FAQ

Questions about the site

Do I need to join the Discord?

No, that's not required, but preferred, since we offer more real-time updates on the server. Otherwise, you'll only see updates monthly. We also have game design and event planning discussions on the server, which everyone is welcome to join. The community is present on the server, with plotting and thread opens being linked, so if you want to be involved in that, the Discord is recommended.

Are there activity requirements?

We firmly believe that RP is a hobby, so we are relaxed on activity. You can take as little or as much time as needed with your posts, with respect to your thread partners. That said, we do like to keep things neat, so everyone is subject to the monthly clean up we do and we will archive according to our activity guidelines. It's easy to get an account pulled out of the inactive group, as well. Read more about the activity guidelines.

Do I need to use a posting template?

We'd prefer if you didn't. If you decide to use one, please try to keep it simple and readable. We do have code templates for other things on the forum, you can look at them in the Templates forum.

How do I use code in posts?

Three on a Match uses standard UBBCode in its posts, with a post editor that allows for easy access to formatting options such as links, colour, font size, and lists. Please use common sense when formatting posts to ensure readability first and foremost and a cohesive board style second. We also have custom post codes you can use, the most practical among them the [q][/q] dialogue code, which will automatically add quotations and your Path colour to your dialogue.

How to I archive finished RP threads?

In the drop down menu at the bottom of the thread page, named Moderator Options, you have the option to 'Discontinue' or 'Archive' a thread. This allows users to archive or mark a thread as inactive without needing staff moderation. We ask that users archive their threads when they finish them. Read more about archiving on Help:Archive.

Choosing 'Archive' will move the thread to the general archives and be shown as 'finished' on a character's threadlog (neither highlighted green or red).

'Discontinue' will move a thread to the discontinued section of the archive, which will remove the thread from a characters threadlog entirely. This option is for threads that have gone inactive for whatever reason and have not been finished. In order to remove a thread from the discontinued archives, you will need to contact an administrator on Discord.

Can I do Solo threads?

Yes, but only in the Short Story forum. It is a place for anything in character that isn't roleplaying with a partner. So short stories, vignettes, and experiences you'd like to give your character without getting held up in a collaborative thread. Threads in the Short Story forum cannot be used for advancement in the paths or in reputation.

What are the avatar dimensions?

• The maximum dimensions for avatars are: 250x420 pixels.
• The maximum dimensions for banners are: 1000x275 pixels.

Questions about gameplay

Do I need to use the dice?

The Strike & Cinder Dice system is not required, but using it is rewarded. You're welcome and encouraged to develop powers without ranking up, but the only way to gain more dice in your Strike and Cinder pools is to use them and ranking up along the Advancement Ranks.

What is "Advancement"?

Advancement is our version of "levelling up," to simplify. It allows characters to gain more Keywords, abilities, and other additional features from their Path by completing milestones. How Advancement is framed, an old Undying rediscovering forgotten power or a fresh Shifter coming into theirs, is up to the player.

What's a "Path"?

The Paths are Three's version of a character class/member group/lore species. It signifies the different category of character and defines what they do and do not have access to.

What are "Keywords"?

Keywords are the building blocks of our magic system. Although they only exist in the meta, when you select one for your character, you are given access to anything you can think of within that keyword. They provide a solid framework for you to build off of creatively while also allowing you to fit into the game world and utilize the dice.

Your Keyword powers can develop in game as you write, independent of Advancement. So long as the power fits either one keyword or a combination, it can freely develop through threads.

What are cantrips, boons, charms, and aspects?

All of the above are minor magical abilities that characters can do, often based on a Keyword. They are in essence simple magic tricks. Which one you have access to is defined by your Path (only Arcanists have charms, for example) and the specific rules for each are defined on their Path pages. The first minor abilities a character gets is defined on creation, but many Paths get more as they Advance.

What the difference?

A difference between the minor magical abilities and Keyword powers is that the minor abilities are set and do not evolve, while Keywords can develop over time. Minor magical abilities also do not have to be rolled for, and do not impact Luck. Meanwhile keyword powers are rolled for in PVP and Encounters or when you plan to use it for Advancement.

What's an Encounter?

An Encounter is a generated "opponent" players can request for their threads. Here players can pit their characters against monsters or other beings using the Strike & Cinder dice system. Encounters are purely PVE, and can pit the character against both hostile and more social situations they have to RP and roll their way through.

How do you make Encounters?

Encounters get decided through random selection. We have a sheet with possible encounters, all numbered and assigned set difficulties and dice pools. Then, when a player posts a request, we roll a die numbered with the possible encounters for a location and select based on the result. Factors such as time of day and reputation can impact the type of encounter available. However, players can also request a specific type of monster for us to generate stats for.

What are Hotspots?

The hotspot locations are locations where players can get a custom-tailored encounter that’s a little out of the ordinary and not selected from a random roll. The difference may be the flavour, dice pool stats, unique encounter rules, or a combination.

Questions about character creation

Is there a character limit?

There is no limit to how many characters you can have, but there is an expectation that you are able to actively post with those you have and do not neglect the threads you have joined or started.

Is there a limit to ages?

Your PC cannot be younger than 18. NPCs may be any age, but scenes with inappropriate situations that involve NPCs who are minors will not be tolerated.

What face claims are allowed?

Chosen face claims/play-bys must be celebrities and people in the public eye, not private persons or illustrated pictures. See a complete list of Face Claims.

Can my character own a location?

Players can own and operate many business locations in Easthaven and potentially place their own on the map. After two months on-site and four threads in a location, a player can have a character purchase a business by submitting a request to the staff. Alternatively, if you want an established character, they can "own" it, but it will not become an official location before the requirements are fulfilled.

If it is a pre-existing location, staff will add a note to the location of who the owner is, and the player can advertise to hire employees. If it's a brand new location, the player must submit a write-up of the location, ensuring it matches the neighbourhood it is established in.

Can I make my own groups?

Yes, players can invent their own groups and organisations to enrich the lives of their characters. You are welcome and encouraged to worldbuild around your character or their backstory, including creating organizations other than those that exist in the site lore and in the real world. Read up on Existing Groups and the General Setting to find out how you might adapt your ideas to the existing lore.

What can be a half-blood ancestor?

A half-blood ancestor can be a creature from mythology, folklore, Lovecraft, or cultural works, excluding anything considered a deity, as Half-bloods are not demigods. We also ask that players pick a creature using trusted sources, such as Encyclopedia Britannica, World History Encyclopedia, Wikipedias reference lists, published non-fiction books, or similar. If your chosen creature is only listed in the D&D Monster Manual, it is not valid as an ancestor.

How old can my Undying be?

There is no hard limit to how old an Undying character can be, so long as the age is justified in the history of the character. For the sake of simplicity, keep it within the bounds of recorded history.

What can my Undying be?

As the Undying are a catchall Path for all undead-like figures in myth and legend, an Undying can possibly be many things, including Vampires, Frankenstein's monster, Jiangshi, or a manner of revenant. The most important factor is that they are not mindless, so it is up to a player to shape their desired folkloric figure to suit their needs. Mindless undead are Undying who have become monstrous and lost themselves, which they cannot recover from, or never were Undying to begin with.

What can possess my Possessed character?

They can choose any type of spirit, intangible creature, or even long-dead humans. The key is that whatever is Possessing the possessed is lacking a physical body for itself for whatever reason. Entities such as deities, embodiments of things such as death and life, or especially powerful near-deific beings cannot possess a PC, and they also do not communicate with dieties. Currently, we allow muses and furies for the Possessed, but any similar minor goddesses or gods need to be checked with staff first. The best place to ask us is in the #❔questions channel on the Discord server.

Guidebook Navigation

General Information	Forum Guidelines ⁂ Discord Guidelines ⁂ At-a-Glance ⁂ FAQ ⁂ Style Guide ⁂ Custom Codes
Character Creation	Creation Guide ⁂ Paths ⁂ Mundanes ⁂ Arcanists ⁂ Cursed ⁂ Possessed ⁂ Half-Bloods ⁂ Shifters ⁂ Undying ⁂ Spirits ⁂ Face Claims ⁂ Character Census
Magic Information	Magic Summary ⁂ Archetypes ⁂ Wards and Protective Materials ⁂ Codes of Conduct ⁂ Rituals ⁂ Enchantments ⁂ Keywords
Setting Information	General Setting ⁂ Easthaven ⁂ City Map ⁂ Owning Locations ⁂ The Exchange ⁂ Existing Groups ⁂ Events Timeline ⁂ Beyond Easthaven
Game Mechanics	Strike & Cinder Dice ⁂ Dice Pool ⁂ Dice Mechanics ⁂ Difficulty Class ⁂ Success Range ⁂ Encounters ⁂ Advancement ⁂ Reputation
Site Information	Credits ⁂ Help:Archive ⁂ Help:Dice Tracking ⁂ Help:Dice Rolling ⁂ Help:Forum Templates

The member group and type a character is, based on the eight available.

Strike is the die pool of physical abilities of a character.

Cinder is the die pool of mental and magical abilities of a character.

The ranking-up system for the Strike & Cinder system.

The number of dice a character can roll in either Strike or Cinder.