Murrah Roleplaying isn't as scary as it seems! Ok, so. Some people feel intimidated, overwhelmed, or just plain lost when it comes to the prospect of jumping into Haurah and playing their Murrah for the first time. Some just need a little confidence booster, a little bit of explanation, or a place to start. Some are just downright terrified. I'm hoping that this happy little guide will somehow help all of you. First off, it's ok that you're a little unsure. I understand. That's kind of the whole reason I made my own world to play in, lol. I'm not great at jumping into new games. So, I'm on your side. *gentle pat* I'm going to start of with some basic information and explanations, which will hopefully do a decent job of introducing you to the Murrah's world, and giving you a good idea of what you need to know in order to play. If you're fairly certain that you understand Murrah-land pretty well aleady, then just glance over it and double-check. After that, I'll try to give ideas on how to actually start, and other little boosts for those of you who just need that extra little push over the edge. If you really want to understand all of the currently-known facets of the Murrah world, have at it! This site is full of all the information I could think to post, and more is being added all the time. The links contained within the Library are especially helpful. If there is anything else you are unsure of, would like to see covered here, or would like some extra help in getting started, please contact me! *eager flailing* -- Helpful Links -- - Character Board - - Roleplay Rules - - Solace Camps RP Board - - Character Development Board - Murrah Info You Need to Know At first, the Murrah universe may seem like a big and scary place, with piles of stuff you need to read and understand before you can play. Really, while there is alot of information out there on the Murrah and their world, there is actually very little that you actually need to know before you can start playing. I purposefully designed the Murrah world so that the Murrah are just as new to their world as you are, so you can get away with not knowing everything about it. I intentionally planned for people to have a fairly easy time joining in and keeping up, so try to keep this in mind if it all seems overwhelming. In reality, most of all the 'extra' Murrah info out there was developed by the players, and has built over time. So, don't feel restricted by all that info. Feel free to try different things, and use your creative license when creating your character background and personality. If you don't know if something is possible, or would work, just go ahead and give it a shot! The biggest chunk of stuff that you need to know before playing your Murrah, are the things listed on the Introduction and Rules page. Here is a quick summary of that information, plus other important notes. Brief History --The Murrah are a race of creatures who are from a world called Pelmei, where the Urhein have enslaved most of the population and generally doomed them to a terrible future. Their best mystics sacrificed themselves to create a rift in the world called the Nightmare Tunnel, that leads to a new world, called Haurah. The Runners and Rebels now guard the Tunnel, and help Murrah escape into Haurah, to begin a new life. All roleplaying takes place on Haurah. --On Haurah, the Murrah are restricted to living in the giant refugee camp that is clustered around the Tunnel, called the Solace Camp. For now, since all Murrah are restricted to living there, all roleplaying takes place in the Solace Camps. The Haven clan is currently ruling group, and they are preventing the other Murrah from setting out and making their own clans away from Solace, for now. This will soon change. --The reason they are keeping all Murrah within the crowded confines of Solace, is because Haurah was not an empty world. A mysterious race of shadow-creatures, called the Nyanid, were already living on Haurah, and they seriously threaten the Murrah. They kill in unknown ways, somehow swooping in and draining the strength from Murrah. To protect against this, the remaining powerful Murah mystics sacrificed themselves to make a second tunnel, this one partially reaching to the Human world. Through this Tunnel, which Murrah can only enter a few feet into, they can connect with a human a world away, and magically bond with them. This Human is then their Guardian, and they somehow protect the Murrah from being especially vulnerable to Nyanid attacks. You have been bonded as the Guardian to any Murrah you own. Relations Between Murrah and Guardian The tunnel that tentatively connects Haurah with Earth is called the Wavering Tunnel, because it is not a complete portal. It's a dark cave that only extends a small way into the space that separates the world, and no one quite knows how the Murrah's soul manages to reach through the rest of the way to latch onto a human's. Every Murrah in Solace is kind of forced to go and make a visit to the Wavering Tunnel, to find themselves a guardian. No one knows how it works, and every bonding experience is different...for both Murrah and their Guardian. Some Murrah appear to their Guardian in a dream, some can physically even see them for a short time, but most only feel or hear their human during bonding. The range of experiences on the human's side vary as well. Sometimes the experiences feels completely mental, and some cases are much more physical. Feel free to play with your bonding experiences! After bonding, the connection between the Murrah and their Guardian remains, though neither of them ever actually enter the other's world. Most Murrah and Humans can feel each other in their minds, and can communicate with them telepathically. Other shared sensations have been described, and again...everyone is different. So, as long as a Murrah never actually appears on Earth, and you never set foot on Haurah, almost anything goes. Feel free to be as creative as you want with  you and your Murrah's connection. The Murrah Themselves The Murrah are as varied a species as the humans are and, in some ways, even more so in some ways. Their lives on Pelmei could have been spent any number of ways, and this history can shape your Murrah's personality into an infinite amount of possibilities. Many Murrah spent their entire lives in slavery, or were taken from their clans at some point, by the Urhein. Some stayed free from most hardships by some miracle, and never felt the sting of oppression. Those that were in slavery could have been anything from nothing more than a livestock animal or workhorse for their masters, and some lived pampered lives as show creatures and personal servants. There are many different kinds of Murrah, with many different prejudices, and many different levels of intelligence and civilization. Don't feel restricted from something, just because you haven't read about it existing yet. Ask me about it, or just go ahead and try including it in your Murrah's profile and see what happens. Physically, they are mostly omnivorous and mammalian, with some reptilian and other features and traits. Their language is purely mental, though they do make a wide variety of animalistic sounds. The Urhein could not be communicated with mentally, which was one of the reasons that they viewed the Murrah as ignorant primitive creatures. Their hoof-hands have a higher level of dexterity than you'd expect, and they can craft many things. They have many different physical traits and variations, which inevitably leads to prejudices and judgment. You should look up your Murrah's mutations, so see what sort of common stigmas go along with them. Roleplaying Information and Getting Started Tips While, yes, there are regular players on the forum who have stunning roleplaying skills and know everything there is to know about the Murrah...the roleplay is really open to most skill levels. If you have any interest in writing, or already know you enjoy roleplaying, I highly suggest that you give the roleplay a shot. The rules are pretty simple, and if your character is accepted, that pretty much means that I can tell that you have a good enough grasp on the Murrah world and are ready to play your character. I read and assess each character profile that is sent in, and discuss any discrepancies there might be, or suggest things if needed. If you are completely lost as to what to do with your character, or just need something to spark an idea in your head, feel free to PM me. I'm frequently discussing characters with players, and enjoy working characters as deep into the Murrah plot as players will let me. The quickest way to dive into the roleplay, after your character is accepted, is to just start up a thread. Your character starts out in the Solace camps, any time after they have been bonded to you, so that simplifies things a bit. Don't worry that your thread has to be something monumental or amazing...Solace is pretty quiet right now. If you don't know what your Murrah really has done since they've come to Haurah, then I'm sure they don't know either. You can play them right after they have been taken to the Wavering tunnel and have been bonded. They are likely to be as confused and lost as you feel, so play them that way! Your Murrah can also have been there for a while, with some sort of established home in the Camp, possibly living in a tent or simple wooden structure. Whatever you feel comfortable with playing. They could be shopping, visiting the cooking tents, working hard at whatever their "job" is, mooching off other Murrah, wandering on the dangerous outskirts of camp, setting up a dance circle, whatever. If you are worried that no one will visit your thread, or if you set it up and no one seems to be paying attention to it, post a note on the Wanted Ads board. Players are always looking for opportunities to play some of their more neglected characters, and often just need a little invite to start playing. Complex plots have been developed this way, as players talk with each other and do a little bit of planning beforehand. If you are not up to starting your own thread, chances are that there are threads out there, waiting for some attention themselves. Look for threads that aren't already full of a whole ton of players, and have been relatively recently updated. Do a little bit of reading in the thread, so that you know what your character is getting into before they join. And, if you want to play it really safe, message the person who started the thread and see if that thread is still active and if your character should join. You can also talk about plots and ask questions about threads in the Guardian's Hall chat board. If you feel like you need a better handle on your character, their drives and personalities, and are maybe even having a hard time filling in your character sheet for approval, there are easy ways to 'get to know' your character better. I highly suggest spending time with them, either in thought, through sketches, through writing, or any combination thereof. I find that writing, either from their point of view, or just jotting down notes about them and their character, is the best way to feel them out. Test your writing skill and write up a piece for the Character Development board. Many players (myself included) like to write up and post pieces there before they actually play a character. Again, if you are really stuck, don't hesitate to message me, for a little boost. Reading finished character forms helps as well. If you are unsure of your writing skill, or getting used to the flow of the game, I definitely suggest that you spend some time reading. Read the finished character forms, roleplaying threads, and Character Development pieces. I find it very good for writer's block, and for getting a handle on the wide variety of character types and writing styles, as well as the substantial range of writing skill. I hope you feel at least a little more confident after reading this silly little guide. Don't forget, I am *more* than willing to help you out, one-on-one, if you need anything! Thanks, and happy playing! :D ©2007 - Shannon Legler