Here is a list of tips that we as staffers have found useful in the past, or often found ourselves repeating during crits. We can't crit anybody directly during sales, but reading the advice here and using the resource links at the bottom of this post should get you into fighting shape come judging time, and be helpful whether you choose to ask for crit from others or not. While Plague Doctor has a lot of information, please be aware that you won't need to know things your characters don't know, and everyone is willing to help and talk about it if you're unclear on something. Using the information available to you dramatically increases your chances of getting a Plague. Thank you and we hope you find this helpful!


Plague


• Try to find a unique concept. The type of item that you choose can absolutely win or lose you a sale, especially when competition is stiff. If the item is out of period, i.e. from an era after the medieval period, it's more likely to lose compared to a medieval item or earlier. Also, if an item is similar to a pre-existing Plague, we're less likely to be interested in that than an item of a type that we've never seen before. Attention to detail can also make all the difference in this regard- A rosary tied into the Panymisian or Obscuvian faith, for instance, would be more likely to wow us than a rosary attached to a plain old Grimm with no allegiance to any canon faith.

• Item obtainment should be believable. Nine times out of ten, finding a simple way for your Grimm to have gained possession of their Putesco is best, and the tenth time is if it's thematically necessary, a fine example being Pur3 Snip3s use of the mythology of cursed weapons in his writing of Vindicator's history. Don't have your Grimm just pick an item up at random because they thought it looked interesting. Give them a good reason for having their item and, more importantly, a good reason for keeping it after it became Plagued if they didn't find it as a Plague first and foremost. Remember, Plagues can be a status symbol in some circles, but in most of Panymium being a Grimm is dangerous and Plagues carry heavy stigma with them!

• On that note, the plaguing of the item can also be a difficult thing to write. Items get plagued much like people do- they must come into contact with the disease. Try to find a believable way for this to happen that isn't too contrived. This is often the hardest part of the concept, so don't be afraid to ask for help, either! Some items are hard to find a way to plague naturally, and two heads are always better than one.

• Don't generalise! Not all Caedos are evil and not all Servos are sweet. Try to explore the middle ground. Servos may be inclined to order, but that doesn't necessarily mean a servos must be entirely compliant and pleasant. We've seen the stereotypes before. Focus less on the alignment and more on making a unique character. Maybe you can think about the influence of the item or of the Grimm's treatment of their Plague?

• Try to plan ahead somewhat when you make your Plague. It's easy to fixate on a single stage and forget that you still have to RP the others. Does this concept seem fun to RP through every stage? Do you have an idea of what kind of character development you want to get your Plague from excito to anhelo? PD is plot-centric, which isn't as intimidating as it sounds, but does mean that you should be making a character who you'd be interested in building plots around!

• Try not to make a Plague that is overpowered by its Grimm. It's easy to throw yourself into your Grimm concept since the Grimm is already a fully developed character, but be sure to present us a Plague that can stand out as the main character of their own story next to the Grimm- not necessarily a forceful personality, but one that can handle having a plot centred around them and not suffer from having their limelight stolen by a more interesting companion.

• Think in the long term plotwise. Growths happen through character arcs, so it can help to have a central plot for your character to follow. Though you don't need to have planned out their arc from item to nex, having a general idea of what they could do to get from excito-anhelo is recommended. How should their character develop? What are their central conflicts?


Grimm


• It's easy to make a Grimm whose circumstances enable them to lead a relatively detached lifestyle from the setting, but this kind of Grimm isn't ideal for playing with others or forming plots. It's better to avoid making a wealthy Grimm who lives a life or leisure or a very young Grimm who hasn't had time to explore the world or pursue a career. Grimms who have a purpose and a history that interacts with the worldbuilding already in place in Panymium are going to interest judges and potential RP partners much more than Grimms who are adrift, so to speak.

• With that in mind, knowledge of the setting is incredibly useful in creating a really excellent, stand out Grimm. Unlike the Plague you make, your Grimm will have lived in Panymium all their lives, and the way they fit into Panymese society will define them as a character. Remember that your Grimm can already be written as established in a faction- You don't need to be afraid to make someone who is already a Cultist, Mage, or Councilmember. But if that doesn't appeal to you, you're more than welcome to worldbuild their own niche in society, Maybe they're a tradesman in a merchant guild? Maybe they're an Obscuvian, but instead of being part of the main cult, they're in religious orders as a monk? Maybe they're a minor knight with tenants to look after and a farm to tend! You can draw your inspiration from history or from institutions already made in Panymium, but if your Grimm is bringing something to the table societywise, they have a lot more options available regarding interaction and plots. For help with aspects of Panymese society, feel free to ask in the FS thread or PM a staffer, as well as check the bottom of this post for useful and hard to find links to valuable resources!

• Though making your Grimm interesting is important, don't overcomplicate them either. Figure out the direction you want to go with them character developmentwise and the role you want them to play in your Plague's life, and build things from there as simply and easily as possible. If a decision that you really want for your Grimm has to be explained and worked around, it's better to sacrifice it for a decision which makes more sense with what you have already.

• Try to avoid soap operas. Since Plague Doctor's premise is pretty dark, it's easy to go over the top with the tragic pasts. However, giving your characters too much baggage will make it difficult to plan future plots that don't get overshadowed by all the drama in their past, and it can make it difficult for them to interact with other characters. Obviously many people in Panymium do have tragedy in their pasts, but try to make sure they're dealing with it in a realistic and feasible way, and that you don't have too many different tragedies clogging up the concept.

• Think about plot participation. While there are a ton of different roles available to players in Panymese society, some characters will be easier to involve in other peoples' plots and the shop plot than others. Peasant farmers are great, and absolutely necessary to Panymese society, but a farmer Grimm won't be able to travel much or participate much in faction plots. You can make Grimms at almost any level of society if you're willing to talk to the managers and read the worldbuilding, and it's a lot more fun to participate in your faction than sit in a corner doing your own thing sometimes!

• Keep in mind the restrictions of Panymese society as well as the benefits. A lady born into nobility will find it -highly difficult, if not impossible- to run off with a commoner, for instance. Likewise, young girls will find it more difficult to be independent than young boys. Panymese women have more rights than medieval women in general, but are still not entirely liberated. Similarly, Panymese children will have difficulty being independent, and your status in Panymium will affect your upward mobility. Peasants who are Grimms may find it easier to find a place in life, but they still lack the access to the same education and upbringing that wealthier citizens enjoy. Such conflict could, of course, make for interesting plotting, but just be aware that there is a social hierarchy to struggle against.

• Try to keep your Grimm from being anachronistic, both in appearance and character. Panymium takes its politics from the 1700s, but takes its culture from high medieval Europe. Fashion has been influenced in some part by Plagues, whose garb can frequently be anachronistic, and many of the Grimms currently in play are wearing somewhat anachronistic clothing, but this is not the norm, and we are striving to bring Plague Doctor back to more medieval roots. If your Grimm is very rich, they're more likely to wear more anachronistic clothing, but Panymese fashion has a more medieval look on the whole, with its own distinct flair that can be seen in references from the resources below this section. You don't need to be an expert on medieval history, but use common sense- dressing your Grimm up as a Victorian debutante and putting them in charge of a factory is hardly going to make them fit in with the setting.

• Lastly, try to avoid the common tropes that most people use in Grimm-writing. A few themes that we have seen repeatedly are dead parents, dead wives, immigrants (second generation immigrants once we made a rule against them), and peasants with a better education than would have been afforded them (Most Panymese people have a basic religious education from their local Panymisian or Obscuvian church, and wealthier classes send their sons and daughters to Trisica University in Imisus). Stereotyping characters is also a common problem, so keep in mind that Cultists aren't evil, nor do they think they're evil, Scientists aren't always eerie nerds, and so forth. Figure out your own flair and make a sympathetic character that you'll enjoy RPing!


RESOURCES
Below are some resources that are hard to find regarding worldbuilding in Panymium that you'll more than likely find useful! You don't need to know everything here, but if something is pertinent to your concept, feel free to take a look! We especially recommend using the Panymium map at the very least, since it's a great visual aid while planning. If you need help finding anything else, don't hesitate to ask, as things are easy to overlook in the guild and such, and the staff know where everything is if you need it.

EXTENDED MAP OF PANYMIUM
Shows mountains, rivers, and towns.

INFO ON PLAGUES- THEIR MAGIC AND ANATOMY

PANYMESE FASHION
A tag on the Plague Doctor blog full of image references and worldbuilding posts regarding Panymese attire. For the more specific worldbuilding posts available in the tag, look here and here.

PANYMESE DIET
A somewhat lengthy essay on the Panymese diet and staple products of Panymese farms and agriculture per region, as well as religious dietary observances and traditions. If tl;dr, I suggest searching key terms to find what you're looking for.

HIGHER EDUCATION
The sole Panymese university, Trisica University.

OBSCUVIANISM WIKI POST
A work in progress, but still valuable for what information on Obscuvianism it provides.

PANYMISIAN WIKI POST
A work in progress, but still valuable for what information on Panymisian it provides.

GENERAL TYPES OF MAGIC AND FELLOWSHIP RANKINGS

IMPERIAL GUARD UNIFORM REFERENCE

For information on Trisica University or the Council of Sciences, consult the Scientific Index.

For more information on Obscuvianism, consult the Obscuvian Texts.

For more information on the Fellowship of Mages, consult the Magickal Scriptures.

For more information on anything that you couldn't find through here, feel free to contact Rookeries, kotaline, knife effect, or ex o ex Snoof.


Good luck questing! We can't wait to see you around!