Newcomer Guide
Hello and welcome to Kahikina! This guide was made to help new players join our B/C 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.
|| We have 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 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 Ainuhea 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 group RPs, adventures, 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!
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.
|| Slots max out at 20
Breeding and Character Slots
|| You do not need to have an open slot to breed. 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 Kahikina
The world of Kahikina is a world covered in water. Almost 90% of its surface is submerged, with a diverse ecosystem flourishing throughout its depths.
Almost three hundred years ago, the people of Kahihina began to feel a change in their young planet. The weather grew warmer, the rains growing shorter and less frequent, and soon enough... the river was drying. The people of Pale'iko worried in their rivers and lakes. If this continued, it would be too late. The elders kept to their spring, they claimed it would pass and things would return to normal. They decided no action was necessary.
But it didn't pass, and soon the river's end had dried up; there was no passage to the sea.
Three hundred years have passed since the rivers have been closed off from the rest of Kahikina, forcing the people of Kahikina to be able to survive without their neighbors. But all that is over now, the Great Drought has ended and a storm has opened up the rivers to the sea once more! The Kaha'iko and Menehune have reunited with their salt water cousins, the Hapuna and the Moakai, and things are just starting to get interesting...
To see the full History of Kahikina, click here.
To learn more about the regions of Kahikina, click here.
How This Affects You
For all intents and purposes, upon creating a new character this is what you need to know.
The Great Drought that had plagued Kahikina for 300 years is finally over! The rivers have connected to the ocean again and two new races have been revealed: the reef dwelling Hapuna and the deep sea living Moakai. Everyone is just starting to get to know each other and relations are still fresh and developing between all of the races.
Creating Your Character
New owners start with 3 character slots. There are a few different ways that any member can receive a Kahikina character and the character limit can be increased through growth!
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 links below.)
|| For the time being, hybrids cannot be quested yet! But when they are:
|| 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 character - 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, Kahikina 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 Ainuhea, 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 Kahikina! 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, custom 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 Kahikina 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 Kahikina, 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! All stages have a 2 month timer that they have to wait before growing. This timer doesn't start though until your character has received official artwork!
Time isn’t the only constraint - all characters have growth requirements that they must meet before they can apply.
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 Kahikina , building relationships and making friends (or enemies!) Kahikina 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 growth points 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:
[PRP]: Private Roleplay; only the people invited to join may post in this thread.
[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 way to earn growth points, the 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, which can come from solos that are at least 300 words each. Of course, if you would prefer to write a larger solo, each 300 words is an addition point towards growth.
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Once the growth form is posted and approved your character will have achieved the title of their new stage! Congratulations! Then our artists get to work on their new art!
For information on Growth Requests, click here.
Professions/Careers
Kahikina is a world full of individuals with many different assets and skills that benefit their society. When a character grows to Journeyman (stage 3), they are able to choose a profession that helps out the others around them. There is no restriction to what an owner can choose for their character, but they do have to be approved by staff. Examples of professions are things like teacher, weaver, potter, dancer, musician, writer, trader, etc. The possibilities are unlimited, and this helps guide your character through their time in Kahikina that can be used in RPs and solos. These professions show up on all characters certs once they reach this third stage.
If you have any questions on growing, please let us know!
