Introduction
The rules for player tiers are instituted so that players might have an opportunity to invest more of themselves in the world of Therafim through their time, talents, and efforts. While it is not required for any player to take part in the player tiers, it is encouraged, and will be rewarded.
Every time a player gains a new tier level, then that player will be awarded 5 REP.
Filling out a questionnaire for a character is a basic requirement to have that character gain any benefits mentioned before for any of the various player tiers (NPCs, property, special quests, and so forth).
Please let an Op know when you believe you have completed the requirements for a player tier so that you can be advanced in level. If you have previously completed the requirements for different player tiers, but have not had your tier advanced on the Experience and REP Tallies then please inform your nearest Op of the mistake so that it can be corrected.
Apprentice
All players start as Apprentices. No further actions are necessary. As an Apprentice, you have the right to create characters for approval, ask for and join in quests, to play in the game world with approved characters, and to make use of the services provided by Therafim and its staff. In return, all players are expected to abide by the House Rules and other rules of acceptable, courteous conduct.
Journeyman
To reach Journeyman, the player is required to fill out the character Questionnaire for at least one character, which is worth 5 REP (meaning that becoming a Journeyman gives 10 REP total). A Journeyman can rewrite a character of up to level 5 without spending REP (Op Approval is required), so as to make a character better conform to what is written in the questionnaire. This questionnaire may be on your character sheet or on the site fiction page. If you choose to post fiction on your sheet, please let an Op know about this so that rewards can be properly given. It should also be noted that completing a questionnaire does not count as a work of player fiction for future player tier requirements, only for accomplishing the requirements of becoming a Journeyman.
If you do not want the information on your questionnaires to become public for whatever reason, please find a way to make them available to Ops, so that they can see that you have completed them for proper REP and player tier awards. Keep the questionnaires handy for sharing with those whom you want to run quests for your characters, so that they can get an idea of what to expect from your character.
The extra REP award for reaching this player tier is the principal reward for becoming a Journeyman, as is the potential for additional REP for filling out questionnaires for additional characters.
Veteran
For a player to become an acknowledged Veteran, players are required to write something about their character or about the world of Therafim here or else on their character sheet. This can be an extension on a character's background (which can include substantial additions and adjustments to the questionnaire), a work of fantasy fiction, or anything that demonstrates a greater understanding of the world of Therafim and the characters that you play in that world. Fulfilling one of the many requests for player input into the world of Therafim also are heartily accepted for this requirement. Should you choose to put your additional work on a character sheet or anywhere else, please let an Op know about this so that your work is not missed. If any player fiction leaves open plothooks for the ST to take advantage of, all the better.
Once a player becomes a Veteran, that player is acknowledged as being an important, contributing member of the Therafim community. This means that Veterans are allowed to ask those who run quests for quests specific to any of their characters for whom they have completed a questionnaire, and are also allowed to start building up a few notable NPCs (with approval from Ops) from their characters' lives for use in non-quest roleplaying. Besides this, the characters of a Veteran that have questionnaires completed are allowed to take up residence somewhere besides the Arcadia Inn without having to pay costs - this residence is roughly equivalent to what a player can buy if that player spent 10 REP for gold (no REP expenditure is necessary, however - this is a one-time free boost in character cash, only possible for use in creating unsellable real estate), and requires Op approval. The worth of the real estate increases with the level of the character that owns it, remaining always roughly equal to the amount of gold that character could buy with 10 REP. This property may be enhanced further with "real" character money as desired.
Veteran players may have characters between levels 5 and 10 rewritten for 5 REP with Op approval.
Paragon
To reach Paragon, the player must submit another piece of writing about their character to the fiction forum or on their sheet (again, let an Op know if you choose to place the work on your sheet so it is not missed by mistake), or complete some other work for the Therafim site. This makes a total of two pieces of work, in addition to the questionnaire.
Once full Paragon level is reached, then a DM will craft a personal quest for any character of the player's choice using the information gleaned from their background, questionnaire and other writing, and from discussions with the player. Players may provide suggestions, but in the end it is up to the DM what this quest will be like. You may request a specific DM and specific party members, though this will be watched for abuse. This is one of the few times that a character is allowed to go completely solo on a quest for full rewards for both the player and the DM running the quest. In a character's personal quest that character will receive a custom-crafted magical item (this cannot be sold). Players may suggest what they would like, but the DM has final say. This item must be approved by a Mechanics Op. If additional quests for other characters that a player owns are desired, then these players must complete questionnaires for each character before asking.
More rules on the paragon item: There are two sorts of items that paragon quests can give, and a character may get both of them. The first is property, as an explanation for how a character gets the property award that can be gained once somebody reaches Master level. The second is an item, which may be up to +3 in relative value, if a weapon or piece of armor, or worth roughly 20,000 gp otherwise (both of these values may be adjusted within reason at the discretion of the Op who approves the item, though this should not generally extend beyond an additional +1 of value or up to 5,000 additional gold). This item may be enhanced by any money that the player might have, but it is meant to be specially personalized, and will only work for that character, unless specifically requested by the player to behave otherwise. This item is not intended to be any sort of cursed item with consequences for owning it (again, unless requested by the player); it is something that belongs to the character in a very dear and intimate fashion.
Characters of levels 11 to 15 may be rewritten at Paragon level with Op approval and 10 REP.
Master
To reach Master status, players must submit another piece of writing concerning their character on the fiction forum or to their sheet (again, let an Op know if you post this to your sheet), or complete another piece of work for the site, making three total, plus the questionnaire. Additionally, the player must have gone through at least one Paragon character-specific quest. Finally, players must run at least 1 quest, which can be of any length or complexity. The player may have help in doing this, and it is perfectly acceptable to ask for and expect help from Ops or Storytellers.
Once Master level has been achieved, players are inveterate members of Therafim's world, and their words are given special weight and importance. Such players are allowed to build up fairly extensive non-quest NPC networks for their characters, may take out loans for businesses and buildings (all with Op approval), and are allowed to create or adjust characters so that they have a prominent and important part in the world of Therafim and its history.
Additionally, characters of these players that have their questionnaires completed are allowed to have real estate valued as if the character had spent 20 REP (this is unsellable property, and requires Op approval). The worth of the real estate increases with the level of the character that owns it, remaining always roughly equal to the amount of gold that character could buy with 20 REP. This property may be enhanced further with "real" character money as desired.
Lastly, a Master player is allowed to create a single character with up to 15 REP spent on a special character background for free (additional REP may be spent at normal by the player as desired for more expensive character backgrounds, and added to that base of 15 REP). This might be used to adjust a present character (such as discovery of one's noble or royal lineage, different racial birthright, or similar changes) for whom a questionnaire has been completed.
Characters of levels 16 through 20 may be significantly reworked for 5-10 REP, depending on how extensive the change is, by Op approval and judgment.
Epic
To become an Epic player, players must complete two more pieces of work, making five total, in addition to questionnaires for all of a player's characters at the time. These can be works of fiction, approved player additions to the world of Therafim, or anything of a related nature as approved by the Ops. Additionally, the player must run at least two more quests, making a total of three quests.
Once Epic level has been achieved, a player is now a fixture of Therafim. Suggestions, requests, and similar inspirations are given great weight. Additionally, REP costs for all special character backgrounds are reduced by 5 REP - this is retroactive, which can mean a refund of REP on player request, and stacking with the free 15 REP character build available from Master level, allowing up to 20 REP to be used on that free character background. This can also be used to create some retroactive changes in epic-level characters with Op approval (and 0-5 REP, depending on the extent of the adjustments).
Important Notes
These rules are not intended to be exclusive - please talk to one of the Ops for assistance and subcontracting of assistance.
If you would like to make suggestions about additional rewards that might be added to each player tier, please contact your nearest Op.
Proposed adjustments to player tier requirements
As it stands, the requirements for each tier are as follows:
Apprentice: No requirements, you start off as this
Journeyman: Complete 1 Questionnaire
Veteran: Complete 1 Piece of Player Fiction
Paragon: Complete 1 Piece of Player Fiction
Master: Complete 1 Piece of Player Fiction + Run 1 Quest + Participate in a Paragon Quest (Either Run one or be in one)
Epic: Complete Questionnaires for all active characters + Complete 2 Pieces of Player Fiction + Run 2 Quests
As it stands, there was a ruling that for some reason did not make it into this page that site work can be substituted for running quests, as not everyone has the inclination or ability to run quests effectively. Not everyone is comfortable with writing fiction about their characters either. There is also no standard set for just how much site work counts as substituting for such a requirement. So here are my suggestion is as follows.
5 REP awarded for Site Work = 1 piece of completed player fiction OR 1 Quest Run
Note that this is -only- for determining qualification for advancement of player tiers and nothing else. Players may earn a lot more by writing player fiction or running quests depending on what is done and the quality of such.
In addition, I am also proposing to remove the requirement to Participate in a Paragon quest. It is not needed and I have no idea why it is even there in the first place and just does not seem to fit.
This makes the requirements as follows if this is approved:
Apprentice: No requirements, you start as this.
Journeyman: Complete 1 Questionaire
Veteran: Complete 1 piece of player fiction OR 5 REP awarded for Site work
Paragon: Complete 1 Piece of Player Fiction OR 5 REP awarded for Site Work
Master: Complete 1 Piece of Player Fiction OR 5 REP awarded for Site Work + Run 1 Quest OR 5 REP awarded for Site Work
Epic: Complete Questionnaires for ALL active characters + Complete 2 Pieces of Player Fiction OR 5 REP awarded for Site Work for each piece of Player Fiction not completed + Run 2 Quests OR 5 REP awarded for Site Work for each Quest not run.
As a clarification, Questionnaires for Inactive characters are not considered. However once a player reaches Epic status I also wish to propose that any inactive character without a questionnaire can not be moved back to active status until a questionnaire is completed for it.
This is mainly to prevent people from gaming the system, moving characters to inactive to achieve the status, and then moving them back after they get it.
