This layout doesn't work perfectly in all versions of IE. If/when we figure out what's going on, we promise to fix it cx.
Welcome
Welcome to Xohlia's Info/FAQ page. Since Xohlia itself has such a large webbie, Mist figured she'd make a info page so it'd be a lot easier for the guildless to find their way around. Instead of typing everything out again, or copying and pasting it, Mist's summarized everything for you (isn't that nice? Yes, it is. ;3) and linked to the spots where it's spelled out in more detail.You should be able to find the answers to all your major questions right here -- and if you can't, bug the Xohlian who advertised to you. What else are they for? =P. Now, if and when you decide to apply, you are expected to read through everything on the webbie carefully.
So... what're we waiting for? Let's get right to the questions!
About the Guild
(All technical questions about stats, rules, and whatnot are here.)
About the Roleplay
(Questions about the setting, beings, and roleplay itself are here!)
The Application
(Decided Xohlia's the guild for you? Go here.)
About the Guild
* So... what is Xohlia? Xohlia is a private, literate, and active medieval fantasy roleplay guild. (Quite a mouthful, huh?) We do roleplay onsite and we don't have any plans to change that at the moment.The best description for the roleplay might be old-school high medieval fantasy -- we run on a fairly traditional system, and accept most of your run-of-the-mill fantasy races. That doesn't mean we're a clone of any other guild out there, of course; we've got our own unique world, rules, surprises, and quirks to spice things up ^^.
Founded in November of 2007, we're proud to be among some of the longest-running and most successful fantasy roleplays on Neo today!
* Really? Can I see your guild stats? The guild is private; however, the approximate stats can be found here. Xohlia tends to fluctuate between 10 and 20 members, and usually sits around fifteen; we aren't planning to grow further at the moment, since we like it small and friendly. Besides, Smudge takes up a lot of room.
* So you're literate... what exactly does that mean? Literacy is always a tricky thing to pin down. We Xohlians focus, though, on the ability to write exciting, compelling stories and posts. This doesn't mean we don't worry about grammar and spelling, post length, or those other mechanics, of course; but we are more accepting of small mistakes, especially if you're willing to improve. This means that you'll find everything from high semi-literate to fully advanced roleplayers in Xohlia; we average out at about literate or partly-advanced, hence the catchall 'literate' label.
On the other hand, we are not interested in purple prose, wolfspeak (or any variant thereof), or snobbery. One of the reasons Xohlia is not an exclusive advanced guild is because we try to keep an open mind -- the ability to recite every grammar rule ever made or the ability to use big words doesn't do anything for you if you can't write well. We're not here to look down on the so-called iliterates; we can all improve our writing in one way or another, right?
And besides -- the guild was made to have fun! We've been known to break all sorts of "advanced" rules while ooc: we play with chatspeak (or even -gasp- 133tsp33k), spazz and flail, TYPE IN ALL CAPS, add random lettersssss, abuse smilies in terrible ways... If you're not here to relax and have a good time, this isn't the guild for you. ;D
* Does Xohlia have a member limit? Xohlia, as a guild, will be member-capped whenever it reaches twenty members. However, the guild may be capped even when we're not completely full -- if it is, it'll be announced on the top of this page and before the app.
Does that sound like a lot of members to you? We're a pretty close group, and we chat as well as roleplay. Quite a few of the members have been Xohlians for at least a year -- so don't worry, we do value quality and friendship over quantity. We're also pretty welcoming to new members, though, and we love introducing the magic of Xohlia to new roleplayers.
* Do you have open council? The guild's council is full; but we run on a rotating council system, with elections every three months. So you've still got your chance for fame =P. (By the way: even if the council is not actually full, for any reason, new council members will be elected only during the scheduled elections.)
* The guild's been around a long time -- will I be able to fit into the roleplay? How about my characters? We Xohlians are always glad to welcome newcomers to our ranks. ^^ As with any guild this old, there might be a few insider jokes (ordained by Smudge); but we'll be happy to explain things if you ask.
As for your charries -- roleplay is naturally spread out across an entire continent. So you won't need to worry about forcing instant relationships, or needing to catch up on the subtleties of interactions; after all, it's fairly likely your character has never met the others before.
* Does Xohlia have a character limit? Yes; it's currently set at 10 characters. If you prove you can handle more, you may be allowed to make even more that that.
* That's a lot of Xohlians, with a lot of characters -- won't I get confused? Since the roleplay is spread out over a large area here, ten characters really isn't as many as it might seem (especially if you're used to roleplays where all the characters know each other.) Here, you'll find yourself making more characters just to have them spread out over the map. Some roleplayers do find it too much for their taste, admittedly; but remember, we're not forcing you to make all those characters! If you want to stick with two or three charries, that's fine by us.
And perhaps most helpfully of all -- you aren't expected to know everything that happens to every single charrie by heart. Heck, you aren't even expected to know most of it. cx So long as you can keep track of your own charries, who they're interacting with, and the general gist of the plot, you're good to go.
* Are there any other rules? Lots. cx They can be found, in all their glory, here. Most of them are just the standard roleplaying rules -- don't powerplay, no perfects, spamming will make Mist bite you... so on and so forth. Of course, some of them are guild specific, and I'd suggest reading over them if you're seriously considering. If you're just wondering if Xohlia's the right guild for you, though... the most important one might be the activity limit.
* And... what is the activity limit? The activity limit is set at ten days. If you're inactive for that long (the horror!), you'll be deleted from the guild unless you have told Mist you'll be gone. That, and we'll send Smudge after you.
* Can I see a roleplay sample from the guild? Yes, of course. If you'd just like a general idea of how we write, check out the character pages. If you'd still like to see a post, drop Mist a quick neomail, and she'll send you one.
* Do you Xohlians ever write longer works, like short stories? What about drawings? We're proud to do both - and we store and showcase them on our dA group. (To find it, google Xohlia and hit the first link.) We've got some backstories up there, as well as charrie profiles, spiffy banners, character art, a Xohlian song, and even a few pages of a manga. We also run summer activities and writing challenges on there (collectively known as the soP, or "summer of PWN".)
If you're looking to show off your artistic talents when you're not roleplaying, we've definitely got you covered. On the other hand, if that's not your style, joining the Xohlian dA group is completely optional. c=
* Can I see a preview of the layout? Yep, here. Scroll down to the bottom of that section to see our latest layout -- that is, if Smudge hasn't been messing with it again.
* Okay... look, who is this Smudge you keep talking about? You haven't heard of Smudge yet? High Lord Smudge is t-the party bunny. What, you still don't know what we're talking about? Well ... you'd better take a look around the webbie, until you find the info you're looking for. It's probably not safe to tell you here.
About the Roleplay
* What do you roleplay? After all, medfant's a broad genre. Roleplay features both humanoid and non-humanoid beings, along with a healthy dose of magic; more info about the setting and the inhabitants of Azeria can be found on the world and races page. All of the greater races are open for roleplay, with the exception of the Guardians -- those are restricted to council members and (rarely) longtime Xohlians in excellent standing.* ...That is a LOT of lore. o.O Am I supposed to memorize it all before I apply? Oh goodness, no. The lore has rather built up over time, we know, and it can be a bit overwhelming. We'd definitely suggest skimming over the first half or so -- the part that covers the setting. And if you have any races you feel especially strongly about, you might want to glance over the lore for that race too, so you can decide if your characters will fit in. We don't expect you to magically learn every single detail on there, though; we don't mind if it take you some time to get familiar with Xohlian lore after you join =3.
* What if I'd like to roleplay a being not on the lore page? Well, you might have noticed the 'other' spot at the very bottom of the lore page. (Or you might have missed it in the giant wall of text. cx) You'll need to neomail Mist and ask about it; she'll look over the being's powers and balance, and let you know. She's more likely to grant unusual races to active Xohlians in good standing, 'course; especially if your charrie is more powerful.
* Ooh! Can I roleplay a purple unicorn-dragon-lion that shoots rainbows out of its neon paws? Er... probably not. o.o Xohlia is a fantasy guild, but even magic has to have rules. What does this mean? Every character, unique or otherwise, must have some sort of reasonable history. Normal horses won't suddenly foal unicorns, hybrid animals don't appear out of thin air; nothing can go against the fundamental rules of existence. Of course, a reasonable explanation can involve plenty of magic -- but it must make logical sense, within the bounds of Xohlian reality. If you're unsure about this, ask a council member and they'll be glad to hash out your charrie's history with you.
* What's the roleplay setting? It all takes place on a single continent, Azeria, which is set on another world: Xohlia (where else?). This is a medieval fantasy world; so think swords and sorcery, peasants and lords, horses and sailing ships. Obviously, no cars or cell phones or anything of a modern/futuristic nature. Some magical forms of DNA hybridization have been developed on Xohlia, though -- the only thing that really isn't 'traditional' medfant.
* Is there a plot? Yes, of course. =3 You can read about it on the plot page. As you can see, it's pretty general, allowing lots of room for everyone to take part.
* What about mini-plots? Anything that doesn't completely destroy Xohlian reality (or the workings of the plot) will be just fine. Make sure you discuss it beforehand with everyone who might be involved, of course. The same goes for any deaths you might be plotting for your own charries.
* The plot's been going on forever. Will there ever be another one? So you noticed? x3.
Yes, there are future plots in the works... if we ever finish this one, that is. It's so large-scale and general that it rather suits the roleplay, in fact -- so it may not end for a long time yet. =P
The Application
* All right -- so, I hear there's an application? Read through this page, and ready to become a Xohlian? You'll need to send the application to Mist. Neomail it, stick it on a petpage... make sure it gets to her in some kind of readable form, and you're good to go. Bonus credit will be given for working Smudge into it somehow. cxCredit
Coding and graphics made by Mist.Everything on this page belongs to Xohlia, so don't steal... or you'll have a lovely spot on the Wall of Shame.
