So, what's this all about, Chap?
Dawn Chorus is a mystery-horror-drama group roleplay heavily inspired by the television show
Twin Peaks. The story takes place in Dawn Chorus, Tennessee, a fictional small town nestled in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Strange things happen in Dawn Chorus and the whole town is inhabited by people who are best described as
eccentric.
But I've never watched Twin Peaks!
That's okay! I mean, you probably should if only because it's the greatest show ever made, but I'm biased. You don't need to know the show to play. This story is only inspired by it.
Neat! How are you running this thing?
The game loosely simulates the structure of a television show. We divide the game up into 'seasons' with a definite beginning, middle, and end. This is followed by a brief break before the next 'season' begins. Along the way, events both big and small happen that affect the overarching plot and story, but the game is remains largely character/player driven.
Is there an overarching plot?
Yes! As much as I preach about this being a character driven story, there is an overarching plot that affects everyone and everything within the game.
Who can I play?
A human being of any gender, sexuality, color, or creed that you deem appropriate. Dawn Chorus is a town full of eccentrics, so I'd advise not being afraid to get a little bit
weird with it.
Can players create NPCs, locations, and other things that affect the world?
Absolutely! This game is all about creativity. If you have an idea, let me know! We'll see if we can work it in.
How many characters am I allowed to play?
As many as you want! That being said, if you're creating a new character just because you're bored with your old character, I'd like for you to let me know just so we can explore our options. We may be able to find a plot for that character to spice things up or, worse comes to worst, we can find a way to write them off.
All right, I have a character. What now?
Assuming you've applied and been accepted, you're ready to go! You'll get invited to our Discord, meet the rest of the group, and from there, you're welcome to write to your heart's content.
Oh no! My character has nothing to do!
Don't sweat it! We've got you covered. Our Discord server has a channel dedicated specifically to plotting and planning. Get with your fellow players and make some magic happen. We're all nice, I swear.
Can't I just barge into another player's scene uninvited?
No! Don't do this unless the scene is marked as
Open by the player. Not only is it rude to try to force your way into a
Closed scene, but it might just mess things up for the other players involved. If a group of players are writing a scene together and you want in, reach out! Communicate! See if there's a way to get involved. Consequently, if there isn't a way for you to be involved, don't let it get you down and definitely don't complain. Note: In the case of events, this is a bit less strictly enforced. The goal with events, after all, is to mingle. Use your best judgement.
Is there a post length or rate requirement?
Not really. As far as post length goes, I personally encourage quality over quantity with emphasis on that first word:
quality. Your posts should add something to the scene and be well written, regardless of how long they are. In regards to posting rate, I don't enforce any level of involvement, but may check in if I haven't heard from you in a while.
So, uh... what about smut?
As a rule of thumb, smut and sex scenes should only happen if they add something to the story or the characters involved. Smut ain't the goal here. It
can happen and I'm not about to say it can't, but it's definitely not going to be the defining feature of this game. Dawn Chorus is more focused on story, character progression, and conflict.
So... I don't think I want to write in this game anymore...
Hey, it's cool! I get it! Maybe this story wasn't for you or maybe you've just got a lot going on. These things happen! No hard feelings! All I ask is that you let me know and don't just ghost the game. We can still be friends. Cool?
How are new threads handled and created?
So, threads are created by location as needed by the players. For example, if you have a scene that you want to happen at Netherland Inn, but no thread exists for that location yet, go ahead and make it! I'll come in behind you and do my coding/header image thing to keep my OCD in check.
PLEASE double check and make sure a thread doesn't already exist for that location. If you have a brand new location in mind that isn't already approved/in the
Locations list, make sure it's okay with Chap before you create a thread for it (except for your character's home; you don't need to check about those). Also, please note that some locations are
off limits. Your character won't be able to go to these places without prior approval. These include
Summerland Islet and
The Ryan Family Estate.
I noticed a lot of the OOC threads aren't getting used. What's the deal? Where do you guys talk and chat?!
So, back when I started this thing, I made the
terrible decision to create a
absolutely horrendous Discord server for this game. Since then, the Discord server has
taken on a life of its own and threatened to consume us all become our primary means of communication. It's a
wretched hive of scum and villainy great little community and you'll definitely be invited when you join the game! (
RUN.)
What font/color scheme is this game using?
The font is
Kano, typically at 72pt. The colors are
#8a5920,
#8fae70, and occasionally
#b7b9a0.