Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was an ordinary day, same as any other. Nothing important you had to do or anywhere in particular you had to be. While wandering about and enjoying the day, you suddenly seem to have somehow found yourself in a forest. Turning around, one would find nothing there but more forest, your previous surroundings seemingly having disappeared completely. How odd... Stranger still, you can't remember when you entered the forest or even being remotely close to one last you remember for that matter. Your memory simply skips to being in the forest despite however hard one might try and recall where and when you entered. At any rate, you don't seem to be left with many options. You could assume it's a dream of some sort and pinch yourself, but something tells you it's not. You could stand there and do nothing. But nothing accomplishes, well, nothing. One could try to fly up to get a better view of the surroundings if one is capable of flight, but wait, the tree canopy appears too closely woven together to possibly get through. Though, plenty of light still manages to find it's way through to the forest floor making it easy enough to see what's around you. You'd have better luck just exploring on foot. Yeah, that's probably the best idea.

If one were to take a good look around and take in their surroundings, they would see that the trees of the forest are quite massive, likely ancient, and reaching high up into the sky. They seem to stretch on forever, the forest having no end in sight, but thankfully they're spaced far enough apart that even a person with claustrophobia might not have any issues. However, the branches in the canopy high up above are another story. It's a little hard to see, but the branches are practically grabbing at each other, twisting and winding around one another. There are gaps, but only just enough for the suns rays to make it through and light up the forest floor beneath. The actual ground is thankfully largely devoid of low growing plants that often get in the way. Perhaps long ago snuffed out trying to compete with the trees. Even still, there are a few bushes and shrubs dotted about, just enough to keep things comfortably green amongst the brown of the trees and ground itself which is covered by many a layer of soft earth comprised of the leaves and debris of seasons past. All in all, it seems rather comfortable and soothing actually. In fact, the ground is soft enough that one could probably sleep on it easily enough. One can also smell the heady, earthy tones floating about from the trees, ground, and just about everything really. It all comes together to make a heavy yet pleasant palate. The sound of leaves and branches rustled by an unfelt breeze drifts down from above while the faintest sounds of forest life can be heard in the distance. Perhaps it's not so bad having found yourself here...

((Welcome! I'm glad you took an interested in my little thread here! I'm re-using this from another guild (with a few minor edits in the first paragraph and here) but I thought I might throw it up so I have something to easily get started. At least, until I find other RPs here to join or make up new ones myeslf. This is meant to be a light and fun RP with a focus on exploration and character interaction. In case you're wondering, the answer is yes, I do have the teensiest bit of a plot planned but it's up to the individual to really go along or try and do their own thing. I'll just say that the plot will be centered around my character so anyone wanting to do that, just tag along! Otherwise, you're free to explore the forest in your own way, either alone or with other friends. Just know, that occasionally I might intervene with 'events' of my own directed towards said individuals to keep things interesting for you as well as keep things from deviating too much from my intentions for the location. Everything is allowed pretty much, except for as Eutrepe said, getting 'frisky'. Just, try not to cause a ruckus or anything because remember, this is supposed to be a light RP. Still, if you want to have some epic swordfight in a secluded area of the forest or something, be my guest!

Now before I get to the rules, I'd like to mention something that I feel is at least a little important. If your plan for a particular post is to interact with another player, there's something that you need to keep in mind, distance. If you're just coming in, chances are you aren't anywhere near someone that's already made some progress through the forest so suddenly walking up to them and saying 'Hi!' is a little ridiculous right? So just using some basic deduction skills to determine if a person is nearby based on their posts will really help towards having your post make sense. If you can determine that they are nearby, immediate interaction is perfectly fine. Otherwise, if you determine that they aren't nearby, then posting a trek through the forest is in order as a build up to meeting them. Whether you want said trek to be detailed or a case of 'after wandering about for hours character x runs into character y' is up to you and both are perfectly fine.

As a further note, anyone is welcome to incorporate the information I provided in my initial posts to 'Joa-Boo' into their own posts in order to flesh out said posts or even to make their way to the same area. In fact, if you want to take part in my planned plot, I would almost encourage you to. (otherwise, unless you make your own way there, chances are I'm just going to provide environmental things for you in my posts to you as it's kinda awkward repeatedly using the same lines on everyone) Furthermore, everyone is welcome to incorporate almost any aspect of the posts I use to direct and/or immerse characters and their players in the forest, whether already posted or in the future. From the ever present yet oddly directionless sounds of wildlife in the distance, to happening upon the sound of the gurgling stream if you wish to take part in the plot, to even a mysteriously out of place breeze. You're welcome to use any of it to build your posts as it's all part of the mystique of the forest.

Now for rules, there's gotta be rules eh? I don't exactly ask for much from those I RP with. I'd say one of the more important rules in any RP with me is that you should be at least moderately competent with your literacy... Please, for goodness sake, make sure your posts aren't a complete mess. Read through your post once or twice when you're finished like I do. I always check for typos and to make sure my post makes sense and is easy to understand. You don't have to make sure your posts are perfect, heavens no. Everyone makes mistakes. A typo here and out of place or missing word there can be expected every now and again, just make sure that your posts don't regularly come out gobbeldygook or something. I myself regularly use Dictionary.com to make sure I'm spelling a word right or using the right one. I hate to sound nitpicky, but the thing is bad posts literally make me lose every ounce of my RP inspiration and it could be quite some time before I get it back... So in order to keep me from becoming unable to post on my own RP, I ask that at least some minimal effort is made. This shouldn't deter you from joining in however, not at all. I'm more than happy to make an OOC (Out Of Character) post to offer you some polite advice on how to improve if your post happens to be a little rough. As I said before, we're all looking to improve right? Just don't take anything the wrong way and keep the advice in mind, 'kay?. smile

Finally, I would think that following the Gaia TOS and Guild rules as well as applying common sense to your actions wouldn't need to be posted as rules... At any rate, I will politely warn anyone I feel is getting a little 'off track'. And if anyone wants to cause trouble, I will bring it up with Eutrepe. Though, I can't really see any issues like that happening.

Now! With all that stuffy rule business outta the way I hereby declare this RP thread open! ^w^ Get to postin' and I'll make my entrance as soon as I see fit after someone shows up!


UPDATE: I recently realized that there's some information that I didn't mention that I probably should have. I also decided to do a rework of the main 'rules' paragraph, doing some rewording to make things clearer and not 'demanding' as I felt like they may have slightly sounded. So I urge everyone to read through one more time if you don't mind. The changes are the second through fourth OOC paragraphs, 3 in total.))

((Well, the fact you came in shows interest. *nod nod* Btw though, since it's a thread I started, there's no need to quote me 'kay? smile I still get notices. *nod nod*))

As the two of you search through the forest, no matter where you go, the sounds of life never seem to get any closer. You can hear it in the distance, the occasional rustle of a bush here, an intermittent scamper across the leaf strewn ground there, yet you never actually see any evidence of life. No footprints, no broken bush limbs, no bark scratches, nothing. The sounds around you, ever present yet intermittent, despite all efforts to discern, never seem to have a distinguishable source. Save for one... The soft gurgling of a river. Just barely at first, a few moments (a moment being 3 minutes) into your time in the forest, yet clearly noticeable amidst the other sounds around you. This one sound, is different from the rest. This one sound, is the only one to sound as if it's getting closer. The only one coming from a distinguishable direction.

As you run towards the sound of the water, it slowly gets louder and clearer unlike most other sounds in the forest, until eventually you actually see it. Off in the distance, a river stretches through the forest. Coming upon it, the waters are crystal clear as they flow peacefully by, off into distances unseen in either direction. The water is a good two to three feet deep with a bed of dirt and pebbles. You can also see your first signs of life since finding yourself in the forest. Several fish can be seen swimming about in the river, their scales occasionally catching a ray of light and glimmering under the water.

((Haha, E3's been getting the better of me the last couple days. XP Finally found another RP mood and the time to do stuff today though.))

((Nope, don't mind at all. In fact, I'm happy to have another person find their way here. Though, I regret to say that at the end of the week, due to me moving and not having reliable internet for upwards of a month, for that time the RP might move slowly here as it won't be easy for me to come on and make my posts. It won't go completely on hold though. Just might be a day or two between posts from me. Again though, happy to have you in.))

The forest you suddenly find yourself in stretches on as far as the eye can see in all directions. You appear to be hopelessly lost.

((Yay, another person! >w<))

As you walk through the forest, leaves crunching quietly under your footsteps, a soft and comfortable breeze blows past you surprisingly smoothly given the number of trees around. Along that thought, how does a breeze like that make it this far into a forest anyways?

((NOTICE: With the two of you joining so closely together, I realized there's something I forgot to mention in the RP OOC information. Assuming you already read, if you'd take another look I've added a notice saying what's been changed. Go ahead and give the changed sections a read as it should help you better understand how this RP is going to run and flow as things progress. At any rate, you're both welcome to bump into each other since my idea is that everyone who joins starts out in generally the same area.))

((I'm not waiting on you to lead my character, don't worry about that. I just don't like hijacking threads and leaving people asking where the heck we abandoned them as things progressed without them. Though, I suppose this game is designed to work around that nicely.))