Character Creation
Every player character in The Domains of Dread begins at character creation. The server is free to connect to and anyone may add more characters to their server vault as desired, but only 2 characters at a time may be designated as active and therefore able to leave the out of character experience. The Domains of Dread operates on an allowlist system, meaning every new character must be applied and approved for prior to leaving the out of character experience.
Choices made during specifically the character creation process are listed below, many linking out to more specific articles.
Pregame Creation
Pregame in this context means any choice selected before the player character has spawned into the out of character experience, after the player has selected “New” when viewing the server vault.
Phenotype
vanilla: Gender
There are three phenotype options which alter the character’s body model in The Domains of Dread: Masculine, Feminine and Androgynous. This can be reselected at any time in the out of character experience.
Race
No subrace options yet exist on The Domains of Dread—the options made available from this menu mirror what is available ingame.
Portrait
An official portrait pack is made available on the Steam Workshop and on the Forums. Those who are seeking to contribute their characters’ portraits to be included in this pack should see the Forums thread for submission guidelines and instructions.
Class
Certain class archetypes require their own application depending on source of power, such as Divine or Occult; these are noted when selecting a class archetype, otherwise the Normal application will be used.
Alignment
Alignment at character creation must observe any alignment requirements for their chosen ideoligion (if a Divine class archetype) or generally for their class archetype’s requirements.
Attributes
vanilla: Abilities
Attribute scores should reflect any rules found in Build Restrictions.
Packages
Skills may not be selected in pregame character creation, as they are banked to be spent ingame at the 2nd and 3rd level. Spells are likewise not chosen as they will be allocated all at once with class archetype selection ingame at the 3rd level.
Customize
Character model adjustments are disabled until ingame however name, age, voiceset and initial description may be changed. Anything entered at this screen may be altered in the out of character experience.
Ingame Creation
New characters are automatically moved to their instanced “shard” in the out of character experience, separate from the community lobby and where they will enter the world.
Presentation
Presentation controls how non-player characters address the player character in dialogue and other automatic interactions. Limitations within the conversation system permit only three options: Masculine (he/him), Feminine (she/her), and Neutral (they/them). A character’s outward presentation may be changed at will through Disguises and Personae. Their outward presentation will be likewise appended to the bottom of the window opened by examine for other players.
Origin
A player character may be native to the Core, or an Outlander. Should they be from a supported setting, region and/or domain of origin shall also be specified. Player characters receive the lingua franca of their chosen region and/or domain of origin as a free language regardless of starting INT.
Background
A player character’s background may provide minor skill or attribute adjustments, NR adjustments, additional features or complications. It should be relevant even in some minor way to the backstory submitted with their allowlist application.
Ideoligion
Ideoligion defines a player character’s belief system. If permitting, a deity shall also be chosen. Unsupported ideoligions such as those from homebrew or unsupported settings may be selected with “Other”, in addition to the supported ideoligion whose mechanical stats shall be used.
Newly or Established Misted
All player characters will have been Misted to their start location regardless of their status as a native or an Outlander. If no Mist Tokens have been spent on the applicable perk, then they are newly Misted—their arrival ingame correlates with their arrival fictionally. If the perk was taken, they will instead start in a different area in their domain of emergence at the 5th level, having been able to spend 90 days fictionally already inside the Realms of Terror as an Outlander.
Social Lineage
Social lineages of status such as domain nobility require the player character to be native with an application sent and approved by the Game Masters in addition to paying Mist Tokens for the applicable perk. Outlanders are free to be nobility from their setting without purchase of this perk, but their status will hold little sway in the Realms of Terror.
Perks
All other perks purchasable with Mist Tokens may be selected, conferring minor starting advantages to the player character.
Languages
Bonus languages are any languages which are not Common or not awarded from race or origin selection. A player character may forfeit their knowledge of Common at this step. Bonus language allocation will not need to have been done at character creation, but cannot be performed anywhere outside the out of character experience.
Equipment
Supporting equipment such as armor, tools and weapons are purchasable here, paid for with the player character’s starting silver stipend. It may be invoked at any time while in character creation using the !menu, short alias !m chat command.
Appearance
Details of the character’s appearance, including present armor sets or clothing may be altered from this menu for free. It may be invoked at any time during character creation or again in the out of character experience with the !customize, short alias !c chat command.
Finalization
Once their application is seen and approved by the Game Masters, a player may choose their character’s starting location, pay out any Mist Token cost incurred from their account balance and finally enter the world.