Character Creation
Every character begins at character creation in The Domains of Dread. Anyone may freely add more characters to their server vault, though only two may be ever be designated as active and able to leave the out of character experience by the Game Masters at a time. For more information about this process, please see the allowlist article. The following is a step by step summary of the choices available during character creation, with many linked to their own, more detailed articles.
Pre-Game Creation
Pre-game in this context means before a character has spawned into the out of character experience and after the player has selected "New" in their server vault.
Phenotype
vanilla: Gender
There are three phenotype options which will alter the initial appearance of a character's model: Masculine, Feminine and Androgynous.
Race
There are no subrace options available at this time in The Domains of Dread - what is available from this menu is what is available in-game.
Portrait
A community portrait pack is available on the Steam Workshop. Those seeking to contribute their characters' portraits to this pack should see that page for submission guidelines and instructions.
Class
Do be advised that Cleric and Paladin incur a Mist Token cost to finalize in-game. Other classes, such as Necromancer, have their own application process. Please see their linked articles for more details.
Alignment
The character's starting alignment may change in-game during play but, at character creation, should observe any alignment requirement from intended deity or archetype selection.
Attributes
vanilla: Abilities
Unchanged except for label to bring in line with The Domains of Dread's chosen verbiage for these values.
Packages
Skills are not selectable in the pre-game character creator. They are automatically banked to be spent on the 2nd and 3rd level once in the out of character experience. Spells are also not chosen in this phase; they are allocated all at once after archetype selection at the 3rd level.
Customize
Character model adjustment is disabled however other features of this menu such as name, age, voiceset and initial description are available. Everything in this menu may also be altered in the out of character experience.
In-Game Creation
New characters are moved to their own area in the out of character experience inaccessible by characters who have already entered the world.
Presentation
This option controls how non-player characters are expected to address the player character in their dialogues and any other interaction. Limitations of a varied design permit only three options at this time: Masculine (he/him), Feminine (she/her), and Neutral (they/them). This may be changed at-will after character creation by summoning the Personae menu with the !m personae command, short alias !m p. A character's chosen presentation is appended to the bottom of their Examine window for view by other players.
Origin
A character may be native to Ravenloft, or an Outlander. If they are from a supported setting (including Ravenloft), region/domain of origin will also be specified. Characters receive the lingua franca of a supported domain or region as a bonus language regardless of their permanent positive Intelligence score.
Background
The chosen background provides minor skill adjustments, NR adjustments, features or complications. Every character must choose a background relevant to their backstory. For more information, please see the linked article.
Ideoligion
The character's belief system. If it permits, a deity will also be chosen. Unsupported ideoligions, such as those from homebrew or unsupported settings, may be selected with "Other". It should be noted that a ticket to declare this choice must be created with the Game Masters to collaborate on acceptable alignments, domains and portfolio(s). In the interest of equitability, most unsupported ideoligions and related deities will borrow these statistics from a supported ideoligion or deity wherever possible. See the linked article for a full list of supported ideoligions and related deities.
Newly or Established Misted
All player characters will have been Misted to their start location regardless if they are a native or an Outlander. If there are no Mist Tokens to spend, they are newly Misted - their arrival in-game correlating with their arrival fictionally. If the player decides to spend Mist Tokens, they start instead in a different area at level 4. They may have spent up to four months already inside the Realms of Terror if they are an Outlander if and only if they choose this Mist Token-backed option.
Social Lineage
Certain social lineages such as nobility require the character to be native with an application made and approved by the Game Masters plus a payment of Mist Tokens. Outlanders are free to be nobility from their setting however such titles will hold little sway in the Realms of Terror without significant play to legitimize themselves and, even then, most domains refuse to recognize Outlander nobility except for circumstances such as intermarriage with an existing native noble house.
Perks
Perks are minor and do not confer permanent benefit except for the crafting related perks. All cost an amount of Mist Tokens to select and are therefore listed in that article.
Languages
These bonus languages are in addition to Common and any language awarded with origin choice. A character may also choose to forfeit their knowledge of Common at this step. Bonus language allocation does not need to happen during character creation, but it must be performed in the out of character experience.
Equipment
Supporting equipment, clothing, tools and weapons may be purchased from this store interface, paid from the character's starting silver stipend. It may be summoned at any time during character creation with the !m equip command.
Appearance
All details of a character's appearance beside base phenotype may be altered in this menu, for free. It may be summoned again at any time during character creation with the !m appearance command, short alias !m a, and by returning characters in the out of character experience.
Finalization
Once approved by the Game Masters, a player may choose their character's starting location, pay out any Mist Token costs from their account balance and enter the world.