demeleier_moderators | Frequently Asked Questions

General Game Info

GENERAL GAME INFO

What sort of game is Demeleier?

Demeleier is primarily a survival game, but it also contains slice of life, horror, and fantasy elements. It can be very silly at times, and very horrifying at others.

Your character has been kidnapped by the Faerie Queen, and brought to the village by the Guardian. All of the characters are caught up in an argument between various fae and can't be returned home by the "good" ones. Until they find a way back, they'll need to work, live, and survive in a reminiscently Scottish countryside where they are accosted by various members of the Seelie and Unseelie Court.

Where are these faeries from? What is the setting based on?

The folktales from the British Isles and Europe!

The fairies here aren't anything like the ones you may be familiar with from modern media. They're variably chaotic, reactive, sometimes violent, and often full of magic that can bewilder even the most intrepid person or fell the strongest warrior. If it helps, you might think of them as being more like monsters and gods.

In addition, the fae are seldom carbon-copies of the ones found in traditional stories, and we sometimes take additional influences and cues from more modern works as well.

What is Demeleier's pace?

The IC pace is 1:1, or one IC day = one OOC day. However, Demeleier has a relaxed atmosphere, and backtagging is heartily encouraged! Backdating is perfectly fine, too. Even the fastest players are often very accommodating of allowing others into plots and planning.

The game is typically busy in spurts, with slower periods as people backtag and sort out their character's activity, or in anticipation of the next big plot or event. We don't formally limit post frequency—just use your best discretion. Logs can be used to group related plot/event threads, and we encourage the use of thread trackers on the main post of the log to help with this.

What is the activity check like?

The Activity Check goes up on the first of every month and runs until 11:59pm of the 7th. It requires either one post in

demeleier or

demeleier_logs, or one thread of five or more replies from your character during the month covered by activity.

For missed activity checks, we operate on a "three-strike" policy, with strikes sent out through private messages to the relevant character journals. There is no penalty for one or two strikes; three means your removal from the game, except under very extenuating circumstances. Strikes decay at a rate of one strike per two months of successful activity.

New characters who are accepted after the 15th of any given month are exempt from that month's activity check.

How do you handle long hiatuses ICly?

You have a few options, like having them get lost in the forest or simply have them fall ill. For something more colorful: your characters can be temporarily spirited away to one of the faerie lands. A type of fae called a "changeling" will put in their place. The changeling will look exactly like your character and will generally stay in their home and act fretful, sickly, and may not mirror their personality exactly. They will vanish when your characters come back, or can be killed by other characters during the time your character is away.

It's entirely up to you what happened in the faerie worlds to your characters, how long they were there, or even if your characters can remember it when they return. Possibilities include from being forced into servitude, being made into a pet or object of entertainment, or just mind-screwed until the fae got bored of your character. If you'd like to talk to us about this for ideas or suggestions, please feel free!

Are canon updates allowed? How are they handled?

Yes! Please contact a mod if you are planning on updating your canon point. You will be asked for a brief summary of their updated history, and any new powers. This does not need to be a formal write-up; you can explain it conversationally to the mods.

ICly: If they are gaining new memories from home, they will wake up one day and suddenly have the memories. They will feel disoriented, as though coming out of a particularly vivid dream. Once the disorientation settles down (and can last as long as you feel is appropriate), they character will understand that it was more than just a dream. However, they won't have actually left Demeleier.

If they are undergoing a major update--such as aging up several years, losing limbs, or gaining new powers--they will be spirited away by the fae. There is no set time for how long it takes, nor is it required for you to play it out. Updated characters will come stumbling out of the Stones once all is said and done. Memories of what happened while among the fae will be vague, though all canon-related memories will be solid in their mind.

Is there character death here?

Yes. Your character will remain dead for a period of twenty-four hours before resurrecting, with their corpse and clothing restored to how it was before death. If the corpse was destroyed, then your character will reappear on the temple steps again. You will still have all your items, unless your corpse was looted by a villager or a particularly rude fae. In which case, you'll have to go and get those back yourself.

It is up to you whether or not the character retains scars or damage from their death, but dying is not a hard reset--if they suffer a non-fatal injury and it scars at some earlier point, it'll still be there after they're killed and resurrected a few weeks later.

There is no limit to how many times your characters can die.

What is the policy on sex?

Sex is perfectly fine to play out. Folkloric fae tended to be a little sex-crazy, and there's not a ton of other recreational IC activities around the village. Logs should be adequately rated for content (both that sex is happening and if anything about it could be considered squicky or triggery), and network posts that contain adult content should have an OOC note. If there is content of that sort in the original post, the text should be put behind a cut. You're welcome to lock these posts if you prefer, but there is no strict requirement to do so.

How do I get in touch with a mod?

The Mod Contact page will allow you to comment in a screened post to us. It also lists our various contact info if you would prefer to reach us over a different medium. We are also generally very quickly available on the official mod plurk.

NEW CHARACTER ARRIVALS

Where does my character arrive? What will they have with them?

Your character arrives on steps of the temple. The Guardian places them there after he snatches them back from the Queen. If your character has an unusual circumstance, such as being of an unusually large size or shape, you can assume they woke up in front of the temple. Alternatives are within the temple proper, or on the rooftop.

Laying neatly alongside them are a crown woven out of rowan twigs, and a hand mirror—or a mirror set into a bracelet, for animal-shaped characters. The rowan crown is your character's first line of defense against glamour, the faerie mind-control magic. An IC explanation will likely be provided to them by someone helpful. The mirror is your character's primary mode of communication.

They will also posses whatever items and clothing they last had before being whisked away, but anything made of or containing iron will be removed.

How do characters communicate?

There is an all-pervasive spell that allows all characters to understand one another; it is possible to circumvent this through intense concentration.

The "network" in Demeleier is conducted over character hand mirrors. They are fashioned to suit the needs and stylistic tastes of whomever they belong to. Regardless of the design, it will have an image of a woman holding a comb and a mirror somewhere on it. They never contain iron.

To use the mirrors, the character simply has to think about broadcasting, and they will send the messages to every mirror in Demeleier. To send messages privately, the character must think only of the person they wish to speak to. Please remember that the Kings, Queen, and Guardian can still spy on private messages - they won't see every single one, though.

"Video" is always on; the only way to achieve an audio-only post is to lay it face down, or otherwise cover the mirror while in use. Text and writing options are not available.

If you break your mirror, it will stay broken for a period of twenty-four hours. It will be useless during this time and will neither broadcast or allow you to listen or watch other broadcasts. After the twenty-four hours are over, the mirror will mend itself. If lost, it will suddenly return to you in that same time period.

The mirrors of dropped characters vanish.

When will they see their first fairies?

Chances are very good they'll stumble upon (or be stumbled upon by) their very first fae within an hour or less of being in Demeleier. Fae are everywhere, seen and unseen. They may not immediately have it out for your character (whether in general or at that particular point in time), but fairies are definitely the majority population and the primary NPCs of the game.

Where will my character stay?

You have options! The primary choice is the village, with around 100 small cottages that house both the majority of the characters in the game, as well as the neutral human NPCs. It lays south of the temple, across a short jaunt of meadow. These cottages are cozy and well-made, but not insulated, so the elements are still able to get in and leave you chilled or too-warm. However, cottages can also be improved through hard work, wishes, or enchantments. There is also an inn that offers temporary housing to newcomers, or for anyone who chooses to staff the Inn regularly. Those who are very young or who require extra care due to an ailment or a disability may live at the inn if they have no one else to assist them, but others are encouraged to free up space as soon as they can.

However, neither of these is compulsory. Some characters sleep in existing buildings like the temple, the ruins, the kirk, or town hall. They may eventually make homes of their own, such as tree houses, ships, and other structures. Rules regarding the abundance/supplies of material do apply there, so check in with a mod.

What are cottages like?

Cottages are cozy and small medieval homes, large enough for two people to comfortably live in without feeling cramped. They by no means come close to a modern home, but they contain a sleeping area, a kitchen area, a fireplace, a restroom, and additional floor space for any purpose the resident wishes. The buildings are made of stone and wood, with treated rooftops that keep the rain out, and glass windows set in small pane doors that can swing open and latch shut. The flooring comes as either smoothed wood planks or smooth stone slabs.

The sleeping area is a wooden loft "attic," coming standard with a bed and a wooden chest for personal belongings. There's room enough in the loft to add a second bed, more furnishings, or even to convert it into a small private bedroom area, if you can put the resources for that together.

The restroom is extremely simple, with room only for a toilet and a small hand sink. No shower or bath tub. They often have smaller windows by the ceiling that vent to the outside.

Kitchens are equipped with cupboards, an old-fashioned stove, counter space, and a sink with running water.

Standard furnishings include a rough table, two chairs, a set of bronze pots, two sets of cups, plates, and bowls (made of crude ceramic, or, if you're particularly lucky, wood!). Some cottages have other odds and ends, like glass jars, or tea pots, or extra tableware. Nothing fancy, and certainly nothing modern. Some things may even be missing, if you happened to move into a cottage that has been looted by someone else recently.

Cottages that share a wall also have a root cellar, accessible via a hatch set into the ground in the back.

VILLAGE LIFE

What is an average day around the village like?

The cottages are well-made, but because they lack modern insulation, but can still be chilly in the morning. So unless it's summer, you may wake up with a slight/extreme chill. Tending the fire is a good idea, in that case! They have sinks and running water, so you're all set for drinking and cooking. Then it's going to the inn for your day's rations that you can prepare at home, or, if someone has decided to cook, to get your share of the meal. You may, at some point, decide to stop at the public bathhouse, which is not exactly a fancy affair. Don't forget about laundry, which needs to be done by hand!

After that, it is up to whatever your character wants to do or is apt at. Some go to work in the fields all day, or tend to the animals. In these cases, they likely work closely with the peasant NPCs. Others go on hunting/fishing trips; still more may work on creating supplies or clothing, keeping the village in order, gathering firewood (carefully; cutting trees is not advised), scavenging for plants, and so on.

There are also some recreational things to do, such as: going to the library, hanging out at the inn (which has a dart board and alcohol), visiting the tea house, or getting paper and charcoal at the town hall for writing and drawing. Otherwise, you're encouraged to hone crafts, take up hobbies, explore, visit with friends, learn how to fight, or assist others in their tasks.

Dinner is what you or someone else made out of available supplies; while there is no curfew, under-aged characters are advised to be in bed by midnight, lest Rawhead And Bloodybones comes to harass and curse them.

And throughout your day, no matter where you are, there will be fairies basically everywhere.

Who are these peasants?

The peasants (or Etin Serfs) are a group of NPCs who live in cottages at the southwestern part of the village. They were forced into becoming the glamoured servants of the Red Etin, a Fae King whom was vanquished by the villagers in November of 2013. These people are number at around 60, are all human, and fairly evenly male and female. They hail from a blend of European Earth countries during their respective medieval time periods from which they were spirited away, and are fairly closely-knit thanks to their long-time ordeal under the Etin. As a whole, they can be characterized as paranoid, skittish, and superstitious—but given their past, they can't be wholly blamed for it. However, they behave very much as individuals, and some are more brash or kind than the average. Villagers who have not gone out of their way to get to know these people can expect to receive any reaction from the evil eye to a very polite and passing greeting.

In day-to-day life, they work the fields and care for the animals. They may be seen performing other tasks as well, such as spinning or churning butter. The bolder among them do take trips to the Inn for a sip of alcohol or two, or to replenish their kitchens with some of the endless food stores available there.

They can be killed, and are subject to the same 24-hour revival period as player characters. Even so, they really don't like that, and will withhold assistance and rations to those who abuse them (and even the village as a whole, if they get especially mistreated). They do not have mirrors, though they all wear the same rowan crowns as player-character villagers.

For interacting with villagers, you are welcome to godmode them, handwave their presence, or ask a mod.

How do I know what's going on in the game during any given day or week?

Every week, the mods post an update to the OOC community.

It is strongly recommended that you read this post every week. It details the weather forecast, which fae are appearing with higher-than-normal frequency, and future logs, encounters, and events. Dire shortages of supplies and notable community projects curbed from player posts are included, too. The end of each post contains OOC news items, as well as links to places in the comments meant to invite player involvement, discussion of that week's exploits, and memes.

You may also use that post to ask for more details or elaboration on anything within the post itself.

How do we acquire the basics needed for survival?

Bluntly: the villager player-characters and peasant NPCs hunt, grow, and make nearly everything that they have not brought in with them, or bargained for.

This is a fairly big part of the game, and though you don't need to be an expert at your character's craft, you are expected to have a basic understanding of where dyes, fabrics, metals, medicines, etc. come from, and their seasonal availability/applicability to a climate like Demeleier's (ie: highland Scotland). This also goes for a reasonable assumption of how long it takes for crops to grow, or for a character to learn a new skill (whether apprenticed to another character, or experimenting on their own). When in doubt, consult a mod!

Much like in small communities throughout history, everyone is expected to pitch in, but some people are more specialized in certain tasks than others. Even if your character isn't a hunter, a fisher, or a farmer, chances are good they won't starve. If they need clothing for the winter, someone may be able to spare or make something. It's usually regarded as good practice to help out and give back in every way you can, though.

Can my character just pay people to do the hard work?

There is no currency system in Demeleier; characters get by on bartering and favours. Villagers and peasants both generally look out for the community's basic survival needs, and luxuries are handled on a character-to-character basis. So it is possible to pawn tasks off on others, but you'll still likely need to put in some kind of work around the place in order to be seen as an asset.

Most fae will have their own price for their help, however, and it is not a monetary price...

What kind of food is available?

Whatever is caught, cultivated, or made. While the Queen does keep the lands and sea abundantly stocked, it is not like shooting fish in a barrel; animals are still skittish and hyper-vigilant, and there are plenty of plants out there as willing to kill you as to nourish you.

There is a field that produces wheat, oats, flax, some vegetables, and tubers. Same goes for the greenhouse by the Inn, which has a number of vegetables, herbs, and a few fruits growing within.

Basic dairy products like eggs and milk are available thanks to the livestock grazed around the village, though of course, butter and cheese must be made or traded for with those who know how to make it.

There are also enchanted quantities of items won or acquired from fae. The inn has one bag each of endless sugar, flour, and rice; endless bottles of vegetable oil and rum. The tea house has an enchanted berry bush which has a random different type of berry every day, as well as an endless bottle of cream. There is also an orchard that grows fruits year-round, but very dangerous fae guard it jealously, so any fruit acquired from there is hard-won.

Clean drinking water is always available from sinks in homes, unless someone's dumped something in the water supply again. It happens.

What about clothing, soap, and medicine?

All produced by villagers, or acquired through special events. There are resources available to make almost everything needed for general use around Demeleier, but it must be gathered and often refined. Remember, this is a medieval village: there are no convenient factories or wide-scale production methods for getting or obtaining goods. It is entirely possible for there to be outages of soap or cloth or bandages, if no one is making them.

One of the villagers has an unending box of condoms, which are of random make and size. A bowl in the town hall is always kept stocked!

What kinds of mineral resources are available?

Very limited quantities of metal (anywhere from a few pounds to a few ounces); even lower amounts of iron. Any quantity available was carried down on the backs of strong villagers, or produced by melting down items brought in and donated by new villagers. There are no safe carts for hauling, and few animals available to pull them. While the mountains themselves are fairly abundant, the caves are also the home of very violent ogres and other nasties who make regular, daily mining trips next to impossible. However, it is pretty important to do that, to keep the iron supply going.

Why does the iron supply need replenishing?

Demeleier's adjacency to the sea means that it tends to rust, when untreated; not only that, but it also does tend to get lost in normal day-to-day activities, when passing through the fairy circles, or when a character vanishes and they happen to have it on their person.

FAERIES

Where do fairies come from? Where are they usually found?

They are found everywhere, all the time. As to where they come from, it depends; many natively consider the Demeleier realm their home, while others "visit" from the fae lands found beyond the circles scattered across the countryside. They may not exactly have formal homes like the players do, but some can be said to live in the village, as they're almost always lurking around there.

How do they treat the player characters, and why?

Like in folklore, most fae have their own agenda and go about their business without feeling much of a need to explain themselves. Every fae sees the residents differently, but even the most benevolent fairy typically sees the villagers as being beneath them. Favoured, certainly, but like children or pets or precious commodities. Or snacks.

Some may ignore characters; others can try to help or offer advice; others will curse or hex them; still more will hurt, kill, or eat them.

What's the deal with the Queen/Kings/Guardian?

They are the main NPCs of the game: the movers and shakers. The Queen is all-powerful; if she orders you to bend knee, you will bend knee. Fortunately, she typically doesn't bother with that kind of thing.

The Kings all bicker amongst themselves, and are varying levels of loyal to the Queen. Some outright dislike her.

The Queen and Kings sometimes will court villagers to come into their servitude and fealty. They often tend to regard them as their eyes around enemy territory, and may, at times, offer them "protection." Maybe.

The Guardian is the "friendliest" of the NPCs, and the only one actively trying to protect and return the villagers home. He may not always do a perfect job, but he does what he can, when he can. Even when he is acting out in a way that seems cruel or cold, often he has the best intentions at heart. He IS still fae, though.

How do I interact with the fae?

Primarily, we encourage players to handwave or godmode interactions with any standard, generic, or plentiful fae. If you'd like specifics or ideas, please feel free to check out the bestiary page.

Players are strongly encouraged to use any fae listed on the weekly updates in this manner, as well—they're offered as post prompts as well as to give an indication or reflection of the goings-on of that week.

For the more important or rarer NPCs, such as the Kings, Queen, Guardian, or other named fae, you may contact the moderators.

How do I fight them?

Iron is your best bet when fighting faeries. Very few of them seem to like it and some of them are terrified of even small amounts. Responsible villagers will direct newcomers to the forge upon their arrival, instructing them to pick up a small piece of iron to carry around with them; you do not arrive with it.

Rowan will help your characters to see through certain types of faerie glamour. Much like the woven twig crown your character is encouraged to wear, a circle of rowan trees can be found in the forest - should your character stay in that circle if they are being chased, then none of the fae can hurt them.

Brute force can work, but only with excessive amounts applied and only with certain fae. It is far from the most elegant solution, especially when iron is so much more effective in many cases. Most fae will only barely react to pain and and wounds, and some can even regenerate.

Some faeries have different, special weaknesses and ways of defeating them.

APPLICATIONS & RESERVES

Where do I apply, reserve, and can reservations be challenged?

Apply here, putting your character's name and source and whether or not they were reserved in the comment header of the application. You can either link to the full app or post it in the comments; it's up to you.

The reservation page can be found here. Reservations can be challenged; the challenger must wait until the initial reserve has posted an application before posting theirs, and must do so within one week of the original applicant posting theirs. Both applications will be read and a decision made on which one is accepted.

What kinds of characters can be apped?

We are open to original characters, canon OCs (as in characters created from a canon universe), and characters who are of limited canon. In the latter case, we ask you to supply adequate amounts of headcanon or evidence and arguments for character development decisions not directly supported by canon.

Any character with adequate sapience and intellect can be apped, even if they are shaped like an animal or monster. We reserve the right to make judgement calls, however.

We do not allow duplicate characters from the same canon; however, we do allow of canon AUs (whether they're established in-canon or a new setting developed by the same company), cross-canon spinoffs, or characters who are very similar but from different games like the Links and Zeldas of the world. Player-made AUs are on a case-by-case basis.

You can also app characters with memories of previous games.

How many characters can I play from any given canon?

You are limited to two (2) per canon, and they cannot be characters who are too closely related, or would have interest in knowing one another. IE: you cannot play two trolls from Homestuck, but you could get away with playing Rufioh and John.

In addition, you must wait a month before apping the second character. Some exceptions may be made depending on circumstances, so please don't hesitate to ask! The final judgement is always ours to make.

Will my character arrive with their weapons/items?

Your character will arrive in Demeleier with everything they were carrying on their person at the time they arrived, with the exception of any iron. Iron alloys, such as steel, are exempt from this since the fae don't appear to mind those.

We reserve the right to ask you to remove some items from your character's inventory to prevent game-breaking, but generally we will allow most things in.

Characters with more abstract inventory systems, like Homestuck's Sylladexes, or Bags of Holding from tabletop settings or MMOs, will be left alone and operate as normal.

What sort of abilities should I expect to see powered down?

In general, we try to avoid power reductions and restrictions, because they can add fun and interesting aspects to the game. However, the mods reserve the right to reduce or remove any abilities that may become game-breaking or border on godmoding.

General examples of abilities we will tone down are as follows:

Teleportation or Portal Making are altered or removed. We will allow you to keep a teleportation spell that will transport you over a short distance. To give an example, we will remove any Warcraft mage spells that allow them to teleport to the major cities of Azeroth and Outland but allow them to keep the spell "Blink" that moves them a few yards away.

Time travel is also changed. Your character can't go back in time and change events that have already happened. However, a character like Homura from Madoka Magica or Aradia from Homestuck will still keep their limited-duration combat time powers.

Abilities that shape shift other characters into another form will not be allowed to be permanent, and long-term transformations will have to be okayed with the other player and one mod.

While necromancy is allowed, you are not allowed to raise player characters from the dead if they happen to die. This is because death in Demeleier has its own penalties and resurrection. You will also not be allowed to control player characters who are undead.

Your character cannot conjure food or drink from thin air. You are allowed to use magic to speed up or otherwise assist with the standard creation of food and drink, but you cannot zap the raw materials into existence, or create a full meal or dish from nothing.

God-like powers such as omnipotence, omnipresence, mastering skills at inhuman speeds, and other absurdly overpowered abilities will be altered, limited, or removed at modly discretion. For example, Dragonball Z or Nasuverse abilities would be prime cases of needing the powers limited, trimmed, or creatively repurposed.

We are happy to work with players to come up with creative solutions.

My character has the ability to change their form. How is this handled?

We allow shape-shifters to keep their powers. However, if one of their forms is extremely powerful and destructive, we may put limits on how often it is allowed to be used and/or how long they can assume it for. Extremely powerful shape-shifters may only have these forms available for special events and plots, if at all.

My character has a pet/mount/familiar. Can I bring it along?

Sure! However, unless it's something like a familiar, or a creature your character has trained from birth, expect the fae to spook it and for it to bolt. You'll be able to find it and wrangle it, but it won't be waiting patiently with you on the steps.

Cats have more patience for the fae, but they still may run off at the start of your time in Demeleier.

My character is cursed/has a terminal illness/disability. How is this handled?

Characters will generally keep these when they arrive in Demeleier. Villagers past and present have created some workarounds or ways of assisting those who are in need—for example, characters who cannot speak can have paper and charcoal for writing.

In the case of fatal diseases or curses that drain the user, the fae will 'stall' the effect so that it doesn't worsen and eventually kill the character. Note that this won't be a cure; while the fae want the whole package of the character's struggles, they also won't let them succumb fully.

My character comes from a world where the Fair Folk exist. How is this handled?

The fae of Demeleier may be very familiar or even recognizable to your character, but it will be like a bizarro AU version of the Fair Folk. Even if their customs and tendencies are familiar to a character, they will not be considered one of them, nor will they be easily decoded or understood. This also applies to folklore characters.

Frequently Asked Questions