The Realm of Azalore

“As you stand before the gates of the village, the cobbled stone path before you stretching out from the familiar setting of where you have called home all your life, many questions and fears rush through your mind… Who will you be? What will you become? What will you achieve? You are a simple villager now… what happens when you next walk through these gates after a few months or years? What stories will you have to tell your friends and family around the fire?

“Taking the deepest of breaths, you begin your adventure the same way as everyone else that came before you… you step through the gates and make your way into the world...”


This guide will walk you through the process of creating your first character, getting them approved and taking your first steps into the world.
If you’ve never played a play-by-post role-playing game, fear not as this guide will help you get started. If you are unsure about anything, feel free to ask a question in the support forum to get started.



Every story begins with a character.

Your character is your window into the world of Azalore. Through them you'll explore ancient ruins, meet allies and enemies, join organisations, learn new skills, and experience adventures unique to them. Take your time creating a character you'll enjoy playing.

Your character doesn't need to be extraordinary. If you try to make them exceptional from the very beginning, you'll only burn yourself out before the adventure even starts.

The most memorable characters, the ones that stay with you long after their stories have ended, begin as people with remarkably ordinary lives.

A powerful wizard who battles extra-dimensional threats may begin as a young apprentice.
A holy paladin who becomes the chosen champion of the God of Light may begin as a young lad leaving home.
A thief who becomes known for their unnatural ability to blend into the shadows may start off as a beggar on the streets.

There is nothing wrong with beginning with an ordinary idea. In fact, doing this often leaves more room for your character to grow.

Your character's greatest moments shouldn't all happen before the game begins—they should happen because of the adventures they experience.

Allow them to succeed, to fail, to change and grow.

It is those experiences—not the story you write before the game begins—that will define who your character becomes.





The first major decision you'll make is choosing your character's race.

Every race has its own history, culture, strengths and weaknesses. While these provide flavour and unique abilities, don't feel pressured to choose the "best" race. Instead, choose one that fits the kind of character you'd like to roleplay.
(Links to the Race Compendium.)


Unlike many roleplaying games, Azalore does not use a traditional class system.|

Your character does not begin life as a knight, wizard, assassin or paladin simply because you selected it during character creation.

Instead, every character begins as an ordinary citizen of the world.

Who they become is determined by the choices they make and the experiences they have throughout their journey.

If your character's destiny is to become a Holy Knight and chosen warrior of the Gods, you'll first need to seek out an order willing to train them, then prove themselves worthy of their ideals and earn their place among their ranks.

Do they dream of becoming a powerful wizard? They'll need to find someone willing to teach them the arcane arts, study diligently once their education is complete and then continue learning throughout their adventures.

In Azalore, your profession is not chosen from a list.

It is earned.

This means no two characters need to follow the same path. Even if two players both aspire to become Paladins, the experiences, mentors, friendships and hardships they encounter along the way will shape them into entirely different people.





Your background explains who your character is before their story begins.

Where did they grow up?
What kind of life have they lived?
Why have they chosen this path?

These questions help establish your character's starting point, but they don't need every answer.

Don't worry about writing pages of history. A few well-chosen paragraphs explaining who your character is and what has brought them to this point is often enough. The rest of their story will be written through play.





Once you've created your character, it's time to complete their character sheet.

Your character sheet contains everything needed to represent your character within the game, including their attributes, skills, equipment and other important information.

Take your time filling it out carefully and ensure all required sections have been completed before submitting it for approval.

(Links to the Character Sheet Guide.)





Once your character sheet is complete, post it in the appropriate section. You can begin roleplaying immediately while a member of staff reviews your character.

A member of staff will review your character to ensure everything follows the setting and rules of Azalore, but prior-approval is not needed.

Sometimes changes may be requested. This is completely normal and is intended to help your character fit naturally into the world. If this happens, a storyteller will contact you with the requested changes.





Congratulations!

Your character is now ready to enter the Realm of Azalore. Now it’s time to decide where their story will begin.





Your first decision is where your character's story begins.

You are free to begin in any suitable location, but new players are encouraged to start in Akthus Prime.

As the largest city in the realm, Akthus Prime offers plenty of opportunities to meet other players, join organisations, find work and begin your first adventures. It has been designed to be the most welcoming location for new players.

Once you’ve chosen your starting city, you will need to make your first post at the city gates, to announce your arrival.

This will let the storyteller of that area know that a new adventurer has arrived.





There are two ways to begin your adventure.
Storyteller-Led
Storyteller guides the adventure, controls the world around your character and presents challenges, opportunities and consequences based on your decisions.

This option is ideal if you're looking for a structured adventure or want to pursue goals that may have a lasting impact on the world.

Collaborative
Collaborative roleplay is created entirely by the participating players.
Together you'll write scenes, conversations and adventures without a Storyteller directing every moment.
If your roleplay reaches a point where an impartial ruling or world interaction is needed, a Storyteller can always be brought into the thread.





Don't feel like your first topic needs to be the beginning of an epic adventure.

Some of the best stories begin with the simplest moments.

Your character might arrive at the city gates after a long journey.
They may be enjoying a meal at an inn.
They could be browsing the market.
Maybe they’re reporting for duty.
Or looking for work.
Or they could be simply taking a walk through the streets.

Write naturally, introduce your character and give others something to respond to.

From a single post, an unforgettable story can begin.