Welcome to Character Guides! This is the team that receives and approves incoming character backstories. In order to play a character, a player must submit their backstories to CGs and receive approval. This is how we ensure that every character not only fits within the Lore, but can get the most out of the game. CGs also help with character collaboration if players are looking for ideas, guidance, or more assistance with their character creation. Please send any questions to characterguides@cotvlarp.com or post them in the #character-guide-questions channel on the Discord.
The deadline to submit a character concept to Character Guides most often two weeks before game, but please check the deadlines on the event page for verification. Additionally, final approval must be attained at least one week before game. Please note that no player can play a character without an approved backstory.
The first step in creating your character is finding concepts that fit what you want to play. Read through the Rulebook and the Lore. Think about how you want to fit into the world. What kind of a character do you want to play? Are there concepts, tropes, or ideas you like from other media that fit well within the lore and rules you are reading? Gather the ideas you are excited about and take note of them. Inspiration can come from written works, movies, TV shows, Pinterest boards, songs - there’s no limit to where you can glean inspiration from.
Once you have a concept you are excited about, you can reach out to character guides for guidance in shaping your character, or head over to the Backstory Guide to get the required questions you need to answer for your character backstory. Character Guides always welcome the chance to collaborate with players on backstories. If you need help or just a sounding board, please reach out. Reminder: no character can be played without an approved backstory.
After receiving a backstory, CGs will email you after receiving a backstory. They will discuss your character with you and may provide guidance or ask for additional information for your character. Once all questions are answered and the CG sees a good fit, they will then notify Logistics and Plot that your character has been approved to play.
Character Guides and Logistics work in tandem to approve your character sheet and your character backstory. You can work with Logistics on your character sheet while you are working on getting your backstory approved. Once your backstory is approved Character Guides will inform Logistics. Both steps must be completed before your first game and by the deadlines set on the event page. You can learn more about character sheets on the Logistics Page. Please purchase your ticket before submitting your character sheet to Logistics.
The only way to access Hargrove is by a train that runs 4 times a year for passengers. Characters will be cut off from any people or resources that are not coming with them over the mountains.
Characters are joining a company town by moving to Hargrove. All authority will be granted by Dauntless Railroad Company in game. This means any previous status or authority in backstories will not be recognized or upheld in game. Characters agree to leave any titles, badges, and privileges in Elan to join this new community.This includes but is not limited to military status, law enforcement positions, and social or political authority.
Characters cannot begin with ties to NPCs or NPC families - this includes any characters and families mentioned in the Lore. If you are hoping to have a character connection with another player, this is absolutely encouraged. Please have the player inform CGs that they approve of the connection at the time of your submission.
All key information about a character must be presented to Character Guides prior to character approval. If details in a character's backstory contradicts information in Lore or information put forth by the Plot Team, CGs will work with the player to find an acceptable option that fits within the Lore of the game. We welcome you to keep thinking about your character and discovering details about them with others in game space. Any details to the character or changes to their motivation that change while in game space can be sent to the Plot Team after playing the character.
Elan is a place of science and industry. There are no supernatural beings or happenings in Elan. All characters are humans. Superstitions and personal beliefs are allowed as long as they do not include elements of the supernatural (such as ghosts or cryptids).
Please familiarize yourself with the disallowed roleplay within the Rulebook. These themes will also not be allowed in backstories.
No ties to Nepton or Dorage are currently allowed. An announcement will be publicly made if CGs begin to accept characters from these locations. We do not have an estimated date for this yet.
All questions that CGs ask must be answered before a character is approved. Characters are only approved when CG clearly states in an email that the character is approved and is sent to Logistics.
Looking for inspiration for garb and deco for your character? Please see the In-Game Aesthetic Guide page!