*~* *~* Introduction *~* *~*

What's a Post? One of the most common questions asked by new members of Yahoo! Groups email role-playing games. If you have found yourself asking this question or are just looking to see if there are some ideas that you can take from here and incorporate into your own writing this is a good place to start.

This manual will cover many different topics from what a game is, how to join a game, choosing a character, how to write an effective post as well as things to avoid or keep in mind while posting, to how to create an original character, and a small glossary of commonly used terms.

If you have further questions or if you simply have some comments on the manual, feel free to email me waterfalldragon@yahoo.com and I will be happy to try as best I can to offer you further help and I will most likely add your suggestion to the manual as a result. Good luck and happy reading!

- Jennifer Manley
 




*~* *~* Getting Started *~* *~*

What is Role Playing?
Role Playing in general could easily be considered a form of acting. The basic idea of Role Play is to pretend to be someone that you are not.

The specific kind of Role Play that will be discussed here is concerned with Role Play by email through Yahoo! Groups.

These games are played through mailing lists. You send, or post, a message to the list and then it will be sent to all the people who are subscribed to that list.

Many of the games out there are based on popular books, movies, or television shows and you can play a character from it or sometimes create your own. There are some other games out there that are completely original.

Finding and Joining a game
Yahoo! Groups makes it easy to find a game. There is a box on their home page which can be reached by simply typing 'groups.yahoo.com' or 'yahoogroups.com' (Either will get you there) into the address line on the browser. Then once on the home page, the search box will be in the center of the page just under the light blue header 'Join A Group.' That is where you will type what you are looking for.

If you were looking for a Gargoyles game, you would type 'Gargoyles RPG', 'Gargoyles RP', 'Gargoyles Role Play', 'Gargoyles Role Playing Game', or simply 'Gargoyles.' (The last option there will retrieve all the groups that have the word gargoyles in it. You may have to sort through things that have little to nothing to do with what you are looking for but that way you can be sure that you have looked at all of your options.) You may want to try using specific character names.

When you hit search most likely you are going to have many games to sift through. Read through the descriptions of the different groups. Check and see if you can read through some of the old messages (Some groups allow their archives to be public). If there is a link to a website at the bottom of the page you should be sure to check that out as well. It can contain plot information, a summary of what has happened, cast list, and even rules for the game.

Also there is sometimes a calendar at the bottom of the page which lists how many posts go through every month. If there have not been any, or very few, in the past couple months and the game has been around for a long time, it is more than likely that the game has died and no one plays there anymore. (Sometimes you have to join to see that. If you are a pending member for more than a few days, the owner of the game may not be very vigilant and whether or not the game is active, it might not be for long.) 

When you find one you like you should click the "Join This Game" button on the page and follow the instructions. (Once you join, you may become a pending member which means that a moderator has to approve your membership to the game. This can be slightly annoying but it helps prevent unwanted emails and bots, id's that join a game spam the list and then leave, from getting through to the group.)

Obtaining a Character
Once you have joined and are approved, everything in the game will now be accessible to you. The Database, Files, Archives - all features of Yahoogroups! - are an excellent place to start looking to try and find out more about the game and you should spend at least a few minutes looking around. Check and see if there is a character list somewhere, read the old messages. They will let you know how the game is played there and what has happened.

Depending on the number of people in the game, one of the first things you should do is to write the list owner and introduce yourself. While there are occasional bullies, most moderators are very helpful and will answer any and all questions you might have. If you haven't been able to find it anywhere else, they will be able to tell you which characters are available or if it is possible to bring in a made-up of your own and what would be required to do that. (See the Chapter on Made-Ups for more details)

Most of the time, when you join a game characters are given out on a first come first serve basis which means that if you request a character before someone else does, then that character is yours. However there are other games where an audition post is required. This will generally be the first post for your character. An audition requirement is so the owner of the list can see what kind of a writer you are and how well you portray and know your character. It is important to show your creativity and be original and different yet at the same time be able to keep with the character's basic personality. (See Posting section in this chapter for more information)

NOTE: If you don't want to play but instead would just like to read, you should still email the owner/moderator of the list/game or they may remove you from the list without notice.

Posting
Whether you need to write up an audition post or have already snagged a character, you are ready to submit a post. A post in its simplest form, is basically an Email where you write par of the story from the perspective of your character.

In general, the most common tense to used in all games when you are writing, is past tense. (I walked, she ran, etc.) However, there are two kinds of posting formats out there and most like to stay consistent and no matter which you personally prefer, you will probably need to write in whichever form the game is in. 

Third Person Posting: This form uses: he, she, they, etc. You write what is happening to that character and what they experience as if you are telling part of the story. For these the subject is not always as important. It is helpful to make sure that you include your characters name in the subject or your character and those that you are interacting with. It isn't as necessary to add the characters name at the top of the actual email but it is nice. Also, it is good to only include necessary parts from previous posts because after many replies it can get very messy with all the arrows. Sample:

Katie walked quickly down the dark street. The stars sparkled in the night sky as the moon once again peeked out from behind the dark clouds of the impending storm.	

First Person Posting: This form uses: I, we, etc. This is a little bit more personal because you write as if you are that character. This format makes it much easier to express the characters thoughts and emotions. It is common to put the characters name and then a title for the post in these types of games in the subject and then again write the characters name at the top of the email.

I sat at my keyboard frustrated. I had a paper due in less than four hours and I still hadn't even picked a topic.

"Why do you keep DOING this to yourself?" I cried frustrated. I always assumed I had more time than I really did. Sighing I looked back at the blank word document on the screen, placed my fingers on the keyboard, and let them type what they would.

More often than not most games are going to be very strict about ONLY writing dialogue for YOUR characters. Writing dialogue for other characters is a no no and will probably get you into trouble. Many people, and you might be one of them, prefer to have complete control of their character. In these games, the posts tend to be shorter since you can only speak for your own characters. Games such as these often produce many more posts than First person games for the simple fact that the posts are shorter and sometimes people will just post back and forth to form a simple conversation.

There are games that do allow dialogue to be spoken for other characters, and in fact encourage it. It helps the game run smoother sometimes and give' the other writer's more ideas to work off of.

Posting is not very difficult but there are a few problems that pop up consistently both with newer members as well as with older members. These are things that make posts difficult and inconvenient to read and can result in being asked to rewrite the post. 

Formatting: When writing a post, sometimes people will write their entire post no matter how long in one long block of text. It is much easier on the eyes to separate a post into a bunch of different paragraphs. Making sure to indent the text or hit enter twice to put a line of space between the paragraphs. 

Length: Posts should try to be more than just a few sentences if at all possible. One line of text or dialogue is very difficult for someone to respond to.

Punctuation: This may seem silly, but a lot of people don't bother to check their posts and make sure that all of their apostrophes and periods and other punctuation marks are used correctly. Sometimes people just write text with no quotation marks and just mixes the exposition text and dialogue together and that makes it very difficult to know what they are saying and what they are thinking. You must put quotation marks around the things that the person is speaking.

Spelling and Grammar: Checking the spelling seems to be an obvious thing that one would want to check before sending out a post, but a surprising number of people don't bother. They'll butcher the spelling or use the wrong form of a word. Just copy and paste it into Microsoft Word or some other word processor and run a spell check. Copy it back and then send it.

Character Integrity & Consistency: When playing a character, whether Made-Up (See Made-Ups Chapter for more information), or from the game's topic, it is important to stay true to the personality that they displayed in the show or movie, or stays consistent to the personality given them as a Made-Up. Of course characters are allowed to change and develop as they continue to live in the fantasy world but wishy-washy characters are very annoying. It is very important to make sure that you know where your characters as well as other characters are.

Realism: While yes, all of these games take place in some sort of fantasy world it is important to keep the characters believable and realistic. They should have motivations for doing what they do. If you choose a minor character that lives in another country you should think up a plausible reason for suddenly deciding to visit the rest of the cast in another country especially if they haven't seen each other in a while. Also, it's not the end of the world if something bad happens to your character. Most of the time it helps to advance the plot. Many games don't even allow the killing of other characters so having them in the hospital for a few days isn't a bad thing.

Sympathy: Sometimes bad stuff happens to characters like they are in a car crash or they get sick. There is only so many times people will post "oh you poor thing are you ok?" or read "oh my head hurts." before everyone starts getting annoyed both reading and writing messages like that. Please make their recovery timely and realistic.

Mind Reading: It is important to pay attention as to what is a THOUGHT and what is actually portrayed through emotions or speech. Just because you as the writer knows something, it does NOT mean that your CHARACTER knows it. In other words, if you are reading a post where someone is plotting to steal something from your character, or try to trick them, your character shouldn't suddenly decide to install a security system, carry around pepper spray, or suddenly become more aware of their surroundings. It is important to keep that seperation in mind because having a bunch of psychic characters just gets boring because then you can always keep your character safe.

NOTE: THINK before you post.

Out Of Character Vs. In Character
If you have a question about the game or a comment that you would like to make on the list, you should put the letters OOC (out of character) and then write what you have to say. It's just a formality so that others reading will know right away that it isn't part of your characters post. Then when you are finished if you wish to put your characters post after the OOC comment it is common to write IC (in character) and then hit enter and then write the rest of the post.
 




*~* *~* Playing The Game *~* *~*

Tagging
Tagging makes the game interactive. After you have written your post, if you are talking directly to someone or wish for a certain character to respond to what you have said or done, you should write "Tag Character" replacing 'Character' with the name of the character that you want to respond to your post. It is not necessary to have a tag at the end and if you are simply posting some events or thoughts for your character it may not be needed. If you are just trying to get involved in a game "Tag Anyone" works fine to try and get some interaction.

NOTE: If you tag someone, they don't respond right away, and you feel that your character is stuck; you don't have to wait for them. If they take too long to respond that could mean any number of things. Try to email the player personally and see if they plan on responding soon because if they don't you might want to move on without them or write around them.

Posting Past Events
Sometimes it becomes necessary to have flashbacks or talk about something that happened before a game starts. It is very important to take into consideration that character's personality and motives. Suddenly finding out that Headmaster Dumbledore was in the mafia is probably not a very meaningful representation of his past and players and owners will probably have problems with that. Things like that should be discussed with the moderator first to make sure that they will allow it.

If your flashback includes another character, it is important to check with that person to make sure that it is ok with them that the event in question took place because that is their character to make that decision for.

Also, if you are playing a Made-Up character and you wish to suddenly include an old flame, especially if this is a character that someone else made up, you should check with that person or with the moderator to make sure that it's ok to make that connection. (Connections like this should be included in the original bio that is submitted.)

Playing Multiple Characters
Getting more involved in a game often requires taking on more characters. One should make sure to keep them to their characters different and not play them all the same way.

It is important when taking on more characters that you don't wind up playing with yourself. Playing your own love interest can result in many posts between yourself and after a while that can get a little dull and you may even run out of ideas. The idea of a role playing game is to interact with other characters and players and if you are only interacting with yourself, you might as well just write a story or start your own game because people are probably going to stop reading those posts after a while unless they are beyond interesting. You shouldn't take on more characters just to advance another character that you are playing. Or just to be a love interest.

Sometimes a character of yours can be put in a compromising situation and you play multiple characters in that particular game. It seems easy enough that another of your characters can be the 'hero of the day' and save that character but in fact, that generally doesn't make sense. It is an easy out of a situation that one should write themselves out of. It may very well make sense at that time but always keep in mind that characters cannot read minds (unless they happen to have that super power) to know that another character is in distress. It must make sense within a character's personality that they would come to that other character's defense. Motivation.

Love Interests
While most games are going to have romantic situations, one should try to give their character more depth and a life of their own as opposed to simply revolving around their love life and who they are trying to snag next.

Character Development
Just as in real life, characters in game will change and grow due to the events and experiences that they go through in the game. Opinions may change and alter as the game continues. A good character may go bad or vice versa. But when doing things that go against what has already been established for that character you need to have a reason behind it. For example: Link can't suddenly decide that he's had enough of rescuing Zelda without good cause for example. 

Taking Over A Character From Someone Else
There are many times that you will join a game and take over a character that has been previously played. While yes, it is now your character, you need to take into consideration that events and plot have been most likely in play long before you joined the game and while you are welcome to play the character in the way that you want to you need to try to at least make a transition from what the character was, into what you want them to be. Drastic changes in a character when there is a player change can cause big problems in a game with other players even if the moderator of the game is ok with the changes. 

You need to know that things have happened to that character. Read the archives of the list or if there are too many or you don't feel you have the time, email the moderator of the game and ask them. It is their job to know what has happened and to help you. However, t is your job however to know your character and everything that has happened to them whether by asking the moderators, players, or by reading the archived messages. Sometimes there may be a plot summary for the game but even if there is, summaries generally aren't involved enough to include everything that has been going on with each specific characters.

So while yes, you can do as you like, as a courtesy to other players you should at least try to keep things flowing smoothly during the transition of players. 
 




*~* *~* Common Rules and Etiquette *~* *~*

Don't Insult The Moderators
They are there to help you. If you ask for their help they are going to give it to you and some are more honest than others. These games are about the writing and as a writer you need to develop a thick skin. Moderators/Owners are basically the gods and goddesses of the game and they get to decide your future in that game so it is best to try to keep on their good sides. They also might be the one in charge of another game you wish to play in. Making enemies would not be in your best interests.

No Fighting on the Lists
If you have a disagreement with someone on the list email the moderator personally about it or email the person privately about it off the list. There is no reason for everyone on the list to be forced to endure an argument between players.

Game Rating
Some games are intended for all audiences, some games allow more mature and adult themes. Depending on what you are looking for, you should check with the owner/moderator and see what they allow in the game you are looking at.

Audition
Some games require audition posts. More games seem to be first come first serve since it can be difficult to find players but sometimes you will have to write an initial post and submit it for consideration.

Joining/Leaving
If you are just joining a game it is a nice gesture to email the owner or list to let them know you are alive. If you are leaving and an active player, or have requested a character it is nice to let them know that you are leaving so that they can open up your characters right away as opposed to finding out a month later after checking the members list and finding you gone.

Maximum Characters
Many times a game will have a maximum number of characters that you are allowed to have. For example two major characters and three minors and unlimited Made-Ups. Or perhaps two characters total. It all depends on the game and the owner. But it is often best to know your own limitations, what you can and cannot keep up with.

Minimum Posting
Many games will have a rule that requires at least a post a week or every two weeks or the like. Some enforce it, some don't but it is important not to hold up the game. If you have been tagged and just don't respond it may become necessary for the owner to give you a warning depending on how forgiving they are or they might just take your character away or even boot you from the game.

Lurking
Lurking is when you join a game but do not post. Or you claim a character and don't post for them. Sometimes owners don't mind if people just read along but other times they do. You should make sure that the owner doesn't mind lurkers because you may find yourself without a character and kicked out of the game. Claiming a character and not posting for them is unfair to the other players. If you don't plan to post for them or find yourself too busy you should probably give that particular character up especially if you are controlling more than one or someone is waiting for that character to become available.

Character Integrity
Again, keep the character true to the personality that they were given either by you or by the person that created them. Try to get into their head and write how they would think.

Criticism and On List Comments
Please keep all criticism constructive. Everyone is always looking to make their posts better or help with their characters. If you have something specific to say you should email the writer off the list unless it pertains to a number of people. Singling people out on a list can make them feel attacked and might take your criticism personally instead of accepting it constructively. Please also keep in mind when giving criticism to address it to the specific post and not the person directly. You are discussing their writing, not their personality. Being mean is not a way to get your point across either.

Teleporting
Pay attention to where your character is. If you character lives in Mexico and they are going to visit their friend in LA you can't just warp them there and not take into account the time differences and the travel time length. This may result in you not being able to post for a while, depending on how often people post and how much time passes in each post, but to keep the realism, you might be stuck waiting for your character to arrive in their destination.

Another thing that falls under this category is somewhat a result of mind reading. For example, perhaps character A is dating character B. Character B decides to cheat on character A with character C. Character A's player reads the post about the cheating significant other and suddenly gets this urge to go check up on them. While sometimes scenarios like this can be worked into the game it can take all the fun out of the game for other people who are trying to create some scandal.

Mind Reading
Just because someone writes something in a characters thoughts which makes it common knowledge to all the players, it does not in any way mean that the other characters know that.

Separating Game Conflict from Player Conflict
If you have a problem with another player, don't take it out on their characters with your characters. On the other hand some characters are more aggressive and confrontational than others and instigating fights and being mean and rude is just part of their character. Please don't take it personally. If you feel like they are trying to attack you talk to them about it first or talk to the games moderator/owner  if you don't feel comfortable talking directly to the person.





*~* *~* Made-Ups *~* *~*

Some games are comprised of characters of your own creation. In other games all of the main characters are taken. Other times it simply may become necessary to introduce new characters to a game.

No matter what the scenario it boils down to the fact that you wish to introduce a new character to the game.

Depending on the game this may or may not be difficult. Some simply require you to submit a bio for the character to the list and you're in. Others require you to send them the bio and then they approve it. Still others want a bio as well as an audition post for them so they can see how you intend the character to be played in the actual game.

Because many games are based on a popular book, movie, or television show, many new players think that if they don't remember a show or movie well, or if they don't know what's going on with the plot everyone else is currently involved in, that it is just easier to make up a new character and toss them into the mix. That is rarely ever the case. It is much harder and takes much more time and effort to come up with a new character than what little effort people actually put into it.

No matter what the requirements of the game are, it is highly beneficial to you to put as much effort and detail into a bio as possible from what color their eyes are to what they prefer to eat for breakfast. The more detail, the easier it will be for you to write for that character and it gives them more purpose. It is important to prove to the person who will probably be approving the bio that they belong in the game. Most people only write a short paragraph and as a result many characters turn out to be very similar in behavior and personality. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating them.

Realism
Power characters are no fun. Characters who come into a game with all sorts of super powers or mass amounts of money can be extremely well… lame. Powerful characters are almost like a safety net for yourself and always seem to have some sort of excuse to get out of whatever bind they get themselves into. These characters CAN be used effectively. If you choose to take on a character like that, please be careful and don't power play. No one likes a bully.

Have Flaws
All people in real life have problems and weaknesses. Characters that come from rich families or who are the happiest little people without a care in the world are BORING. Maybe your character had a shaky home life. Maybe your character was shunned because of how they looked or a power they possessed. Maybe they have a phobia or a disease. Not requirements of course but just remember when creating to keep it real. 

Crossover Characters
A crossover is a character that comes directly from another show, movie, or story and is plopped down in another setting. Sometimes they are allowed, sometimes they aren't. Sometimes the group requires a bio for that character sometimes they don't. 





*~* *~* Things to Keep in Mind When Creating *~* *~*

Name: Obviously your character needs a name. First and Last is generally fine but if you want to give your character a middle name or a maiden name that's fine too. Every little detail makes your character more personal so the more the better.

Alias: Is your character a rock star? A super hero? Do they have a code name or a stage name? 

Age: How old is your character?

Birthdate/Sign: When was your character born? Sometimes it helps to look up the signs of the Zodiac and see what traits are characteristic of your character before deciding on this. Including a year isn't necessary and can often be confusing especially since rpgs generally don't keep up with real time. Month and day are good enough.

Appearance: Eye color? Hair color? Are they heavy? Muscular? Skinny? Big boned?

Height: 5'2"? 6'1? 

Race: Are they Polynesian? Chinese? Japanese? Elvish? Dwarf? Chinese Dwarf? Diversifying the games and making sure to keep each character original helps keep a game fresh and fun.

Occupation: Does your character have a job?

Specifics to the Game: If you are creating a character for a music oriented game such as Jem, what is their musical background? If you are creating an X-Man what are their special powers?

Behavior: What is your character like? Are they quiet or are they outspoken? Do they chew their nails? Are they friendly to newcomers? Are they shy?

Location: Where does your character live? A house? Apartment? If this is a 'real life' type game, what country do they live in? State? City?

Family: Do they have any siblings? Who are their Parents? Don't be afraid of giving too much detail here either because it is important to know where your character came from. Are they close with their family? Distant? Did they run away?

Background: Put the defining moments of your character's life here. Their likes and dislikes. Does your character have any phobias? What's their favorite color? Talk about your characters childhood. Did they have a high school boyfriend/girlfriend? 

Example Bio

:<*>:<*>: Una :<*>:<*>:
Name: Zoe Hudson 
Age: 21
Birthdate: Oct 7 (Yes she's one of those obnoxious Libra's)

Appearance:
Zoe is 5'5" wears her hair down but always in long big black curls. Her natural eyes are green but she often wears violet contacts. She has an obnoxiously skinny waist, and is nicely endowed but not overly. She has very pale skin and her black hair sets that off even more. 

Music:
She was informed once that her voice, while decent, was not one of her strong suits. She can sound awesome one day and like crud the next. She has a limited range which makes certain songs better than others. (She is a mezzo soprano.) She is killer on any guitar that you put in her hands. 

Background:
Zoe and her family never got along very well. She, as so many other youths to grace the stage of Jerry Springer chose to "Do whot she wonts!" Her parents tried in so many ways to reach her but she refused to listen. Too much of a restless spirit to be tied down by rules or disciplines of any kind. They were not the most well off family either, but they weren't poor. Both of her parents had to work a lot and because of this Zoe, being a very needy child, felt very neglected. She ran away from home at 17. She stayed with her close friend Robert(mentioned later on) until he moved. By then she had established herself on her own and he left her his apartment.

Zoe had an identical twin, Alexis. Lexi and Zoe are very identical in appearance except Lexi's hair is very blonde which was strange since the rest of the family, including her twin, had dark hair. Their personalities are as different as night and day as well. Zoe wants what she wants and gets what she wants at whatever the cost, or else no one gets what she wants. 

Lexi is very much like Charity from the TV show Passions. Goody goody to the core. Very naive and trusting, always looking for the good in people. Men find that innocence incredibly appealing.

Zoe and Lexi got along as children but as Zoe gave in more and more to her dark side she couldn't stand Lexi's parent-like attitude. She cares for her sister and wishes that she could understand why she ran away. Lexi loves Zoe and wishes that she would contact her and come home. She has considered moving to the States to find her sister.

Zoe has an ego and arrogance to rival Riot's. She is very much like him when it comes to having the biggest, nicest, and the best. She spends money like she has a never-ending flow of it, which is one of her incredible faults. So going to the mall is one of her more enjoyable pastimes.

Zoe is a smoker. Anyone who tries to tell her otherwise, or reinform her of the dangers is in for an earful. If you'll remember she "does whot she wonts!"

One of her dirty pleasures is to head out to the bars and play darts and get drunk while doing it. (Some say she even throws better after she's had a few.) She often can be found in the evenings off practicing her aim. She's gettin pretty good.

Zoe has never been in a serious relationship in her life and honestly has never had the desire to be one of those stay at home mom's. She can't stand kids and has no tolerance for them.

Through her whole life she has had one serious friend who she has kept in touch with and that is Robert Fox. He is 26, tall, dark and handsome. He was the first one to ever win her heart even though it was very unintentionally. He is still oblivious to the fact that he ever had it and has always looked upon her as a little sister since they had known each other for about ten years. He moved to the States two years before she arrived with The Clan. She and he kept in touch and immediately got in contact with him when they arrived. He generally will meet up with her when she goes off to play darts.

She shares an apartment with Robert. She still harbors feelings for him but chooses not to push. She always felt there was something different about him. Even though she chooses not to act on her feelings that doesn't mean that she enjoys hearing about or seeing Sherine Bishop, his ever so perfect girlfriend.

While she holds Robert on equal footing with her, she also holds her bandmates Graham and Trevor on equal terms. That's it. All women are beneath her. Other men are simply there for her amusement. Sometimes she will come across exceptions but generally not.

She enjoys movies, and even more so, making out in the back of the theater. She secretly likes cheesy old movies and cheesy romances. Robert is well aware but most others don't. Their are two places that she feels truly safe and happy. One is holed up in her room with her guitar, the other is the tiny bar,  where she goes to loose herself in darts. 

She doesn't watch too much television. She will sometimes watch the news or just have the TV on for background noise.

She suffers from Ichthyophobia, a fear of fish. It's not really bad and she can generally handle pet fish, which Robert loves, but hates any "not pretty" fish. She flips and gets nauseous.

Zoe does insane amounts of sit-ups and goes for a walk at least every other day as far as exercise goes.

Zoe gets very well... horny when she's drunk. She's a very happy drunk too. There are times when she gets very honest and regrets ever word out of her mouth the next morning when that happens. It usually happens when she gets REALLY drunk.

Zoe loves the Misfits and the Stingers. She also enjoys the newer group In the Garden. She hates Jem and the holograms and really didn't like Shine. They're too goody goody for her.

Oh, she hates the color orange and has always wanted her own white tiger.




 
*~* *~* Example Posts *~* *~*

This is a post for the character that was described above. She was created for play in the band called The Clan in a role-playing game for the television show Jem. This game is played in the first person and voicing other characters is perfectly acceptable in this game.

Subject: Una: Dinner

Una

"Right right I'll be over shortly." I said into the receiver pinched between my ear and shoulder as Trevor's voice informed me of our newly scheduled dinner with Pizzazz. I felt the second violet contact touch my eye as I looked into the bathroom mirror, my eyelids fluttering instinctively.

I fluffed my dark curls and applied dark lipstick and dark red eye shadow to my pale skin. "Robby!" I called, "I'm going out."

The unquittingly handsome figure of my 'roommate' appeared at the bathroom door. Every time I looked at him I could feel my legs give just a little bit. "Where are you out to." He asked leaning against the doorframe.

"'hoo are you, me motha?" I asked turning around to face him and leaning, teasingly against the sink. I wore a low and short black skirt and a dark red top that could pass for a hybrid of a bikini top and sports bra.

"No, if I was your mother, I wouldn't let you leave the house like that." He smiled. So he had noticed.

"Well... If you don't think it's appropriate," I said walking towards him slowly and leaning against the other side of the door, "I'd be happy to... take it off." I looked into his deep eyes.

He laughed." Crazy girl. Maybe later. I've got to meet up with Sherine for dinner." He said standing up straight again. I hated that bitch. Soooooo perfect. Whatever. If he wasn't smart enough to see what was in front of him then it was his loss. Then again... why did I always feel like shit when he mentioned the dumb broad. "Which reminds me, try not to get drunk tonight Zoe. I don't think I'll be able to come get you if you do." He added as he walked away. Damnit. Maybe another day.

I finished my preparations, bid goodbye to Dumbass and drove over to Trevor and Graham's apartment complex. I stepped into the elevator and road up to their floor. Stepping out carefully with my dainty black stiletto heels I walked down the few doors and knocked.

"You tryin to get yourself raped?" Graham said to me as his eyes practically ravaged my body.

"Great pick-up line." I said dryly. I turned to Trevor. "So what's going on?"

"Pizzazz just wants to meet with us to talk about the contract and about what happened with her company this morning." I raised an eyebrow. 

"What happened with her company this morning?" I said as more of a statement.

"Roxy was given the boot and In the Garden is now out of a contract."

"What? Why?" I asked confused. Graham plopped down a copy of cool trash in front of me. 

"Pizzazz had a thing for Nightshade." He said. "Roxy was over at my place this morning getting me all worked up trying to get me to see things her way." He said irritably. So that's why the poor thing was all uppity. I walked over and slid my arm around his waist. Poor thing. I hated teases too. 

"Anyway," Trevor continued, "There should be a limo outside any minute to take us to wherever we're meeting Pizzazz."

"Well good. I like traveling in style." I said feeling a smile spread across my face. This was just a taste of what we were going to be in for. 

Soon enough we were in the limo on our to... well, we didn't know. Upon arriving, Trevor took the lead and told the host that we were the Clan looking for Pizzazz of the Misfits. He pointed us in her direction and we approached her table.

After the pleasantries were dispensed with we took a seat and began talking. "So..." Trevor began, "What exactly is going on?" He asked.

*tag 

Here is a third person post where speaking for other characters is not allowed. The character is Modulak who is a red monster-like character from the shows He-Man and She-Ra. This is a She-Ra game. 

Subject: Let The Festivities Begin! (Modulok/He-Man)

"You won't be taking care of ANYTHING, He-Man." Modulok chuckled as the robotic limbs/torso on the walls suddenly shot up through the ground, their crimson-skinned creator hitching a ride on one arm. "And don't worry about Bright Moon and The Horde. I'll deal with them as well."

As Modulok disappeared up the hole, the departure of the giant metal arms began to cause the roof of the underground cavern to tremble and collapse, hunks of rock, clods of dirt, and stalactites raining down on the mind slaves.

Above ground, just outside the Fright Zone, a subtle earthquake began. Then, in an explosion of dirt and rock, Modulok and his robot appeared. 

In total, the robot was composed of a Torso/Head unit, three sets of arms, two sets of legs, and several other parts unidentifiable at the moment... Likely when other parts were destroyed, they would should themselves.

"I'm not foolish enough to believe He-Man and She-Ra could be killed by a little earthquake," Modulok began as the arm he'd been clinging to lifted him to the head-position, and placed him on top. "But at the same time, they'll be a little busy helping their poor brainwashed friends... Meanwhile, Horde Prime and his minions will soon realize what I've done, and they will soon come back. Perhaps I'll surprise them and pay THEM a visit instead." 

In a burst of speed unbecoming of such a towering device, the robot took off, galloping through the forested area, leaving anywhere it stepped a decimated ruin.





*~* *~* Glossary *~* *~*

OOC
Out Of Character. You put this term before a question or comment about the game or in the subject so that those reading it know that what you are writing isn't part of a character post.

IC
In Character. This is generally included after an OOC comment or question.

Tag
If it is a simple tag generally it means anyone can respond to the post. Generally there is a name after the tag and the person playing that characters should respond to that post.

Post
The email that contains the characters thoughts and actions.

TBC
To be continued. This is often put at the end of a very lengthy post or a post that there will be more too. That way people know that there is more to come and will most likely not tag or interact with your character, or understand that there is something else your character has something else to finish first.

Newbie
A new gamer in general, or someone new to the specific game.

Bio
Short for Biography. A description of a character's likes, dislikes, past, behaviors, familiy, etc.

Moderator
Someone who is designated to help the owner of the game keep things in line and answer questions as well as solve problems the players might have. There may be many of these depending on the number of people that are a part of the game.

Owner
A moderator in their own right, but they are the SOLE person in charge of a game. They created it. There may be more than one but usually not more that two.

Character List
A list of playable characters for that particular setting and who is available or unavailable for play.