Dread Figures
The Realms of Terror have the unique capacity, moreso than any other known plane or demiplane, to transform the once unremarkable, the once good, the once keen into twisted versions of what could have been. These individuals are Dread Figures, creatures that - while not yet the masters of their own domains - have nevertheless given themselves to the Misty Plane, compelled ever-onward by wicked need and worse ambition. They may be tragic, even unwilling, but all Dread Figures are in the cool embrace of the Mists of Death, creating untold misery in their wakes.
Dread Figures in The Domains of Dread
Dread Figures, shorthand DF, are a separate class of playable character geared toward monstrous or otherwise subversive antagonist play. While not all antagonists in The Domains of Dread must be a Dread Figure, all Dread Figures by nature create conflict propelling their story and the stories of those around them. In exchange for this service to the roleplay a template is applied to the character, giving them novel mechanics, attribute adjustments, and more to ensure that they remain uniquely threatening - and exciting - where encountered.
Playing a Dread Figure
Dread Figures, like all playable characters, are applied for during character creation. A prospective Dread Figure must have at least 60 days of relatively active play on The Domains of Dread, to ensure basic familiarity with the server's mechanics and expectations for roleplay. They have their own application form available on the Discord. Considerations and exemptions from regular characters are as follows:
- When first entering the game world, the Dread Figure has 8 months or 243 days before they are automatically closured. Extensions may be provided by Game Masters for reasons of allowing an in-progress plot to gracefully conclude or real-life issues with availability.
- Dread Figures do not receive any hostile experience. Instead, they receive boosted storyline experience and experience stipends when playing once a week IRT.
- Dread Figures begin play at the 8th level - if the character existed before becoming a Dread Figure, they will be raised to the 8th level. It is estimated that about a month and a half of active play between the enhanced storyline experience and stipends is needed to reach the 14th level.
- Dread Figures are allowed to be attacked with lethal damage at any time by other player characters - there is no opt out as being a Dread Figure is sufficient, perpetual opt in.
- Dread Figures may not lethally attack other player characters without sufficient cause to do so, such as those player characters hunting the Dread Figure actively or after an initial skirmish. Being downed by a Dread Figure is equivalent to being maimed the first time it happens - a Dread Figure is allowed to finish off player characters of whom they have already downed once in any further engagement.
- Likewise, a Dread Figure is allowed to be downed once to then avoid being killed or destroyed. Assuming their template has no other mechanisms in place for automatic resurrection, their next downed state is lethal and the Dread Figure will be closured.
- A Dread Figure always has sufficient opt in to attack other player characters nonlethally. Exceptions may be made for reasons of real life inability to participate in the scene, per the Game Rules.
- A Dread Figure, as with other player characters, always have the right to closure themselves at-will. Mist Tokens will be dispensed to the player based primarily on time spent alive and number of successful roleplay encounters whether or not they went hostile.
- Player characters kidnapped or detained by Dread Figures are subject to the same considerations they would be if detained or kidnapped by other players - the Dread Figure has a responsibility to ensure sufficient roleplay is given to their prisoner and to provide clues to the search process for prospective investigators.
- Dread Figures do not appear in the player list by default when online. This may be toggled on or off at will with their bespoke menu.