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youngtimer
Hi. Take a deep breath. No, really, stop reading and do it.
Did you do it?
I'm not screwing around. No one's going to care what you look like. Do it. And if, during any point while you're reading this handout, you start to freak out? Do it again. And again. Put your head between your knees if you have to. (You might have to.) But if someone has handed you this, you need to know three very important words above all else.
You're reading this because you woke up in a place that is not your home. If you're not already a human, you are now, and that's a panic attack all by itself. Any special powers you may have had - magic, supernatural abilities, mutations - are all gone. You might not feel like yourself. But it's only temporary. Now, let's get down to the important questions. Start with whichever one you feel like screaming about the most, and hold on tight.
F.A.Q (Freakout Arrival Questions)
These aren't going to be sugar-coated. I'm sorry, but there's no easy way to put some of this.
WHERE AM I?
You're on the Ryslig Peninsula. The biggest, most populated area is called Bavan. There are several different residential areas, but you'll find the most resources for people like yourself in Bavan. If you haven't shown up there, don't worry. Someone - maybe the person who gave you this - will help you get where you need to go.
I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A RYSLIG PENINSULA.
That's because this is an alternate dimension: another world existing alongside where and when you came from.
HOW DID I GET HERE?
You were pulled here by the Fog God, an entity who is collecting individuals across time and space to help her rebuild the Peninsula after a long and bitter war between the gods. She is the only remaining god, but the natives here have also created their own God to oppose her: the Fourth God, also called Elias.
THE WHAT GOD?
Fog. Unless you meant Elias, in which case... he is called the Fourth because there were originally three Gods: Day, Night, and Fog. When Elias was created, he became the Fourth. Easy.
I DON'T CARE. HOW CAN I GET HOME?
Unfortunately, right now, you can't. There are several talented individuals working on developing a portal to return people to their own worlds and times, but it's been very slow going and there are usually accidents or unexpected side effects when prototypes are tested.
BUT WHAT ABOUT MY CAT/MOM/SISTER/FRIEND/SPOUSE/CAKE IN THE OVEN?
They're carrying on as though you've disappeared. Time passes at the same rate here that it does where you're from. If you left something in the oven, it's going to be charcoal pretty soon.
WHY AM I HUMAN/MISSING MY POWERS?
No one is one hundred percent certain, but there's a theory that the Fog God wants everyone to be able to blend in with the locals for a little while and have some time to adapt before She changes them into their new forms.
WAIT WHAT
This is the big one. Remember to breathe. In a month from now, your body will change. You've seen some of us already, probably: monsters. Gargoyles, vampires, demons, mermaids ... the Fog God changes us all because She believes these forms are the best way for us to help rebuild the peninsula. Make of that what you will, but it will happen soon, when the next fog rolls in.
The Changes: Most people take two to three months to fully transform into a monster. Some changes start small with new teeth, or claws, or skin coloration. Other people change completely over the course of a single fog. The fog cycle is more important than the moon cycle here, as you may have gathered.
There is no way of knowing ahead of time what you will become, but there is plenty of literature available on the subject. Be very careful which sources of information you trust. (Local natives are fond of handing out their own pamphlets, and some of these contain false information along with anti-monster propaganda. Your most reliable sources of information regarding changes are the Crowe Clinics and Spengler's Monster Guide, which is available at the printing press near the 38-8 Apartment Complex.)
The Hunger:
Another thing that's impossible to sugar-coat: once you begin to transform, you will need to eat the native humans to survive. There are several ways to "ease into" your new diet: some of your fellow monsters run restaurants and soup kitchens where the meat has been prepared fresh and in a palatable fashion. Some varieties of monster can survive on bone broth. Those who consume energy or souls would do best to seek out others of their kind for advice on the RS-DOS Network. If you do not eat within a month, the Hunger will affect you and you WILL feed on someone, whether you like it or not.
I Don't Want To Be A Whatever I Am!
There's a place where you can take a break and appear human again. It's called The Cube, and it was built by Elias. A remodel at the beginning of ((OOC 2022)) added private rooms where people can create simulations that let them appear as they used to, in the environment of their choosing. Be warned that these rooms do not negate or quell The Hunger. If you spend too long in the simulation you can run the risk of a feeding frenzy once you leave. Be mindful. It is suggested you do not visit The Cube alone.
The Lighthouse is a monster-run organization which focuses on helping new arrivals like you get settled! We have care packages, maps, and a number of volunteers ready and willing to answer any questions you might have. Please come and visit us at (Address).
Housing is relatively easy to find! In Bavan, the 38-8 Apartments are free of charge and intended for new residents, but several other apartment complexes or homes exist which have rooms open for rent! In addition, anyone who pledges to either of Ryslig's gods (see below) receives a small room of their own in the god's chosen domain. Other newcomers have also taken advantage of abandoned or otherwise empty homes ... there are no rules against squatters here, but be careful if you choose this method!
Jobs are also easy to find, from entry level retail and other simple services to more involved professions. Every two months, the Lucky 38 Casino manager (user name: 5ofDiamonds) posts a list of open positions and encourages other local business owners to add their own employment opportunities. Most monster-run businesses are happy to help newcomers find a place to get their feet under them. Also, if you have a specific skillset, putting a posting on the network advertising your services is always a good idea. Several businesses here began as word-of-mouth that way and grew.
Money has two forms. The first and most common is the Solar, the standard unit of Ryslig currency. These are gold coins - sorry to those of you who are used to credit cards, paper money, or other lighter, more convenient forms of currency. You're gonna have to find yourself a coin purse - or better yet, make it two, so you can differentiate the coins you receive each month. Some coins have strange designs stamped on them: these are specifically for monsters, and can only be redeemed with the demi-god known only as Mana. She can exchange them for items you remember from home, special abilities, temporary monster forms, physical changes, or even a home or business of your own. Just be careful: Mana is very literal about requests, and can sometimes misunderstand what you ask for.
The Fog is the only one remaining from this world's original pantheon. There were once three gods: Day, Night, and Fog. When Day and Night went to war, Fog was the only survivor, and charged the Monsters She created to rebuild the war-ravaged land. When humans began to hunt them, She started to draw us in from our worlds to help. Her domain is the ghost town of Dyster, which is uninhabitable to all but Her followers.
Elias, the Fourth God was created by Dr. Liewen in an effort to make a stand against the Fog and Her monsters. Liewen stole some of the Fog God's power and gave it to his son: Elias. His domain is an Arcade in Bavan, and He strives to mitigate the effects of the Fog on the peninsula. Most of His strategies involve technology and its advancement: He created the Cube mentioned above. Elias is still very childlike in nature.
While several people align themselves with either the Fog God or the Fourth God, many choose to remain unaligned and/or neutral, which is a perfectly valid choice to make! There is no mandate that says you have to follow a god ... but having their favor does have its own advantages. If you are curious about this, please approach a follower individually. Mass network posts along the lines of "so what's with the gods" are the equivalent of lighting a match and dropping it into a gas tank. Don't say you weren't warned.
Djavulenstad is a city of sin, vice, indulgence, and very few rules. That being said, it's also a really nice place to live if you like all those things and follow those few rules. If that sounds like your cup of rotgut, look on the map for a place called The Devil's Nest and ask for the manager, Korra. She usually puts out a post every couple of months on the network about it, too.
Haftesal is an underground city that was discovered fairly recently, in ((OOC February 2022)) when an earthquake split open a fissure in the ground. This society is trying to create a life away from the Fog's influence, and has a strong scientific community trying to research cures for our changes. As of the printing of this brochure, not much is known beyond that.
The Multiversal Museum in Bavan contains an exhibit for each person who was brought here from another world or dimension. No, you don't get to choose what's in it. Yes, that means it might hold some information about you you might not want other people to know. Might want to go take a look at your exhibit and make sure it didn't drag any skeletons out of your closet.
Regularly Scheduled Shenanigans occur here. Yeah, I know, you just read all of this and you're parsing it, trying to make it fit between your ears, and now the cherry on top: every couple of weeks, when the Fog rolls in ... Something Weird Happens. There's no way of knowing what it will be, who or what it will effect, or how long it will last, but ... just remember. YOU WILL ADAPT. Hang in there, new future monsters. We're all in the same boat.
OOC RESOURCES & INFORMATION FOR NEW PLAYERS
How-Tos & Guidelines
DWRP Beginner's Toolbox
A more concise DWRP For Newbies
Tutorial for Apps & Gameplay (Includes how to use comment headers for trigger warnings)
Ryslig Codes & Info
Updated Monster Code
Alternative Monster Code & Updated Index Code
Public FAQ Database (Includes Monster FAQs)
List of Multiversal Museum Exhibits and the Exhibit Submission Form
