Frequently Asked Questions
This document will be updated as we get questions and clarify things for players. Submit new FAQ topics through our anonymous form here or contact the Support team directly! :)
Q: Can I rejoin my characters from Old Ognos?
Yes, however, they may need to be updated/adjusted to fit the new circumstances of the island. Special permissions may be given on a case-by-case basis if needed, please contact Signe via DM to discuss your character; she can also help you access old information, if needed.
Q: If rejoining, do I need to be specific about what happened to them after leaving Old Ognos?
Not at all, you can be as specific or vague as you like. To help you fill in the gap we have provided information on the Kingdoms, where most people would have landed, but your character could also have spent time on another world/site, joined a nomadic fleet, sailed alone, spent some time in a portal realm, etc. - whatever you want!
Q: How do characters access and use Talents?
Unless specifically restricted in the Arcanum, all characters have access to all Talents. This means that different characters may approach the same Talent in different ways, for example, one character might heal with magic while another uses nanites. Similarly, the methods used to channel Talents are entirely up to you! A character might heal through any means, for example, through touch, music, chanting, hand motions, drawing runes, or simply by focusing their thoughts (“just think it”).
You can customize how your character uses each Talent in two ways:
- Custom Info Section: Provide specific details for each Talent (e.g., one Talent requires a ritual, while another is a “just think it” type).
- Methods Section of the Profile: Offer a broader overview of how your character channels their abilities (e.g., “[Character] accesses and directs their magic through the use of song/touch”).
Feel free to adjust or switch these methods at any time! The flexibility is there to let you explore different possibilities and evolve your character's approach to Talents.
Q: Do long-range communication devices exist?
Yes! Phones, radios, and magical/high tech devices (such as magic mirrors, communicators, communication orbs, etc.) are all available in the world. There are also some Talents available for purchase which can allow two-way or one-way long-range communication, such as telepathy.
Q: Can Valka communicate in their True Forms?
Yes, definitely! Valka can communicate verbally in their True Forms just as they would in their human forms. Additionally, they can utilize any abilities they've acquired, such as telepathy. Some Valka may choose not to speak while in their animal form; if you'd like your character to remain silent in animal form, there are a number of options available (for example, a curse, a physical- or neuro-diversity or difference that blocks them from doing so, religious beliefs, or even just personal preference.)
Q: Can an Avian Valka have flight-capable wings as their carryover trait?
An Avian shifter could totally have flight-capable wings as their carryover trait, but the animal parts replace the human parts, like a feline shifter who keeps their feline ears in human form won't have both a human set of ears and the cat ears, they'll just have the cat ears. So in the avian example, they'd have wings instead of arms rather than both human arms and bird wings. If you'd like their wings to be conditional we do have a "Part-Shifting" ability!
Q: Are Valka True Forms genetic, or random?
Generally, forms are genetic but there can be "throwbacks" so for example if a character had a great-grandmother who was a deer, and all the rest of their family were wolves, there's a good chance they would also be a wolf but there's a small chance they (or a child of theirs) might end up a deer instead. There can also be variations in "breed", for example, a family of wolves might have a red wolf, a grey wolf, and a tundra wolf all from the same litter.
Q: Are Valka born in their humanoid forms or their true forms?
Babies are carried in whatever form is most comfortable for the parent, so for example, if the carrying parent is in human form then they will be carrying human babies, if they shift into a canine form the babies will be canine. They will usually give birth in their animal form to animal babies, but then shortly after birth the baby will change in to their "true" form (ex: mom is canine and carries and births pups, then an hour later one of the pups becomes a deer instead); however, some Valka may prefer to give birth in human form instead, or be forced to by circumstances.
Q: Is shifting between forms something Valka need to be taught?
Shifting is typically instinctual but can take some getting used to/practicing to learn control; there may also be mental, physical, or magical conditions or situations that would prevent a Valka from connecting to their animal form/easily shifting.
Q: How many offspring can a Valka have?
Any Valka may have up to 4 children at a time, but it does kind of depend on their animal form (ex: a horse shifter would be more likely to have single/twins, while a canine or feline would be more likely to have twins+).
Q: How does clothing work when Valka shift between forms?
This is left up to player interpretation, so you’re free to decide how it works for your characters!
Some possibilities include:
- Clothes shifting back with the Valka, so they return to their human form wearing the same outfit they had before.
- Clothes being left behind during the shift, meaning the Valka return to their human form without them.
- Clothes adapting to the new form, such as resizing or reshaping to fit the animal form (e.g., a jacket transforming into fur-like markings or accessories shrinking to fit).
- Only specific items, like magically attuned or specially crafted clothing, shifting back with the Valka while normal clothes are left behind.
- Clothes being absorbed temporarily into the Valka’s magic and reappearing intact when they return to their human form.
- Clothing disintegrating entirely during the shift, requiring the Valka to obtain new clothing afterward.
In-game explanations for these variations might include:
- Magical attunement: Some Valka have a stronger magical bond that integrates their clothing into the transformation process.
- Shifting control: A more experienced Valka might manage their transformation to preserve clothing, while a newly transformed or struggling Valka might leave their clothes behind unintentionally.
- Cultural practices: Certain Valka might wear clothing specifically designed for shifting or prefer to avoid it altogether for practical reasons.
- Intrinsic magic variances: The nature of a Valka’s shifting magic may inherently differ between individuals or bloodlines, affecting whether clothing is included in the transformation.
Q: My post word count seems off?
There are a few reasons that your word count might be a bit off, here are some examples:
- Your HTML includes your character's name and/or additional details about them.
- You included an OOC note, quote, or lyrics.
- Your word count was rounded up; our system will automatically round any decimal point up to the next nearest number.
There unfortunately isn't a consistent way to prevent the system from counting these extra details, and at this time we would rather ensure that players get a couple extra coppers rather than potentially short anyone. If you notice a big difference, for example, it's showing 0 when your post contained more than 0 words, or it's saying you did 1000 words when you did 300, let us know so we can look in to it!
Q: Are group threads allowed?
Absolutely! Players are welcome to create new group threads or join open ones anytime. Before joining an ongoing thread, please ask for permission from the current participants, unless they've indicated via an OOC note or on Discord that it's open to everyone. To keep group threads organized, we recommend tagging the next player in line (e.g., Player A tags Player B, Player B tags Player C, and so on). This helps everyone know when it's their turn to post.