Hello and welcome to Tendaji! This guide was made to help new players join Tendaji as easily as possible, so if your questions aren't answered here please let us know so we can make it easier for everybody!
Basic Information
Forum Rules
While we're all pretty nice around here and there usually aren't any problems all worlds have rules.
|| The primary rule is to always follow Gaia TOS.
|| Tendaji has a lot of information to offer, and even more things to be discovered as our story progresses! So, please read over all of the information before asking questions.
|| If you have thoroughly checked out everything we have to offer and still have questions, feel free to visit the FAQ with further inquiries.
|| Do NOT assume anything regarding rules or procedures in the shop. If something is not stated: ask us first!
|| If you are having concerns, please feel free to contact Suhuba or another member of the staff and we will do our best to assist you as quickly as possible!
|| As far as RPing is concerned, quality over quantity is the key, every time. One-liners are still frowned upon; give your partner something to respond to.
|| When RPing (whether a PRP or shop event) each character must have their own gaia post. Character's cannot share posts in order to avoid confusion.
|| No godmoding or powerplaying at any time without your partner's consent. If you do have their consent, please make a note of it at the beginning of your post.
|| Please keep swearing to a minimum in RP. Absolutely no F-bombs (or its variations) in group/official activities such as Meta chapters, class quests, and games.
|| We do check for activity. If you have not posted in over 3 months we reserve the right to take back your character(s) and possibly rehome them. If you have not set up their journal in 1 month after receiving them we also reserve the right to rehome the character.
|| Have fun and enjoy Tendaji!
Character Slots
All owners start with a tentative limit of three characters. Owners who grow their characters will earn more slots depending on the number of growths achieved (so the number of slots will continue to grow with more activity).
Earning More Slots
In order to earn more slots, an owner must grow their characters.
|| To get 4 total slots you will need to grow once
|| To get to 5 total slots you will need to grow once more
|| To get to 6+ slots, you need to grow twice per additional slot (This means you can grow one character twice, or two characters once)
|| Characters that reach stage 4 will be removed from your character count, opening up their slot for a new character
Breeding and Character Slots
We maintain the rule that an owner may not have more than three younglings at a time. This includes breedings and winning/questing younglings.
|| Once a youngling is grown to prentice, you may pursue more younglings (never more than three in play at a time).
|| You do not need to have an open slot to breed a youngling. But you must grow enough characters to compensate for their slot before you can try for more characters (through events or questing).
|| Feel free to ask questions in the FAQ thread.
The World of Tendaji
Hundreds of years have passed since the destruction of the modern world. However, the segregation and individualistic mentality that resulted from Judgment’s actions left a xenophobic, battle-minded world in its wake.
Citizens of Tendaji are incredibly loyal to their own tribes. Survival depends on cooperation between every member of the small societies. Strangers are a cause of worry for each species’ unique way of life, as well as to a tribe’s livelihood. Because of this, children of mixed race are incredibly rare, and struggle to find acceptance within their tribe.
Other groups threaten to take over the relatively meager resources that can be found in each part of the world. Thus, physical battles have become the primary tactic for resolving conflicts. Although murder is still punishable within individual societies, killing is common, and often necessary, when defending food or land from others.
Because of the preoccupation with one’s immediate surroundings, very little of Tendaji has been explored. In fact, it was only very recently that the tribes living in Jauhar and the Leaf Tribe in Tale became aware of one another. Because of this new, frightening and amazing discovery, the Alkidike, who feel entitled to the land on which they live, have taken it upon themselves to begin exploring the rest of Tendaji.
Who knows what else may occupy their expansive home…
To see the full History of Tendaji, click here.
To learn more about the regions of Tendaji, click here.
How This Affects You
For all intents and purposes, upon creating a new character this is what you need to know.
The Alkidike recently banded together as an extremist group to try to conquer parts of Tendaji, starting with Sauti.
After a short lived battle, the Alkidike were overpowered by the earthlings and the Alkidike Sisters who sided with the earthlings, and the Alkidike extremists were banished to a foretold island to the south called Yael.
This island isn't completely deserted though, and seems to be home to the Yaeli, strange earthlings with even stranger customs...
Creating Your Character
New owners start with 3 character slots. There are a few different ways that any member can receive a Tendaji character.
Character Limitations
There are just a couple of rules about how many of specific kinds of characters you can own.
|| Generally speaking, you must have an open slot to pursue a new character. (More information in the top of this post as well as in the links below.)
|| Owners can also only quest for 1 hybrid per 2 full-blood characters that they own. (This does not include hybrids bred or won, just quested!.)
|| This rule does not ban new owners from getting hybrids! If a new owner already has 1 quested hybrid, they will just need to make up for it before they can get another hybrid.
For information about quest character limitations and questing hybrids click here.
For information on Character Availability/Slots, click here.
Adoptables
At any time, any member can apply to adopt a character from the Adoption Center. Adoptables are usually premade characters artists have made in their free time or rehomable characters from past owners who have given up their character to go to a new home.
Need inspiration for a character? In the Adoption Center you can also apply to play as a character with close ties to another Tendaji Member - perhaps a family member or friend!
For the Adoption Center, click here.
For information on Character Availability/Slots, click here.
Event Premade
Every so often, Tendaji throws an Event that will be announced in the Main Thread. These events could be a Choose Your Own Adventure, Raffle, or Prompt response event, with the prize being a pre-made character.
Once a character is won, a journal will be made up and linked to you and it will be ready for set up!
Journal set-up is flexible, so it can be any design or set-up you like, as long as it has the required information! If you need help setting up your journal you can always PM the mule or any Mod for help!
For information on setting up your journal, click here.
Character Quest
There are two areas you need to set up a Character Quest.
The Character Quest Forum, where you will post your application.
The Quest Set-Up Thread, where you will find the required information to start a quest.
Using the information from the Quest Set-Up thread, create a new Topic in the Character Quest forum. Marking your quest with [U/C] NAME (with name being replaced by your character's name), take as long as you need to build your character.
Choosing a Race
Each race has a number of characteristics that are unique to them, ranging from skin, hair, and eye colors to clothing designs and colors. Be creative, push the envelope!
If you're having trouble picking a race for your character, we suggest checking out the Owners List, which is organized by species, where you can see examples of other characters of each species.
For information on Species, click here.
For our Owners List, click here.
Finishing Your Quest
Once your quest is finished, change the U/C in the title to LFC. At this point you can quote Suhuba, or any other mod, to check out your quest - or post a link in the main thread for other users to check out! Your quest will be critiqued; usually questions about appearance, history and personality will be asked. Once all questions have been answered, a mod will approve your quest and make a journal.
As soon as you are approved you are an official member of Tendaji! You can roleplay as you like and participate with your character in any events going on.
How do I get my Art??
From here there are three ways to get your art.
.|| Grab a Slot: every so often, slots will open. This will be announced in the main thread, where artists will be able to pick which characters they wish to draw. You will be alerted once you've been accepted, and will receive your art (usually posted in your journal as well as in the thread, tagged to your username) as soon as it's finished.
.|| Grab an Event Custom: Sometimes Tendaji will offer an Event Custom as a reward for participation in a mini game, usually a Raffle. Once you win, you will be announced and tagged as the winner, and an artist will work from your quest to finish your character art.
.|| Quest Fairy: Occasionally we may not have slots open or any events going on. At this point, an artist may read your journal and enjoy your character so much they decide to give you free art! This is more likely to happen to a first time owner in Tendaji, especially if you're active with your character while waiting for slots to open. Someone will see you're having fun, and may reward you with your art!
Journal Set-Up
Once your character is given a journal, you’ve got to set it up! Journal set-up is flexible, so it can be any design or set-up you like, as long as it has the required information, which is listed in the link below. Other than that, your journal can be laid out and designed any way you like!
If you need help setting up your journal you can always PM the mule or any Mod for help!
For information on setting up your journal, click here.
Growing Your Character
Growth Requirements
So now you have a character - or you’re wondering what is needed to grow your character.
The first step is to complete your journal, as described above.
The second step is to wait for your character to be ready to grow. This time gives our artists time to recharge their batteries, as well as time for you to play with your new character! For your prentice, you only need to wait a month - but the time grows longer the older your character is. This timer doesn't start though until your character has received official artwork!
Time isn’t the only constraint - for your prentice or youngling, there are also the following requirements to consider!
For information on Growth Requirements, click here.
Roleplays
Ahh the good ol’ roleplay! Roleplay is how your character can reach out and meet the other characters of Tendaji, building relationships and making friends (or enemies!) Tendaji is a thriving world of complex races and interactions, and roleplaying with fellow users is the best way to learn more about this huge world!
You can roleplay as much and as often as you want, there’s no limit! But for the purposes of growing, each stage requires a certain number of roleplays to grow - you can check out how many you need by clicking on the Growth Requirements link above.
There are two types of roleplay you can open:
xxxxxx[PRP]: Private Roleplay; only the people invited to join may post in this thread.
xxxxxx[ORP]: Open Roleplay; anyone is free to post in this thread.
Choose the location, and from there you’re free to play to your heart’s content (PG13 and following Gaia TOS, of course!)
You need a minimum of 10 posts of your character for an rp to count towards requirements.
For information on RP Set -Up, click here.
Solos
Another requirement for growth, the Journal Entry, or Solo, is a story posted in your character’s journal written by you. It isn’t a roleplay but a snippet about anything and everything you want - what’s going on in their lives, what they’re thinking, anything.
For the purposes of growing, each stage requires a certain amount of growth points, some of which can be acquired through writing solos. You can write as much as you would like, but solos have a minimum requirement of at least 300 words in order to count toward growth! Make sure to pay attention to the growth requirements because there are certain solos that must be longer.
There is a one-time requirement, as you grow from a Prentice to Stage 2, that one of your solos center around your character choosing (or learning) their future class. For instance, a swordsman learning about swords, or expressing interest, etc. Beyond that, the contents of a solo (within Gaia TOS) are up to you!
Class Quest Solos
For a Youngling or Prentice growing, Journal Set-Up, RP, and Solos are the only requirements to submit your character for growth. Once ready to grow, head to the Growth Requests forum (link below) and fill out the respective form to grow.
Any items purchased or won from the shop can be used towards insuring your character looks the way you want them to. Any specific requests as to outfit changes, new colors, hairstyles, body builds, pose suggestions, etc. can be suggested at this point and influenced using items purchased from our Shop (link below).
The Class Quest Solo is a prompt designed by owners to help grow your character, both from stage to stage and to challenge them, and you, as a character and writer. Any plot points you’d like seen or character growth you would like your character to experience will happen here, as a sort of final test for your character's stage in their life. Staff will read it over and approve the growth after it is submitted.
Once the growth form is posted and approved your character will have achieved the title of their new class! Congratulations! Then our artists get to work on their new art!
For information on the Item Shop, click here.
For information on the Weapon Shop, click here.
For information on Growth Requests, click here.
Classes
Tendaji is a world of warfare and survival, and for that reason many of the classes are centered around the unique Tendaji battle system. From Stage 2 and onward, any battle-centric class is required to have completed battles in order to grow, so keep this in mind when considering which class your Tendaji character will become. These classes range from Swordsmen, mages, healers, beast tamers, and so on.
For those not keen on dice-style battle systems, Tendaji also has a range of non-battle classes to choose from - such as Artisan (dealing in crafts of your choice), Gypsy, Minstrel, and Treasure Hunter.
For information on Classes, click here.
Battles
As mentioned above, Tendaji has a unique dice-based battle system. Battling is used to grow your character, earn exp to use in the Shop, capture unique familiars, or simply to pass the time between Tendaji members. The way the system works also changes depending on class - from mage, to swordsman, to archer, the system works differently and characters can learn (or purchase) new skills.
For an in depth look on the Tendaji battle system, click the link below!
For information on the Tendaji Battle System, click here.
If you have any questions on growing, please let us know!
