creatures. As beautiful as it is deadly, Falyndar is the home of the Myrian people, where Taloba is its capital.

• Taloba - Located in the center of Falyndar, Taloba is the home of the War-Goddess Myri and her savage, blood-thirsty Myrians. Filled with exotic wonders, it is all but closed to outsiders... enter at your own risk.
• Zinrah - Located in northern Falyndar, Zinrah is a seemingly-abandoned cluster of ruins, but is merely the forefront of a bustling underground settlement inhabited by Naga. Its abandoned appearance encourages placidity, and woe to those who stumble into a nest of man-eaters.
• Chabosi - The underwater city of the Nereids, located off of the coast of southern Falyndar. Uninhabitable by outsiders that cannot breathe underwater, the Nereids have a trading post on the barest edges of the land, often alone, lest the Myrians catch them above water.

Cyphrus

Sometimes called The Sea of Grass, Cyphrus is an enormous region filled with an endless expanse of plains. Home of the horseclans and cities that tend to move around, Cyphrus is a haven for those that want to 'disappear' for a time.

• Eyndrykas - Not found on any map, Eyndrykas is a enormous moving encampment formed by the horseclans of Cyphrus coming together to trade, exchange information, and train. Often called the 'tent city', Endrykas' nature is as fluid as the sea of grass it resides on.

• Riverfall - Built on the side of an enormous waterfall where the Bluevein River plunges into the Suvan Sea in a three thousand foot drop, Riverfall is the home of the Akalak warriors. Here they've made a fortress bastion that welcomes visitors so long as they play by the Akalakian rules.

Eyktol

Smoldering desert lands in the furthest south of Mizahar, Eyktol is unforgivably hot and considered one of the most inhospitable places on Mizahar. However, that doesn't mean life doesn't thrive there. It does... there are hearty peoples and lost empires deep in the heart of the desert.

Island Nations

There are several large islands that are not large enough to be considered regions, but indeed act as their own sovereign nations. These islands are as unique as the people that populate them.

• Mura - Home of seers and healers, Mura is a the one and only city located on the White Isle, Konti Island. Populated by Konti women, this city is a peaceful cutural hub filled with those faithful to both the Goddess of Visions and the God of the Sea. Mura is a city that is half submerged since the Konti women are equally at home both within and outside of the sea.
• Abura - The home city of the Akvatari, a strange melange of buildings that look like a cross between Dr. Seuss, a Roger Dean album cover, and despair. The home of a people fanatically devoted to the creative arts, whose work is highly valued throughout Mizahar.

Character Concept

By now a person already knows a great deal of information about the character they want to play. Hopefully they know the race, sex, and possible age of the PC. It is now time to think about the character's personality. What are they like? Developing a 'character concept' is the next step. Concepts can be anything really. Is your character a restless rogue, one that enjoys a life of carefree thievery? Do you feel driven to pursue an honorable life of sacrifice as perhaps a Syliran Knight? Would you rather enjoy a quiet devoted life to one of the Gods? It's not necessary to decide right now. A player can let the story speak for itself. However, knowing what sort of personality your character has can really aid in

Starting Package

Now that you have the core basics of what type of character (PC) you want to play, where your character is going to be from, their sex, race, appearance, and concept - its time to give them some skills. Please read the Starting package page thoroughly. It gives you some basic gear, a home or horse, and the 50 skill points to spread out. Once you go through the starting package page, you'll have everything your pc needs to jump right into roleplaying in the forums of your choice. So read the starting package page thoroughly, add what it gives you to your notes, and be ready to finally start your Character sheet.

Create your Character Sheet

See Character sheet for more information, but each

Begin Playing

First Posts

Establishing Your Character

Making Friends

Advanced Play