The Ton Mod Account (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thetonmods) wrote2023-01-30 02:29 pm
thetonmods) wrote2023-01-30 02:29 pm
Entry tags:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
If your question isn't answered here, please comment below!
BASICS
❁ What is this game? Who is Lady Pheme?
This game is about intimacy and propriety.
Lady Pheme is the bored goddess responsible for the whole thing. She's whisked you all away from your homelands in order to turn you all into proper Ladies and Gentlemen in a pseudo-Regency realm of her creation. She demands her subjects be pure while actively throwing obstacles in their path to make propriety impossible.
To learn more about Pheme and the game's premise as a whole, read on here.
❁ What is the theme of the game?
This is largely a soft, romance and smut focused game where characters are tossed into a strange land and told to 'behave' while constantly being goaded into breaking rules. The society of the ton is strict and persnickety, and there's always pressure for characters to look and act their bests. Overall, we aim to be light [with a bit of kink thrown in] with events that focus on slice-of-life and shipping. Every other month brings a new god, so players can look forward something romantic when Aphrodite comes along, something scary when Hades turns up, something fishy when Posiedon wanders in, etc.
Additionally, while this is not a pure smut game, it does have a sex focus. We elaborate on this more further along, but players should be fully aware of this when coming in. There will be sexual prompts in events, and intimacy is what makes the world go round.
❁ So, what does "The Ton" actually mean?
The ton is a term which originated in the 1800s and was used to describe London high-society during that period. The actual term itself comes from the French 'le bon ton' which basically means 'good manners' or 'good style'.
Basically, we British like to adopt French things, even if we pretend we don't.
❁ So, what is this game? Is it set in the Regency Era or Greek myth?
All of the above!
The Ton, or Andovale as the actual city is named, is very much set in a Regency Era setting in terms of its overall look and feel, and the behaviour and attitudes of the local residents, but a lot of its themes and plots are influenced by or take direct inspiration from Greek myth. Inspiration includes Jane Austen, Bridgerton, Lore Olympus, etc, etc.
❁ How Regency are we talking?
Regency Lite, is what we're calling it. We've removed everything as it pertains to gender so it's a Regency realm where women are free to draw swords and men are welcome to wear dresses. While there's an in-game expectation for the upscale, elegant members of the ton (a.k.a your characters) to be on their best behavior at all times, there's no need for men to worry about be the archetypical male breadwinning duke, or for ladies to sit in a corner and sew.
❁ So women can do anything that men can do?
Yep! We had this up in the air for a bit, and we made some changes, but after hearing from our players, we decided to do away with the in-game gender expectations. From now on, we're only really focused on upper-class expectations.
❁ What are 'upper class expectations'?
Proper, upper-class people should behave in proper, upper-class ways. There are a million-and-one expectations for this, like knowing which fork to use when the salad is presented, and knowing how low to bow/curtesy when meeting someone for the first time. We cover more about that here.
❁ Great. How Greek are things?
Greek Myth is generally something that's always occurring in the background. There are centaurs serving tea and forest nymphs hiding in the trees. More prominently, every other month, a well-known God or Goddess comes to town and turns things upside down.
❁ Is there a plot?
Yes, sort of.
The basic overview is as follows:
Pheme is the Greek goddess of fame, renown, and most importantly for this context, scandal. Playing with the idea that the Greek deities are omnipotent and time does not exist in a linear fashion, Pheme decided to create her own realm to rule over. The aesthetics she finally settled on were from that of the Regency era and she's created residents to fit that setting. She named the city Andovale. If you've seen Marvel's Wandavision, you probably get the idea - minus all the trauma. This is purely the selfish endeavour of a very bored goddess with maybe a little too much time on her hands. Enter: your characters.
Pheme is actually a lesser deity within the ancient Greek pantheon of gods and goddesses and, as such, some of the major events that the game revolves around are visits from other, more well-known deities, many of whom aren't exactly amused that a lesser goddess like Pheme has decided to create her own world to rule over. Plus, if you're at all familiar with Greek myth, you'll know that they also just love to mess with people.
In addition, taking inspiration from Bridgerton and Gossip Girl, one of the unique features of the game is that Pheme is going to be writing a society paper - kind of a dirty gossip rag/newsletter if you will- about the characters and their... escapades. If you don't want your character or a certain topic to feature there is an opt-out page here.
The aim of this game is for characters to go about their lives playing along with Lady Pheme's game while also finding their own sense of love and happiness throughout. Lady Pheme is a tricky, fickle goddess. She may say one thing and mean the complete opposite. She might say she wants everyone to be good Regency boys and girls, but she might go ahead and do something like... make it impossible for characters to exist with intimacy magic.
Something like that.
❁ So how do Ancient Greek gods know about the Regency era?
There is a scene in Immortals: Fenyx Rising where Aphrodite mentions the Industrial Revolution, much to the protagonist’s confusion. Basically, the point is that time doesn’t exist to the gods in the same way it does to us. As deities, they can see what is, what was, and what will be - in the broadest sense. They can’t predict every little thing your character will do, hence why Pheme finds them so entertaining.
❁ What incentive does my character have for playing along with Pheme's game?
Aside from the joy of the feeling Thumos provides them through their intimate acts, dear reader? Why, Lady Pheme promises that the characters can eventually even go homebut not permanently. Excuse me, I coughed a bit. Dust, you understand. Additionally, as the players continue to create Thumos, do good acts, (and even sneak around - one must keep some interest going in rumors!), perhaps they may one day get an audience with our Divine patroness. What an honor that would be!
More in-game reasons for characters to play along include rewards, in-game punishments, and societal pressures. There's also the fact that characters crumple without Thumos eventually.
❁ Is this a private game?
Yep. The Ton operates on an invite-only system. Anyone who is on the Plurk friends list of any of the members of the mod team will automatically receive an invite to join the game. Once they are in the game, players can then in turn invite any friends of their own that they choose but please note that there is a limit of 2 invites per player per month to give out. Invites open on the 25th of every month.
❁ Is there an activity check requirement?
There is indeed. However, to keep things simple this is more of a check-in summary which takes place over the last seven days of the month. The slight difference is that characters are required to write an in-character summary of their activity for that month: journal entry, essentially. Pheme loves to hear their thoughts and feelings regarding what's gone on after all.
There is no minimum or maximum length requirement for this. Characters who would only write a sentence can absolutely only write a sentence, characters who would write a poetic epic can absolutely write a poetic epic (although we wouldn't recommend this for the sake of the player and their time). The key is just to show that they have engaged with the setting.
They will feel compelled to write this, as if by magic. How convenient!
❁ What happens if I fail the activity check?
Characters that fail to respond to the AC by the deadline will be swept from the game.
❁ Is there an age restriction?
Yes. Due to the nature of the game, players must be at least 18 years of age.
❁ Is there a character age limit?
Characters must be age 17 or above.
❁ Is smut allowed?
Yes. In case you hadn't guessed already, smut is very much encouraged.
However, please note that while smut is encouraged, it is not mandatory that one writes it. Therefore, as this is not a game that shies away from smut, there will be events to facilitate this if that's something you're interested in writing. These prompts will be marked with appropriate content warnings. We try to keep a nice 1-to-1 ratio of smut prompts to general prompts.
If you ever have a question about an event prompt, please be sure to make use of the questions section of any event it is pertinent.
And here's an additional note just to say, no, your character cannot get pregnant nor can they catch the "lover's pox".
❁ Does the game have a cap?
As of now, no. This may change in the future depending on how things go with the game.
❁ Are there canon caps?
Not currently, no. The restrictions that are in place are that duplicate characters are not allowed - as in no character can be apped twice and players may only have five characters in the game at once.
❁ Are CRAU characters allowed?
Yes, they are.
This game is about intimacy and propriety.
Lady Pheme is the bored goddess responsible for the whole thing. She's whisked you all away from your homelands in order to turn you all into proper Ladies and Gentlemen in a pseudo-Regency realm of her creation. She demands her subjects be pure while actively throwing obstacles in their path to make propriety impossible.
To learn more about Pheme and the game's premise as a whole, read on here.
❁ What is the theme of the game?
This is largely a soft, romance and smut focused game where characters are tossed into a strange land and told to 'behave' while constantly being goaded into breaking rules. The society of the ton is strict and persnickety, and there's always pressure for characters to look and act their bests. Overall, we aim to be light [with a bit of kink thrown in] with events that focus on slice-of-life and shipping. Every other month brings a new god, so players can look forward something romantic when Aphrodite comes along, something scary when Hades turns up, something fishy when Posiedon wanders in, etc.
Additionally, while this is not a pure smut game, it does have a sex focus. We elaborate on this more further along, but players should be fully aware of this when coming in. There will be sexual prompts in events, and intimacy is what makes the world go round.
❁ So, what does "The Ton" actually mean?
The ton is a term which originated in the 1800s and was used to describe London high-society during that period. The actual term itself comes from the French 'le bon ton' which basically means 'good manners' or 'good style'.
Basically, we British like to adopt French things, even if we pretend we don't.
❁ So, what is this game? Is it set in the Regency Era or Greek myth?
All of the above!
The Ton, or Andovale as the actual city is named, is very much set in a Regency Era setting in terms of its overall look and feel, and the behaviour and attitudes of the local residents, but a lot of its themes and plots are influenced by or take direct inspiration from Greek myth. Inspiration includes Jane Austen, Bridgerton, Lore Olympus, etc, etc.
❁ How Regency are we talking?
Regency Lite, is what we're calling it. We've removed everything as it pertains to gender so it's a Regency realm where women are free to draw swords and men are welcome to wear dresses. While there's an in-game expectation for the upscale, elegant members of the ton (a.k.a your characters) to be on their best behavior at all times, there's no need for men to worry about be the archetypical male breadwinning duke, or for ladies to sit in a corner and sew.
❁ So women can do anything that men can do?
Yep! We had this up in the air for a bit, and we made some changes, but after hearing from our players, we decided to do away with the in-game gender expectations. From now on, we're only really focused on upper-class expectations.
❁ What are 'upper class expectations'?
Proper, upper-class people should behave in proper, upper-class ways. There are a million-and-one expectations for this, like knowing which fork to use when the salad is presented, and knowing how low to bow/curtesy when meeting someone for the first time. We cover more about that here.
❁ Great. How Greek are things?
Greek Myth is generally something that's always occurring in the background. There are centaurs serving tea and forest nymphs hiding in the trees. More prominently, every other month, a well-known God or Goddess comes to town and turns things upside down.
❁ Is there a plot?
Yes, sort of.
The basic overview is as follows:
Pheme is the Greek goddess of fame, renown, and most importantly for this context, scandal. Playing with the idea that the Greek deities are omnipotent and time does not exist in a linear fashion, Pheme decided to create her own realm to rule over. The aesthetics she finally settled on were from that of the Regency era and she's created residents to fit that setting. She named the city Andovale. If you've seen Marvel's Wandavision, you probably get the idea - minus all the trauma. This is purely the selfish endeavour of a very bored goddess with maybe a little too much time on her hands. Enter: your characters.
Pheme is actually a lesser deity within the ancient Greek pantheon of gods and goddesses and, as such, some of the major events that the game revolves around are visits from other, more well-known deities, many of whom aren't exactly amused that a lesser goddess like Pheme has decided to create her own world to rule over. Plus, if you're at all familiar with Greek myth, you'll know that they also just love to mess with people.
In addition, taking inspiration from Bridgerton and Gossip Girl, one of the unique features of the game is that Pheme is going to be writing a society paper - kind of a dirty gossip rag/newsletter if you will- about the characters and their... escapades. If you don't want your character or a certain topic to feature there is an opt-out page here.
The aim of this game is for characters to go about their lives playing along with Lady Pheme's game while also finding their own sense of love and happiness throughout. Lady Pheme is a tricky, fickle goddess. She may say one thing and mean the complete opposite. She might say she wants everyone to be good Regency boys and girls, but she might go ahead and do something like... make it impossible for characters to exist with intimacy magic.
Something like that.
❁ So how do Ancient Greek gods know about the Regency era?
There is a scene in Immortals: Fenyx Rising where Aphrodite mentions the Industrial Revolution, much to the protagonist’s confusion. Basically, the point is that time doesn’t exist to the gods in the same way it does to us. As deities, they can see what is, what was, and what will be - in the broadest sense. They can’t predict every little thing your character will do, hence why Pheme finds them so entertaining.
❁ What incentive does my character have for playing along with Pheme's game?
Aside from the joy of the feeling Thumos provides them through their intimate acts, dear reader? Why, Lady Pheme promises that the characters can eventually even go home
More in-game reasons for characters to play along include rewards, in-game punishments, and societal pressures. There's also the fact that characters crumple without Thumos eventually.
❁ Is this a private game?
Yep. The Ton operates on an invite-only system. Anyone who is on the Plurk friends list of any of the members of the mod team will automatically receive an invite to join the game. Once they are in the game, players can then in turn invite any friends of their own that they choose but please note that there is a limit of 2 invites per player per month to give out. Invites open on the 25th of every month.
❁ Is there an activity check requirement?
There is indeed. However, to keep things simple this is more of a check-in summary which takes place over the last seven days of the month. The slight difference is that characters are required to write an in-character summary of their activity for that month: journal entry, essentially. Pheme loves to hear their thoughts and feelings regarding what's gone on after all.
There is no minimum or maximum length requirement for this. Characters who would only write a sentence can absolutely only write a sentence, characters who would write a poetic epic can absolutely write a poetic epic (although we wouldn't recommend this for the sake of the player and their time). The key is just to show that they have engaged with the setting.
They will feel compelled to write this, as if by magic. How convenient!
❁ What happens if I fail the activity check?
Characters that fail to respond to the AC by the deadline will be swept from the game.
❁ Is there an age restriction?
Yes. Due to the nature of the game, players must be at least 18 years of age.
❁ Is there a character age limit?
Characters must be age 17 or above.
❁ Is smut allowed?
Yes. In case you hadn't guessed already, smut is very much encouraged.
However, please note that while smut is encouraged, it is not mandatory that one writes it. Therefore, as this is not a game that shies away from smut, there will be events to facilitate this if that's something you're interested in writing. These prompts will be marked with appropriate content warnings. We try to keep a nice 1-to-1 ratio of smut prompts to general prompts.
If you ever have a question about an event prompt, please be sure to make use of the questions section of any event it is pertinent.
And here's an additional note just to say, no, your character cannot get pregnant nor can they catch the "lover's pox".
❁ Does the game have a cap?
As of now, no. This may change in the future depending on how things go with the game.
❁ Are there canon caps?
Not currently, no. The restrictions that are in place are that duplicate characters are not allowed - as in no character can be apped twice and players may only have five characters in the game at once.
❁ Are CRAU characters allowed?
Yes, they are.
ARRIVAL & SETTING
Note: We have a separate page that covers settings and expectations a bit more thoroughly.
❁ How does my character arrive?
In very basic terms, the goddess Pheme has scoured various worlds and universes in order to select characters to bring into Andovale. Your character is one of the chosen ones brought here by the goddess herself.
They won't remember actually being taken at all and will wake up in a wisteria grove in the center of town, very close to the Palace walls. Their retainer will be close by ready to fill them in!
❁ What can my character bring with them?
Characters arrive with the clothes on their backs and any items they could realistically be already carrying on their person. Additional items, including any they might have had in their CRAU world, can be earned back through the Reputation Rewards system.
❁ What about if they have powers?
Powers are not nerfed provided that they don't break or interfere with the setting itself or other characters/players in a negative manner. We ask you to detail these powers as part of the application process and will let you know if any of these need to be nerfed for the setting.
❁ What about this retainer business?
Upon arriving, each character is bestowed a godly servant to stay at their side by Pheme herself. This is essentially an NPC who helps to keep each PC abreast of what's occurring in the setting and to help them get settled. They'll also push the PC to meet other PCs at social events, inform them of any upcoming parties, keep track of accounting, wash the dishes, do the ironing, take out the trash...
These servants aren't like real maids in the sense that they're able to disappear and reappear within the blink of an eye. Their competency is on par with Sebastian Michaelis with their ability to get just about anything done.
They don't have to be around, however. If you send them away, they'll leave with only the occasional appearance to check on the well-being of your character.
These retainers can be of any gender and it's totally up to the player to name them and decide what they look like.
[ x, x, x, x ]
You may also want to think twice about any personal information you share with them. Servants love a good gossip after all and you know exactly who assigned them to you.
❁ What are the maid butlers like? What can we name them? Do all retainers know each other?
Retainers have an intimate network behind the scenes to spread gossip amongst each other as quickly as possible. They are all friends. All retainers hang out and talk shit when their charges aren't around. While all the retainers do have names of their own, the sound of their real names would make a mortal's head explode, which is why they insist on using mortal names, like Craig.
The retainers each have a personality of their own. It's up to the player! We've had lots of people base their character's retainer on someone from their character's home world. It's like being followed about by a maidified version of their friend, or their worst enemy.
❁ So what exactly is this Thumos stuff?
Thumos is the obligatory energy or life force that keeps Andovale and all life within it going - including your character (because we all know there needs to be some kind of incentive for this stuff in this kind of game, right?). It's generated through acts of intimacy, whether that be physical or emotional. It can occasionally cause some unusual side effects which will feature in future events.
Thumos also acts as the currency of this world and levels are recorded on the ye olde network communication device that characters are handed upon arrival in the city.
It also just feels really good.
Read more about Thumos here.
❁How does the network work? Is there a private setting?
The network in The Ton works much the same as networks in other games might. Characters can send photos, videos, texts, and make phone calls, though these devices aren't quite as technical as some characters might be used to. Expect plenty of static. Additionally, characters can set their content to private from other members of the ton, just don’t expect that to work on Lady Pheme.
❁What sort of accommodations are there for the blind? Deaf?
We say accommodations are in place because we don’t want this game to be inaccessible to characters. Plus, we have magical cell phones and other wizardry, so The Ton can definitely have braille, magical screen readers, books that talk to you, etc.
❁ My character has an elaborate escape plan, what happens if they try to bust into the Palace and fight Pheme?
The Palace and its surrounding walls are completely impenetrable unless Pheme makes the decision to let you in. No amount of strength, special abilities or magic will get you in otherwise.
Upon any attempts to get over the walls, you can just assume that a character trying to climb over for example, will immediately lose their grip and slide off - how embarrassing. Any magic aimed at the walls will bounce off them and potentially rebound at the user.
If you want something a little more specific and spicy in terms of Pheme completely ruining your character's plans though, please feel free to reach out to the mod team and we'll be more than happy to think of something simply awful just for you ❤️
❁ What is the weather like?
Weather in Andovale is almost identical to weather in a typical town in Southern England - we say almost identical here because conditions do tend to be more favourable. England is renowned for its rain after all and Pheme can't bear all of those dreary showers quite so often. The following is a break down of what you can expect season by season:
Spring - March, April, May:
A welcome reprieve from the winter - the days are gradually becoming longer and warmer at this time of year. The weather is usually calm, mild and dry. It's also extremely changeable and we strongly advise you not to leave that umbrella at home just yet. Beautiful spring sunshine can be your companion one minute, only for it to change to cold, torrential rain fall the next. There's still a slight chill to the air at times and the evenings are still fairly cool.
Summer - June, July, August:
These months bring the very hottest and sunniest days. It's mostly dry - mostly. Rainfall can unexpectedly vary a lot over the summer months and can definitely ruin a good picnic or promenade. Don't worry, Pheme won't let that happen too often.
Autumn - September, October, November:
Predictably, autumn brings a cooling of temperatures, the days getting shorter and quite a bit of stormy weather. Like the spring, it is very variable though. You might find there are days at a time when the day is cool, crisp and bright with autumn sunshine but on others constant wind and rain.
Winter - December, January, February:
Predictably, the coldest time of year in Andovale. The rain and windy weather from autumn is often carried through into the winter months too, just a lot colder. Freezing temperatures, icy/frosty conditions and sometimes snow are to be expected as well. Daylight hours are short and deeper into the season you can expect it to be dark by 3.30pm/4pm.
❁ How does my character arrive?
In very basic terms, the goddess Pheme has scoured various worlds and universes in order to select characters to bring into Andovale. Your character is one of the chosen ones brought here by the goddess herself.
They won't remember actually being taken at all and will wake up in a wisteria grove in the center of town, very close to the Palace walls. Their retainer will be close by ready to fill them in!
❁ What can my character bring with them?
Characters arrive with the clothes on their backs and any items they could realistically be already carrying on their person. Additional items, including any they might have had in their CRAU world, can be earned back through the Reputation Rewards system.
❁ What about if they have powers?
Powers are not nerfed provided that they don't break or interfere with the setting itself or other characters/players in a negative manner. We ask you to detail these powers as part of the application process and will let you know if any of these need to be nerfed for the setting.
❁ What about this retainer business?
Upon arriving, each character is bestowed a godly servant to stay at their side by Pheme herself. This is essentially an NPC who helps to keep each PC abreast of what's occurring in the setting and to help them get settled. They'll also push the PC to meet other PCs at social events, inform them of any upcoming parties, keep track of accounting, wash the dishes, do the ironing, take out the trash...
These servants aren't like real maids in the sense that they're able to disappear and reappear within the blink of an eye. Their competency is on par with Sebastian Michaelis with their ability to get just about anything done.
They don't have to be around, however. If you send them away, they'll leave with only the occasional appearance to check on the well-being of your character.
These retainers can be of any gender and it's totally up to the player to name them and decide what they look like.
[ x, x, x, x ]
You may also want to think twice about any personal information you share with them. Servants love a good gossip after all and you know exactly who assigned them to you.
❁ What are the maid butlers like? What can we name them? Do all retainers know each other?
Retainers have an intimate network behind the scenes to spread gossip amongst each other as quickly as possible. They are all friends. All retainers hang out and talk shit when their charges aren't around. While all the retainers do have names of their own, the sound of their real names would make a mortal's head explode, which is why they insist on using mortal names, like Craig.
The retainers each have a personality of their own. It's up to the player! We've had lots of people base their character's retainer on someone from their character's home world. It's like being followed about by a maidified version of their friend, or their worst enemy.
❁ So what exactly is this Thumos stuff?
Thumos is the obligatory energy or life force that keeps Andovale and all life within it going - including your character (because we all know there needs to be some kind of incentive for this stuff in this kind of game, right?). It's generated through acts of intimacy, whether that be physical or emotional. It can occasionally cause some unusual side effects which will feature in future events.
Thumos also acts as the currency of this world and levels are recorded on the ye olde network communication device that characters are handed upon arrival in the city.
It also just feels really good.
Read more about Thumos here.
❁How does the network work? Is there a private setting?
The network in The Ton works much the same as networks in other games might. Characters can send photos, videos, texts, and make phone calls, though these devices aren't quite as technical as some characters might be used to. Expect plenty of static. Additionally, characters can set their content to private from other members of the ton, just don’t expect that to work on Lady Pheme.
❁What sort of accommodations are there for the blind? Deaf?
We say accommodations are in place because we don’t want this game to be inaccessible to characters. Plus, we have magical cell phones and other wizardry, so The Ton can definitely have braille, magical screen readers, books that talk to you, etc.
❁ My character has an elaborate escape plan, what happens if they try to bust into the Palace and fight Pheme?
The Palace and its surrounding walls are completely impenetrable unless Pheme makes the decision to let you in. No amount of strength, special abilities or magic will get you in otherwise.
Upon any attempts to get over the walls, you can just assume that a character trying to climb over for example, will immediately lose their grip and slide off - how embarrassing. Any magic aimed at the walls will bounce off them and potentially rebound at the user.
If you want something a little more specific and spicy in terms of Pheme completely ruining your character's plans though, please feel free to reach out to the mod team and we'll be more than happy to think of something simply awful just for you ❤️
❁ What is the weather like?
Weather in Andovale is almost identical to weather in a typical town in Southern England - we say almost identical here because conditions do tend to be more favourable. England is renowned for its rain after all and Pheme can't bear all of those dreary showers quite so often. The following is a break down of what you can expect season by season:
Spring - March, April, May:
A welcome reprieve from the winter - the days are gradually becoming longer and warmer at this time of year. The weather is usually calm, mild and dry. It's also extremely changeable and we strongly advise you not to leave that umbrella at home just yet. Beautiful spring sunshine can be your companion one minute, only for it to change to cold, torrential rain fall the next. There's still a slight chill to the air at times and the evenings are still fairly cool.
Summer - June, July, August:
These months bring the very hottest and sunniest days. It's mostly dry - mostly. Rainfall can unexpectedly vary a lot over the summer months and can definitely ruin a good picnic or promenade. Don't worry, Pheme won't let that happen too often.
Autumn - September, October, November:
Predictably, autumn brings a cooling of temperatures, the days getting shorter and quite a bit of stormy weather. Like the spring, it is very variable though. You might find there are days at a time when the day is cool, crisp and bright with autumn sunshine but on others constant wind and rain.
Winter - December, January, February:
Predictably, the coldest time of year in Andovale. The rain and windy weather from autumn is often carried through into the winter months too, just a lot colder. Freezing temperatures, icy/frosty conditions and sometimes snow are to be expected as well. Daylight hours are short and deeper into the season you can expect it to be dark by 3.30pm/4pm.
MARRIAGES
❁ So is my character supposed to get married?
That is certainly one of the ultimate goals of Regency society, however whether your character actually does is entirely up to you.
If you do choose to have your characters marry you can declare this on our Declarations of Marriage page. As you will see, there are some pretty nice incentives for "tying the knot" as it were and your assigned retainers will start to make you increasingly aware of these as time goes on. We wouldn't want you to end up a spinster or terminal bachelor now, would we? Characters of all genders will be subject to the same amount of pressure.
Similarly, marriages themselves are not subject to what would have been seen as the "norm" of the Regency period ie. man/woman. Characters can choose to be in a couple, throuple or have as many spouses as they would like. They must, however, be declared at the same time ie. no marrying Bob and Linda and then deciding you also want to marry Susan and Jim. Once declared, these marriages are seen as real and binding in the eyes of the ton.
However, that does not mean the marriage has to actually be real between characters. Characters can choose to marry for a number of reasons, whether that be for actual love or for convenience/the perks ie. your invitation to start playing around with that good old Fake Married trope. Whatever you decide, characters should act as if they are married when out in public - unless you want to play around with the repercussions of doing otherwise. The choice is entirely yours, dearest reader.
❁ Can characters choose to end their marriages ie. have the option to get divorced?
Unlike what would have been the case in the actual Regency period, divorce is much more accessible to members of the ton. That is not to say that it won't cost them. Characters must use their Punishment points to essentially buy themselves out of the marriage, obviously taking a hit to their overall reputation within the ton in the process.
❁ What happens if a character's spouse drops out of the game?
If a character in a marriage drops, the other remaining character(s) will not lose their marriage perks. It will essentially be viewed in a similar way to how someone being widowed would have been viewed back in the day, ie. they earned their place/perks through that marriage and that can't be taken away from them. If this happens and the remaining character is the only one left who was part of that particular marriage, that character also has the option to remarry without having to purchase a divorce.
❁ Can married characters continue to live in the same place of residence as other characters who are not part of their marriage?
Yes they can. The other characters living there will essentially be viewed as "boarders" by anyone else outside of that household. Obviously whatever all of you actually get up to or are part of behind closed doors is another matter... The name of the game is just to be discrete about it. Unless you want to get caught.
That is certainly one of the ultimate goals of Regency society, however whether your character actually does is entirely up to you.
If you do choose to have your characters marry you can declare this on our Declarations of Marriage page. As you will see, there are some pretty nice incentives for "tying the knot" as it were and your assigned retainers will start to make you increasingly aware of these as time goes on. We wouldn't want you to end up a spinster or terminal bachelor now, would we? Characters of all genders will be subject to the same amount of pressure.
Similarly, marriages themselves are not subject to what would have been seen as the "norm" of the Regency period ie. man/woman. Characters can choose to be in a couple, throuple or have as many spouses as they would like. They must, however, be declared at the same time ie. no marrying Bob and Linda and then deciding you also want to marry Susan and Jim. Once declared, these marriages are seen as real and binding in the eyes of the ton.
However, that does not mean the marriage has to actually be real between characters. Characters can choose to marry for a number of reasons, whether that be for actual love or for convenience/the perks ie. your invitation to start playing around with that good old Fake Married trope. Whatever you decide, characters should act as if they are married when out in public - unless you want to play around with the repercussions of doing otherwise. The choice is entirely yours, dearest reader.
❁ Can characters choose to end their marriages ie. have the option to get divorced?
Unlike what would have been the case in the actual Regency period, divorce is much more accessible to members of the ton. That is not to say that it won't cost them. Characters must use their Punishment points to essentially buy themselves out of the marriage, obviously taking a hit to their overall reputation within the ton in the process.
❁ What happens if a character's spouse drops out of the game?
If a character in a marriage drops, the other remaining character(s) will not lose their marriage perks. It will essentially be viewed in a similar way to how someone being widowed would have been viewed back in the day, ie. they earned their place/perks through that marriage and that can't be taken away from them. If this happens and the remaining character is the only one left who was part of that particular marriage, that character also has the option to remarry without having to purchase a divorce.
❁ Can married characters continue to live in the same place of residence as other characters who are not part of their marriage?
Yes they can. The other characters living there will essentially be viewed as "boarders" by anyone else outside of that household. Obviously whatever all of you actually get up to or are part of behind closed doors is another matter... The name of the game is just to be discrete about it. Unless you want to get caught.
OOC MECHANICS
❁ When are test drive memes and events posted?
Test drive memes will be posted bi-monthly and will fall on the last weekend of that month. Main game events will occur on the 10th of every month. Please note that gods won't appear every month, but every other month (April, June, August, October, December). On those off months (May, July, September, November), Lady Pheme will have some kind of large-scale event in Andovale.
Also bear in mind that other smaller occurrences may happen in between these dates, such as Lady Pheme's society paper.
❁ What is the application process like?
Applications open on the first day of every month and close on the 7th. The application itself is a fairly simple one to complete and the bulkiest bit consists of two questions specific to the Regency themed setting of The Ton, as well as a sample requirement.
In order to apply you must have an invite from either a mod or existing player within the game. In turn that player must have submitted a invitation request on your behalf for that current application cycle.
This is a reminder that this is a private game and having an invite does not guarantee your acceptance. Ultimately this is down to the moderating team's discretion.
❁ What if I need to hiatus or drop?
If you want to do either of these then please leave a comment on the Hiatus and Drop page.
If you drop a character then it's generally assumed that they have been returned to their own world, as we want to keep this game fairly light on the death and destruction.
Similarly, if you need to hiatus, depending on length, you can either choose to put your character on auto-pilot or have them temporarily sent back to their own world. If your hiatus includes any of the last seven days of the month, you don't need to reply to that month's activity check.
❁ How are these in-game 'rumors' being obtained?
In-universe, Lady Pheme, her fleet of retainers, and the members of the ton as a whole are always watching. This is why so much emphasis is placed on discretion. Doing acts in public, even something as simply as holding someone's hand, is likely to send the rumor mill into overdrive! On an OOC level, when it's time for Lady Pheme to print her Society Papers, we mods skim through threads to pick out what's juicy. We also look at player submitted threads for Reputation as a way to decide on gossip.
❁ What if I don't want my threads being read?
We have an opt-out page here.
Test drive memes will be posted bi-monthly and will fall on the last weekend of that month. Main game events will occur on the 10th of every month. Please note that gods won't appear every month, but every other month (April, June, August, October, December). On those off months (May, July, September, November), Lady Pheme will have some kind of large-scale event in Andovale.
Also bear in mind that other smaller occurrences may happen in between these dates, such as Lady Pheme's society paper.
❁ What is the application process like?
Applications open on the first day of every month and close on the 7th. The application itself is a fairly simple one to complete and the bulkiest bit consists of two questions specific to the Regency themed setting of The Ton, as well as a sample requirement.
In order to apply you must have an invite from either a mod or existing player within the game. In turn that player must have submitted a invitation request on your behalf for that current application cycle.
This is a reminder that this is a private game and having an invite does not guarantee your acceptance. Ultimately this is down to the moderating team's discretion.
❁ What if I need to hiatus or drop?
If you want to do either of these then please leave a comment on the Hiatus and Drop page.
If you drop a character then it's generally assumed that they have been returned to their own world, as we want to keep this game fairly light on the death and destruction.
Similarly, if you need to hiatus, depending on length, you can either choose to put your character on auto-pilot or have them temporarily sent back to their own world. If your hiatus includes any of the last seven days of the month, you don't need to reply to that month's activity check.
❁ How are these in-game 'rumors' being obtained?
In-universe, Lady Pheme, her fleet of retainers, and the members of the ton as a whole are always watching. This is why so much emphasis is placed on discretion. Doing acts in public, even something as simply as holding someone's hand, is likely to send the rumor mill into overdrive! On an OOC level, when it's time for Lady Pheme to print her Society Papers, we mods skim through threads to pick out what's juicy. We also look at player submitted threads for Reputation as a way to decide on gossip.
❁ What if I don't want my threads being read?
We have an opt-out page here.
HOUSING & BUSINESSES
❁ Where do characters live?
All characters will start off living within the Grand Crescent in the Trade Quarter. This is a row of huge Regency style townhouses arranged in a sweeping crescent - the real-life inspirationwhich I've ripped-off is the Royal Crescent in the English city of Bath if you want a better idea of the look and scale.
Your character will receive their own room within one of these houses. The room is large enough to accommodate a double bed or two single beds if they wish to bunk up with someone and has its own en-suite bathroom. Kitchen, dining and living room facilities are shared among the other residents of that particular household.
Houses and rooms are assigned completely at random but characters are free to move around within the Crescent wherever they want if they want to live with particular housemates. The individual houses within the Crescent each can house up to 8 individuals so there is plenty of room.
Characters are also free to move out of the Grand Crescent entirely if they so desire and the Trade, Pleasure, Academic and Naval Quarters all have their own unique housing options to choose from. There are no reward or activity requirements for housing and players are free to move their characters into whichever of the different options they'd like.
Please visit the Locations pages for further details on the housing options available.
All characters will start off living within the Grand Crescent in the Trade Quarter. This is a row of huge Regency style townhouses arranged in a sweeping crescent - the real-life inspiration
Your character will receive their own room within one of these houses. The room is large enough to accommodate a double bed or two single beds if they wish to bunk up with someone and has its own en-suite bathroom. Kitchen, dining and living room facilities are shared among the other residents of that particular household.
Houses and rooms are assigned completely at random but characters are free to move around within the Crescent wherever they want if they want to live with particular housemates. The individual houses within the Crescent each can house up to 8 individuals so there is plenty of room.
Characters are also free to move out of the Grand Crescent entirely if they so desire and the Trade, Pleasure, Academic and Naval Quarters all have their own unique housing options to choose from. There are no reward or activity requirements for housing and players are free to move their characters into whichever of the different options they'd like.
Please visit the Locations pages for further details on the housing options available.
REPUTATION REWARDS
❁ How do I earn rewards?
Unlike most games, The Ton does not have an activity rewards system. Instead our system is built around Reputation. Playing along in high society in major and minor ways can be cashed in for rewards. Likewise, if your character acts in a way that you feel deserves a silly punishment, that can be cashed in as well.
For more specific info, please visit the Reputation Rewards page itself.
Unlike most games, The Ton does not have an activity rewards system. Instead our system is built around Reputation. Playing along in high society in major and minor ways can be cashed in for rewards. Likewise, if your character acts in a way that you feel deserves a silly punishment, that can be cashed in as well.
For more specific info, please visit the Reputation Rewards page itself.
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