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 Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 10:44 am
Hey, everyone! We have a few updates today, and if you read all the way through and have set up all of your Character Journals, you'll be eligible for some rewards! Temporary Journal Log UpdateIn July 2021 we asked that players check that they had created a journal for each of their characters. Since then, we’ve posted a few reminders about this project, most recently in July 2024, and we were finally able to compile character information for characters that did not have a journal linked from the Master Character List. We’ve set up a the Temporary Journal Log to log these characters.
There are many reasons why a character might not have had a journal set up, but with so many characters in play, we really needed to make sure that all of them were accessible. Full information about the Temporary Journal Log can be found in the thread, but we've included an overview of it in this announcement.
Moving forward, players should be diligent about setting up quests after claiming a new character and should apply for a stamp as quickly as possible. There are many situations which might prevent a player from being able to set up a journal after acquiring a character, such as delays in receiving a stamp or art, so characters may be logged in the Temporary Journal Log in the interim between when a character is acquired and when the player can set up a journal. While every situation may be different, players will generally have a month between when the character is claimed and when staff will consider adding any information to the thread. The Temporary Journal Log is only intended to make information easy to access without needing to check multiple threads; rather than needing to consult a dropoff thread and check the Application/Accepted Quest threads, all information related to a new character can be found here until the player can set up a journal. If a player has a stamped quest but is waiting on the art, the character may be added to this list without the art; if the player has art but has not set up a quest, the art will be logged here.
If you have created a thread for your character's journal but have not included official art and their approved quest form, staff may create a post for the character with that information and add it to the Temporary Journal Log.
If you have a character logged in the Temporary Journal Log but set up a journal for them, you will be able to contact The Space Cauldron with the link to their journal! As long as your journal includes all official art and the information from their approved quest, we will be able to remove them from the Temporary Journal Log and update the Master Character List! Players who need to set up a journal can also message the mule if they would like to be PM’d the information we have for their characters; our goal is to make it easy for players to set up journals for their characters, so we’re happy to help however we can! If players cannot find any official art of their character, please contact the mule and we’ll do our best to locate the art! No one will be punished if their art cannot be located but all players are expected to make an effort to include shop art. If you cannot locate your character's approved quest, or if the thread is locked and you cannot easily copy the information to move to a journal, please also reach out to staff and we can help!
The Temporary Journal Log currently only lists powered characters, but it will be updated as time allows. As we move forward in our efforts to make sure all character information is easily found and accessible, we will be updating the Temporary Character Log to include new characters that are acquired and over a month old without a journal as well as existing characters whose journals are empty. As such, please check that all of your journals are updated with the necessary information! If you are struggling to find any information, please reach out to The Space Cauldron and we can help!
Having up to date journals is important for many reasons (it helps your RP partners, it makes it easier for us to avoid overlapping spheres/magic, and it enables more IC and OOC recognition). Setting up and maintaining journals can be time-consuming, but we appreciate everyone's efforts! Bonus Crown TokenTo say thank you, we’d like to offer 1 Crown Token to everyone who sends in a complete log of all of their characters with links to their journals! To claim this, you will need to make sure that all of your characters have a journal, and that each journal has all stages of their official art and contains their approved profile. Players will have until 11:59 PST on Saturday, August 31st to PM The Space Cauldron. Afterwards, they can post in the Crown Tokens Information and Claims log to claim ‘Character Journal Bonus’. You can only claim one Crown Token regardless off how many characters you have. If you are having difficulties locating a stamped quest or art, please include that in your PM! If you have claimed characters that do not have a stamp, you must complete their quest and post for a stamp. Once the character is approved, you can set up their journal! If you are waiting on art for a character but have a stamped quest, please just note that and link to your stamped quest! Future Shop PlansWe have a few more updates planned to release in the near future, including some general clarifications and expanded information to help with plotting certain features. We also have some fun things for the Negaverse!
We are also planning on rehoming several characters, so if you are interested in creating a fresh start for some beautiful characters, please plan to be below character cap! These characters will count as event wins so will not go on a cooldown, and will be free to grow on templates. However, to be eligible to win any rehomed characters, you’ll need to be below Character Cap. To help, we’d also like to give everyone 1 Henshin Pen to use towards growing a character! This can only be claimed once per person, and you must log it as ‘Shop Grant - August 2024’ when you claim in your Growth Item Log!
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Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2024 1:14 pm
Hey, everyone! We have a few updates regarding Deep Space Senshi (developing the Chaos and Transcending), reading/translating texts on Homeworlds/Wonders, and small updates to the civilian questing form! Deep Space ChaosThis is just an expansion on the already existing information! We want to make it easier for players to design the Deep Space Chaos and we know this can be a complicated process so we hope that by giving more information it can help you in your backstory lore! The following has been added to the existing Deep Space Senshi information! Quote: Deep Space ChaosChaos itself is not a ‘living’ being; it is not natural in nature and can only pollute what it encounters. The Chaos on a Deep Space Senshi world must stem from some ‘seed’ that is the source of all Chaos. The Chaos Seed itself can be sentient, but this is the Chaos at its most powerful and its ‘true form’ may only be revealed when a Deep Space Senshi is purifying their world. It would take too much energy for it to operate independently so it utilizes the negative effect of Chaos to affect the world rather than a direct assault. Chaos is always parasitic and will attempt to drain the life out of anything it can reach. If a world is completely drained, the Chaos Seed will attempt to move on. If a Chaos Seed can corrupt a world’s Core, it will grant it the energy it needs to move to another world. Chaos can arrive on a world of its own accord, or it can be sent by someone attempting to deliberately sabotage a world. Chaos cannot be controlled; someone cannot harness its power and command it, but Chaos itself is an entity driven to corrupt and consume. Chaos will attack everyone indiscriminately so it cannot be used as a tool for specific targets; it will simply travel with someone (or something) as a vessel and will unleash itself wherever it winds up.
The way the Chaos manifests will differ from world to world, but the Chaos seeds are always similar in that they are an evil force that poisons whatever it comes in contact with. Chaos can be thought of as a curse, a plague, or a parasite.
The Chaos Seed can cause sickness, delusions, hallucinations, can enhance emotions (especially negative emotions), and can otherwise cause living creatures to deteriorate physically, emotionally, and mentally. When Chaos affects living creatures, including people, it can make them appear feral or rabid. Through these changes, Chaos can influence thoughts and behaviors, but it cannot directly control anyone. The ‘hosts’ can be more suggestive to influence of the Chaos or others, and the Chaos may attempt to manipulate their mind and body to spread more Chaos or carry out basic tasks. It can, to some degree ‘possess’ people, but this is incredibly energy draining so Chaos operates more through influence than direct control. As the Chaos takes root, the host will become overrun until they run out of energy and perish. Chaos can tempt someone with their greatest desires or taunt them with their fears until they are too weak to resist. Chaos that affects people and animals will most commonly spread like a plague, where an infected individual can pass it to others by simply being in close proximity.
Chaos can manipulate the environment, causing extreme weather or natural disasters. In severe cases, it can impact seasons and may even disrupt the world’s natural rotation/day-night cycle. Chaos can cause extreme temperatures and pollute the soil and water, making it difficult or impossible for plants and crops to grow. It can distort local flora and cause them to grow into poisonous and dangerous plants.
There are many ways to design the Chaos on a Deep Space world, but there are a few things to keep in mind: Chaos cannot take the form of a hostile alien species attacking, it cannot directly corrupt someone’s starseed or transform them into other creatures (like youma), and cannot reproduce (it can grow and spread, but this is an extension of the original Chaos, not any real organic reproduction). Chaos itself cannot be mechanical or robotic/cybernetic in nature.
If players have a unique idea for how they want the Chaos to manifest, or if they have ideas that may stray from the information above, we may be able to work with them. This could be a very in depth approval process, as we need to ensure all Chaos follows the same rules, but we are open minded to working with players. It may be possible to explore other interpretations of how Chaos can manifest or spread provided players are willing to work with us to avoid accidental plot holes! We have expanded just slightly about this in the Deep Space Senshi Information post, where you can now find the following: Quote: The Deep Space Senshi will be able to restore life and they can work to make their world sustainable again. Once the Chaos is purged, the Deep Space Senshi can also pursue Transcendence, however there are a few additional things to keep in mind. Deep Space Senshi can either Transcend one month after their Homeworld is purged of Chaos and they have at least three roleplays there to showcase the world as it heals or they can Transcend after they have done a total of ten roleplays or solos on their Homeworld at any point in time after they have purified their world. This means that they can purify their world and then complete their Transcendence plot afterwards. More information can be found in the Transcended Senshi post below. However, the majority of the new information about this can be found the in a little about this in the Transcended Senshi Post, which has a section that now reads: Quote: Transcending: Deep Space SenshiWhile Deep Space Senshi Transcend in almost the exact same way as other Order Senshi, players should consider the following and make sure their Transcendence plot factors a few things in:
Transcended Senshi must complete one of two options to Transcend. When filling out your Transcended form, please make sure to include which option you will be pursuing as well as the completed solos/RPs and any expected ones you will still need to do. The options are:
Option 1: Deep Space Senshi can Transcend shortly after reaching third stage and destroying the Chaos on their Homeworld if they have done ten roleplays or solos on their Homeworld at any point in time. The roleplays done during the plot to destroy Chaos can count towards this, but all roleplays must be finished before the senshi can Transcend.
Option 2: Deep Space Senshi can Transcend one month after destroying the Chaos on their Homeworld to allow the Senshi and their world to heal. They will need to have made at least two trips to their Homeworld after purging it of Chaos, and can Transcend on the third trip.
These roleplays or solos should contain some meaningful action or development to showcase a close bond to the world, or showcase the Senshi’s efforts to protect, heal, or restore it.
Because the plot to purge the Chaos from a world is meant to be one plot, and the act of Transcending is meant to be another plot, it is possible to combine the two so that they can happen at nearly the same time, but the character will need adequate build up for both. The plot to purge the Chaos from the world and the plot to Transcend should be unique, though it can be intertwined in the build up. For example, purifying the Chaos of the world can unlock the means for a Senshi to Transcend, such as by allowing them to access a part of their world that was closed to them, or allowing them to complete a ritual they could not previously complete while the Chaos was present. Purging the Chaos from a world is not enough to Transcend, though it can be a factor in the Transcending. Players are encouraged to PM the mule if they would like extra information to help in planning their Deep Space Transcendence plots! With the introduction of other characters, like Vanguardians and Deep Space Senshi, we have also decided to lessen the restrictions on Earth-born characters having limited access to text on their worlds. Previously, characters could not learn any language from the text on their Homeworld/Wonder, but we have revised that rule here!
Quote: Books or texts can be found on the world, but these are generally almost always impossible to translate easily. When first arriving on a Homeworld/Wonder, books can have pictures that may help guide their readers in some way but there is no immediate method to translate. The only time someone may derive information from a book prior to unlocking fluency is if they have a past life memory of them reading it; they will not be able to translate what the text says, but they may recall the general information contained within. Some rare characters, such as Vanguardians and Deep Space Senshi, may be able to translate limited text on other worlds to help unlock information for characters who are not yet third stage, but this will need plot approval. Meta information, such as about the history of the Moon, Earth, Mau, or any other non player owned location cannot be uncovered, but personal information such as the history of the Wonder/World can be unlocked through time and effort. Once a character reaches third stage, they may begin unlocking fluency themselves. This will be a slow, gradual process; characters may read a passage and have innate knowledge of what it says, but if they attempt to read other passages they may only recognize a few words here or there. As characters continue to visit their homeworld and research the texts, their familiarity will grow rapidly. Starting ICly on August 27th, 2024, it will take a minimum of one month and at least five visits to a Homeworld/Wonder to obtain enough fluency to understand a new language. However, if a character has achieved a sustainable world before then, or before completing the other RP requirements, then they are automatically qualified to obtain immediate fluency for one language on their Homeworld/Wonder. Fourth Stage characters are the exception, as they can innately understand any text they could have known in their past life. If a Homeworld/Wonder has multiple languages, only one can be learned at a time; after a character has achieved fluency in the first language they must complete five more visits to their Homeworld/Wonder to learn another. A character with a close bond to another Homeworld/Wonder can also learn languages from there (with player permission), but only after they have unlocked at least one language on their own world. To unlock fluency of an ancient language, you must PM The Space Cauldron the following: Your third stage character’s name and a link to their journal
The date they ICly grew to third stage or the most recent date of ICly learning a new language (there is a one month cooldown between learning new languages)
5 RPs or Solos that occur during separate visits to the Homeworld/Wonder where they are learning a language. These RPs/Solos must reference them studying or learning the language in some way. The RPs/Solos can begin to count towards unlocking a language if they were started on or after August 27th 2024. While you can use items or other approved methods to access your world more frequently than standard travel cooldown might allow, there is still a one month cooldown between learning new languages. (If your character has unlocked sustainable life prior to August 27th, or if they unlock it before you complete 5 RPs or Solos on their Homeworld/Wonder, include that instead; this will supplement learning one language and can be unlocked immediately. You will still need to do more RPs/Solos to unlock additional languages)
Name of the language they are learning; you will need permission to learn the language of other player owned locations so please note if you have received permission when sending this in
This is a new change for all characters and it cannot be handwaved or backdated that they have unlocked the ability to understand other languages. This will begin to unlock for all characters starting on their first trip as of August 27th, 2024. Quest Form UpdatesThese are just a few small quality of life updates to help streamline and clarify the approval process! We have added the following to the questing forms, so please keep them in mind when making new quests! We will be making similar small updates to other portions of the questing thread and will update when we do so! We are also fixing up a few typos and grammar issues as we go. Rules and Guidelines
Please make sure your journals are written from an OOC perspective! While it might be tempting to write with an IC twist or as if the character is giving commentary on the answers, for the purpose of stamping we ask that you please just describe your character so we can make sure they meet guidelines and get them into play! After stamping, you can edit any of the optional sections on the quest (such as favorite food) to have more of a custom flair, and you can personalize other elements of your journal as you see fit, such as adding posts about their history, their relationships with other characters, or anything that you want to share about your character. You will still need to post for a revision if you are changing any hobbies or personality traits, but for the sections of the profile that were optional on the quest form, you can adjust these freely.
Civilian Form
Quote: School/Occupation: If they do not attend school and do not have a job, please just fill out 'N/A'.
Quote: Physical Appearance: ' Please make sure you are describing your character's civilian appearance! If they are an alien (such as a Vanguardian or Deep Space Senshi) or a youma/half youma, the below information should only describe them as they appear while in their 'human glamour'. You can describe their true, unglamoured appearance in the appropriate powered section of their quest!' Thank you all for your patience while we roll out these small updates! We hope to have some events coming soon outside of just our End of Year festivities! Remember, you have until 11:59 PST on Saturday, August 31st to claim one bonus Crown token just for setting up all of your journals and PMing The Space Cauldron! More information can be found here! We'll be running a rehoming event in the very near future (with more to come!) so please plan to be below Character Cap if you're interested in winning someone! These characters will count as event wins so will not go on a cooldown and will be free to grow on templates but you’ll need to be below Character Cap to be eligible to win someone!
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Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 4:36 pm
The Negaverse’s test for Energy Draining Objects at Biolumina has been deemed a success! Energy draining objects have now been unlocked for the Negaverse: Quote: Energy Draining ObjectsWhile the Negaverse can most effectively gather energy by patrolling, they can also infuse certain everyday items with crushed chaos crystals to passively drain energy from those around it. Energy draining objects can be made by a Mauvian or any third stage character but they can be distributed to any member of the Negaverse to use or maintain. However, they can be dangerous to handle so anyone using these will need to be cautious. ICly, characters will need permission to create and use Energy Draining Objects, and OOCly a form must be submitted to the mule to introduce one. These can be one time use items or have a more permanent design. Creating an Energy Draining ObjectThe blueprint to create an energy draining item has been provided by Commodore Lyndin. Through the technology he’s provided, there have been major advancements in the ability to harness energy, allowing the Negaverse to rely heavily on draining energy rather than pulling starseeds. Not only has he manufactured a way to amplify the strength of the energy that has been gathered by agents, he has also been at the forefront of helping the Negaverse construct energy draining items as well.
A unique strain of crystal that grows in the Rift has reactive properties. It is powerful enough that it can steadily drain energy from living beings even when extracted from its natural environment. It can also be grown in a lab environment, allowing it to be replicated indefinitely. Crystals can be ground into a fine powder and infused into different objects.
Creating the perfect crystals is a process, and scientifically inclined members of the Negaverse may be put in charge of helping grow high grade crystals to be used in Energy Draining Object Development. ICly, only Mauvians and third stage characters and higher have the ability to actually infuse the crystals into an object, but any character can submit a request to have one made. It is unlikely that a first stage character would be trusted to carry out a mission or plan that utilizes these items due to their inexperience in the Negaverse, but a second stage character or higher could be approved to create and distribute these items.
OOCly, a player will need to submit the following form and PM it to The Space Cauldron to make an energy draining item:
Quote: Character Requesting the Item: (Please include their rank and link to their journal) Item Description: (What does this item look like? It should be something that can be easily transported to and from the Dark Kingdom to harvest and extract gathered energy. It should be something that can be easily tracked and recovered.) Item Usage: (What is the intended purpose of this item? How many items do you need? Where will the item be used? Please just include a general idea of what to expect with these items) Using an Energy Draining ObjectWhen handled, these objects will drain energy from every living being around it, including plants, animals, and people. While the energy it can actually absorb from plants and animals is negligible, plants will still wither and animals will still become fatigued. These crystals are incapable of killing anyone but they can still bring someone to exhaustion. The more living creatures within range of the object, the less of an effect they may feel. The Energy Draining Object can only gather as much energy as it can hold; once it is at max capacity, it may continue to drain energy but the excess will be lost to both the object and the target.
An item will drain the most energy when it is making direct contact with skin, however some items can drain up to ten feet away. Energy Draining Items will gather energy continuously so they must be carefully monitored. When an item is full, or nearly full, it will have a very faint energy signature that can be picked up by Negaverse characters. However, if left unattended for too long, the energy signature will grow strong enough for Order characters to detect it. These items must be carefully monitored to ensure the safety and security of the mission.
Some simple ideas for Energy Draining Objects might be:
Silverware, which will be handled directly by a small group of people over a short period of time. This allows for direct energy gathering without much time to detect any issues and which can be easily collected and returned for reuse
Lightbulbs in a lobby, which can passively gather energy from a large crowd of constantly moving people over a long period of time. Because of the transient nature of lobbies, the energy will be collected in very small quantities as people pass through, but with a large pool by which to gather from. When a lightbulb is full, it can be easily collected and replaced without an issue.
Books from the library, which will be in the possession of one person and taken to their home where it can drain directly while they are reading it, or passively by being in their vicinity. This item is somewhat more dangerous as an Energy Draining Object because it requires a guarantee that the renter will return the book before it can gather enough energy to be detected.
The television remote of a hotel room, which will be handled or in close vicinity of a small group of people. It will remain in the room so can be observed and collected by Negaverse staff. It can be strong enough to drain someone to unconsciousness and gather large quantities of energy from them because of its inconspicuous location in a hotel room. Though it can drain someone to unconsciousness, it will not be so strong as to require hospitalization; they will simply wake up the next morning feeling exhausted and fatigued.
Items that are too large and cannot be transported to the Dark Kingdom to collect the energy cannot be used. For example, a car could not be crafted into an Energy Draining Object (but the keys could be).
Players (and characters) will need to have a solid plan for how they will keep track of these items and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Some items can be made to have a short life span and some can be made to last for a long time. However, characters should also plan for how to use the item with the least amount of risk to themselves. Because the Energy Draining Objects will absorb energy indiscriminately, they must be able to step away to prevent harm from coming to themselves or their plans. If an item is going to be strong enough to knock someone unconscious it should be in a reasonable environment to do so. While these items are effective at discretely and passively collecting energy, they do have some drawbacks: Energy draining objects will gather energy indiscriminately; they can drain from unpowered Negaverse agents because of their inability to distinguish between targets. Anyone handling these objects must do so with great caution; they often require being in civilian form to collect, so anyone utilizing these must be prepared and expect to lose some energy while handling. This can be especially dangerous when handling large numbers of them, as each item will drain energy indiscriminately and independently of those around it. They will not drain from any powered Negaverse character.
However, the Negaverse can also create small accessories that can provide protection from energy draining objects. These are often pins or other small articles of jewelry that must be worn when around a known energy draining object. These items are difficult to create and will typically only be made to have a lifespan that will last a little longer than the mission. However, with a solid proposal, the Negaverse can make long term wards, but these will only protect against the energy draining items the agent is assigned to work with; they must be calibrated to each unique energy draining object to work.
These items cannot tell when a target is nearly depleted of energy. While they cannot drain a target to death, they can drain them to unconsciousness. It is strongly advised that targets not be permitted to get to this point, as this will begin to look suspicious.
Not every item can be infused with chaos crystals. Typically, the item should be something nondescript and easy to handle. It should be something that doesn’t stick out in any suspicious manner, and it should be something that can reasonably be retrieved.
The only way to collect gathered energy is by taking it to a processor in the Dark Kingdom. Once an item has gathered sufficient energy, it should be taken to the processing center, where the energy can be harvested. This is not a complicated process and typically only requires the item to be deposited in a bin, which will then be slotted into a machine that will extract the energy and store it in a large, permanent crystal fixture in the room. The machine will print out a receipt that can log how much energy was gathered and return the refreshed item. The process typically only takes a few seconds at a time but can take longer if many items are being harvested at the same time.
Over time, the crystals infused into an item will begin to lose strength. An item can be fused with more crystals to replenish it, or the item may be replaced entirely. Biolumina has also been added to the Destiny City Guidebook as a permanent feature. Quote: Biolumina Club and LoungeLocated in a popular strip in Destiny City, Biolumina is a hot new dance club and lounge that caters to a wide audience. While it was founded with electronica and the rave scene in mind, it has the faculties to accommodate any event. The entire building is themed off of deep sea neon and features extravagant arrangements to make guests feel like they are partying at the bottom of the sea. Biolumina features light shows synchronized to some of their house music and while there are several popular local artists and DJs booked regularly for live shows, they aren’t afraid to introduce new names.
One of the most impressive features Biolumina boasts is an artificial aquarium with mechanical, bioluminescent aquatic life. Guests will see all sorts of sea creatures, all with a unique neon spin. While many are based off of real creatures, Biolumina has also thrown in a few of their own creations. While each creature is impressive on its own, some of the greater creatures have fantastic articulation and are truly a work of art, even before they wind up under the blacklight. Some of the larger creatures (up to twenty feet) are rotated out every night. Some rooms have aquariums that take up an entire wall.
While the dance floor and aquarium are reason enough to visit Biolumina, it also features an award winning lounge. The lounge has an array of snacks and drinks, including a diverse alcohol-free selection to accommodate all partygoers. It’s not uncommon to have a lounge singer or band playing in the lounge even while the dance floor is open. Biolumina has several themed rooms that can be rented out. Each room has a different neon aquatic theme. Biolumina has predominantly purple and blue neon lights but the private rooms have some diversity and can be adjusted to fit the needs of the party.
After dark, Biolumina is a next level electronic party, While it typically caters to an adult audience, they have several all-ages events each month. With a low entry fee of ten dollars, Biolumina manages to be an incredibly impressive experience.
By day, Biolumina’s lounge and aquarium is open to the public free of charge, but some areas are closed off until the sun sets. Unknown to most, Biolumina is funded by the Negaverse but this is not a prerequisite for being hired as staff or as a performer. All Negaverse characters will be given a small pin to wear if they ever visit Biolumina; this pin will protect against the energy draining objects and installations there. The pin is recharged by visiting the Dark Kingdom so if a character purifies it will lose its effectiveness; they will forget what the purpose of the pin was and will not be able to recall that it had anything to do with the Negaverse. The pin only protects against the energy draining objects at Biolumina. A new medal has also been released for Negaverse characters to earn if they didn’t already at Biolumina: Quote: Medal of Innovation:Awarded when a character utilizes an energy draining object in a mission for the first time. Medal art was done by Guine so we hope you're as excited as we are for some spooky shenanigans!
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Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:19 pm
Hey, everyone! We’ve had a lot of questions about Negaverse uniforms lately so we’ve made some small updates to help clear things up! The following bolded information has been edited into or added to the uniform guidelines (which can be found in the Custom Procedure Thread as well as the MYO Information thread) : Quote: Does the uniform reflect a military or business style of dress? Negaverse uniforms must be professional; there is some creativity that can be taken here, but it is a firm requirement that they be inspired by military uniforms throughout the world or appear to be present-day business professional. Formal Military, Military Dress Uniform, and Ceremonial Uniform can be used for inspiration, but anime inspired or fictional military uniforms cannot. Tactical uniforms cannot be used as referenced as they utilize too much armor. These uniforms should not be overly sexy or revealing; they can be slightly provocative, but an overabundance of skin should not be showing and outfits should not be blatantly sexual.
Does the uniform have armor? Armor, such as plate mail, is not acceptable. Armor accessories are fine, but should be strategically placed to allow protection while still keeping in themes of the Negaverse. Negaverse designs should not be based on tactical military uniforms and can only have armor accessories that amount to ~15/20/25% of their design depending on rank. For transparency regarding the limitations on armor, this is because the Negaverse has several battle advantages other factions have no real protection against. Negaverse agents, from second stage on, can teleport. While this does drain some of their energy and is not a completely unlimited ability, this is still a sort of magical armor in itself. We’ve spent a lot of time weighing the abilities of all factions and are just trying to keep a balanced gameplay. If anyone has any concerns or disagreements, please feel free to PM The Space Cauldron; we are happy to answer any questions and consider any other viewpoints. Our goal is for fairness and balance, and for everyone to have fun. We will publicly share questions and answers so everyone has access to the same information. We have also clarified that ‘business professional’ must utilize a present day standard for business professional, as historical ‘business professional’ uniforms may lean too close to some of our Knight themes. Additionally, the following has been added to the quest form for Negaverse characters: Quote: Uniform: The Negaverse is a military organization, uniforms should be in the style of formal/ceremonial military uniforms or present day business professional wear. There are a lot of rooms for variations and bringing in themes, but ultimately the goal is to make sure they look organized and professional! Your stamper or artist will be able to help you if you are struggling with designs. While some designs may be sultry, please try to avoid overly sexual outfits! Negaverse characters can be as young as fourteen, so please try to keep your uniform appropriate. Negaverse Uniforms should be predominantly dark; you may use lighter colors in moderation to provide piping or other accents to the uniform. While professional businesswear must be inspired by present day standards, Formal Military, Military Dress Uniform, and Ceremonial Uniforms from any era or region can be used as inspiration. Please be prepared to do research on this or reach out to the Space Cauldron if you have questions about what might fall under this umbrella.
You can use the following list to help emphasize design aspects of your Negaverse character but you must provide images of your inspiration. You may work with an artist to incorporate other designs but you must provide at least one reference image for your Negaverse character. Reference Image -- (Include at least one image of a present day business professional uniform or a Formal Military/Military Dress/Ceremonial Military Uniform to use for design reference. Please also include information to identify the military style so staff can do any necessary research about it. Your uniform does not need to be 1:1 based on any single design and can be a fusion of military/businesswear styles, or even incorporate some other styles, but the base of it must be clearly identified as military/businesswear. Even if you are asking an artist to CC a design, please include at least one reference image for them to work with) Top -- Thigh-length traditional side-fastened coat? Shorter? Longer? Exposed undershirt? Cropped? Buttons? Toggles? Shoulderpads? Long sleeves, or short sleeves? Sleeves at all? What's the collar like? A dress? Lieutenant outfits tend to be free of many decorations and should not contain armor of any sort at this stage. Bottoms -- Skirt? Pants? Shorts? Culottes? Gloves -- Got any? Belt -- Belt? No belt? Shoes -- What kind? Shoulders -- Epaulettes? Accessories -- What kind? Remember, capes are reserved for Negaverse Generals (though not all are required to have them), so they should not appear on Lieutenant or Squire artwork! When growing any Negaverse character with the grab bag, you will also need to provide a valid reference image; even if you are asking your artist to CC a design, you must have a starting point for them. It is strongly encouraged that you prepare a reference image when asking an artist, or when commissioning an MYO as, if a uniform design is not clearly inspired by present day business professional wear or Formal/Ceremonial Military, you will be asked to provide inspiration images and will be asked to make edits to meet uniform guidelines. In many ways, Negaverse uniforms are like Knight Uniforms; they have specific uniform requirements that must be met, and to make sure that no Faction can be confused for one another, we need to be more critical when designing and approving Negaverse uniforms. If you have an existing uniform that does not meet these standards, we encourage you to reach out to staff to work with us if getting any alt art or growth art; we will do our best to make sure our players are happy but we also hope everyone will understand the importance of uniformity, especially in the Negaverse. Because of the nature of the B/C and because existing characters may have been acquired specifically because they expected a certain design to be usable, we will be more flexible when it comes to working with players with existing characters. The updates outlined today are not any true rule changes on uniform guidelines; the intention of the Negaverse has been ceremonial/formal military and present day business professional for several years now, but we do have existing designs that were approved or that slipped through the cracks without clearly meeting our expectations. No one is to be blamed for this and our goal is just to work with everyone and try to bring things more in line for the future. In the near future we will be posting a thread with some uniform inspiration; this will not be a be-all, end-all resource, as there are many valid uniforms or inspirations, but we do hope it will help players who may be looking for a jumping off point. We will make an announcement about that when we’ve finished preparing it!If you have any questions about a uniform design or any concerns, please let us know! We strongly encourage anyone with questions about a design to please contact In the Name of the Mule or reach out to one of the GMs so we can get back to you as soon as possible!
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 11:06 am
Hello everyone! We have a few updates today, including clarification on botanical elements on uniforms, some updates to Vanguardian questing ages, and a new Vanguardian Resource! Vanguardian UpdatesPreviously, the minimum questable age for Vanguardians was listed as 100; however, we are raising the minimum age of all future Vanguardians to be 150. Due to the dangers of Earth and the weight and sensitivity of this mission, Velencya would want to ensure they were sending candidates that were mature enough to handle the situation. By 150, they would be considered young adults. Due to the length of time the mission has taken, they do not want to separate youth from Vanguardian society before they have had a chance to fully grow into themselves. Questable Vanguardians must be between 150-300 years in age. The Character Creation thread and the Vanguardian Faction Information thread have been updated to reflect this!
We have also updated an IC resource for Vanguardian players to use to keep up with what everyone is doing! While this is technically something that has been alluded to and referenced as being accessible through ComTech, we also wanted to set up a thread that can be used as a resource to help Vanguardians keep in clearer contact and provide an OOC resource for any Vanguardian players looking for plot points, inspiration, or just to keep up with what their companions are working on. This thread can be used to share information about locations of note, character assessments, research topics, and inventions and innovations. Full information about the Vanguardian Database can be found here!
The Vanguardians will have access to some special plot points as their stories progress so we want to make sure all Vanguardian players have a resource that will help them stay connected and up to date. If you need help planning things for your Vanguardian or want to explore options with them, please reach out to The Space Cauldron and we'll be happy to help! Powered Uniform and Knight Weapon Updates: Botanical ElementsIn the past we have declined the inclusion of some elements from appearing on powered art or being used as weapons. There was some vagueness in this which led to inconsistencies in understanding, so after a recent review, we have decided to permit botanical and mycological elements (living plants, flowers, produce, fungi, etc.) in a limited capacity.
Previously, we have asked that if appearing on uniforms or as weapons, these items needed to be artificial (such as silk flowers or carved out of wood) or preserved (such as fossilized or nonliving branches, or dried flowers). With the update to current rules, this will establish that botanical/mycological elements can be incorporated into powered uniforms and utilized as weapons (where applicable). The following information has also been inserted in appropriate information threads but has been summarized here! For the sake of brevity, living plants, flowers, produce, and fungi will be referred to as botanical elements. If players have any questions or want to make a revision for their character, please just PM The Space Cauldron and we can work with you! The following info has been plugged into an FAQ question in the Character Creation thread:
General Information about Botanical Elements
If a botanical element appears on a uniform or as a weapon, it is only a magical imitation. It should not have all characteristics of the element it is imitating. For example, it is ill advised to eat any botanical element. These items have texture but they are non sustaining or filling and should not have any flavor. A senshi with berries on their uniform would find that it may feel like eating a berry, but they will never feel full and there would be only a faint flavor, if any at all. These are cosmetic only and cannot be used in any special way.
Botanical elements cannot be toxic; they cannot agitate allergies. If a character has poison ivy on their uniform, it only appears to be the same; touching it does not incur any sensation. It will feel like a leaf but it will not cause itchiness. Botanical elements cannot have healing properties; for example, an aloe leaf could not be used to ease a burn. If a botanical element is removed from a uniform, it cannot be used to grow anything; they cannot produce seeds or otherwise be propagated. A botanical element may have a slight, natural fragrance but this cannot be overpowering or give any advantages or disadvantages in battle.
Any botanical element should not have a growth cycle; it should not be a flowerbud and then blossom into a flower. The botanical element is living, but magically preserved, so it will not have a natural life cycle. Botanical elements should not be seasonal; they should not be flowering in spring and withered in winter. The botanical element may acquire a new form through plot approval, or as the character grows in rank, but once the new form is acquired it will always appear in exactly that way unless another plot related change occurs.
Botanical Elements as Weapons
This primarily, and almost exclusively, affects Knights; however, it may be taken under consideration for Negaverse weapons as well. Vanguardian weapons are handcrafted and scientific, not magical, so are ineligible for botanical elements. For Knights, Botanical elements can be used as either the main weapon (such as a magically preserved rose) or as accessories to a weapon (such a staff with a flowering vine wrapped around it). The Code is capable of preserving botanical elements and Knights can channel their magic through them. These botanical elements will most likely be fragile and not of much use in battle due to their nature, so it is worth considering when questing. If a player has quested for a Knight with a botanical element as a weapon in the past and was asked to change it, please PM The Space Cauldron and we can help with a quick revision!
Botanical Elements on Powered Uniforms
Botanical elements can appear on the art of any powered uniform; however, some factions may be less likely to have them appear on art without an explanation. For example, the Negaverse will need to have visibly ceremonial military or business professional uniforms, so a surplus of botanical elements would detract from these necessities. Powered characters can choose to give away parts of their uniforms to others with approval; botanical elements that were magically preserved on their uniform may stay permanently fresh and preserved due to their magical nature. The magic of their uniform will sustain the botanical element only if it is given freely; if it is forcibly removed then it will disappear when the wearer powers down.
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