Character Affiliations Guide

There are two basic roles when it comes to making a story. There’s either the protagonist, or the antagonist. But is it always that black and white? To start with what is a protag, what the hell is an antag?

A protagonist is the main character of a story, but in our role play world; the protagonist is usually a A good guy. On the side of “Justice” for the right cause.
An Antagonist is usually the main villain of a story, which in our role play world; stands as the Bad Guy. Someone who’s always trying to stir up trouble.

That’s the basic idea, but have you ever sat to wonder exactly what a good guy is? Look around, in your daily life and you’ll realize that the definition of good and bad is very vague. Someone can be doing good things but be a bad person; Someone can be doing bad things but be a good person. There can be onlookers who neither help nor hinder, this is another form affiliation called a Neutral. Someone who doesn’t choose a side.

So after all is said and done, you can either be a protagonist; a neutral; or an antagonist. But like I said earlier, is it always that black and white? There are all different sorts of protagonists or antagonists. Just like in a political spectrum; just because your republican doesn't mean you don’t see some democratic ideals and vice versa. Just because you help your sister do her homework; doesn't mean you don’t pick fights with other guys all the time. So just how many different kinds of affiliations are there?

Im here to try and help you decide just what side your character is on; and explain the different types of roles that you can take within this universe
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THE PROTAGONISTS

So just what kinds of protagonists are there? These are the good guys, those who generally help society; but this doesn’t mean their all great people.

The Heroic Protagonist: This is the stereotypical good guy, the one who puts his life on the line in order to save anybody who needs his help. Whenever anything is wrong hes there to help, hes never reluctant and he’ll sacrifice anything to help the others out. A true “Hero”

The Neutral Protagonist: How can there be a neutral protagonist? This is seen everyday. These are the people who will help others in need, only if they see it’s possible. These are the one’s who will wait in the background, and help those when it’s safe to do so. They are still willing to help, but at the risk of their own lives.

The Chaotic Protagonist: These are the generally more “Dynamic” and “Unpredictable” Good guys. These are the ones that will fight for the cause, but won’t get along with others. The good guy who can seem like a bad guy; if he has to kill five or six people to save a thousand. The most unpopular, yet realistic kind of protagonist there is.

THE NEUTRALS

The Heroric Neutral: These are neutral members generally swung more towards the protagonist side. While they don’t do anything particularly influential towards the cause; their generally good people. They keep their distance from any conflict for the sake of being neutral, but know what’s right and will help a person or two in need from time to time.


The Absolute Neutral: These are the people who do absolutely nothing but watch from the sidelines. They do not involve themselves in any troubles, nor do they have any particular ideal. In essence every character starts as an absolute neutral until their first involvements in the site. They are free to stay absolute neutrals if they wish.

The Chaotic Neutral: These are neutral members generally swung more towards the antagonist side. They don’t do anything particularly influential to the evil causes, but will inflict pain onto those who bother them. They will occasionally fight others for the sake of fighting them.

THE ANTAGONISTS

The Compassionate Antagonist: These are bad guys who know how to feel. These are the bad guys who will give you a way out before they kill you. The bad guys that will leave small children alive because they feel bad and know compassion. You may mistake them for good people, but know they are still evil; and will still kill despite their occasional kindness.

The Neutral Antagonist: These are bad guys who do what they do for their own gain. In other words they contribute to the evil causes for their own profit; and don’t necessarily like or dislike killing innocent people, they just profit from it. Much like those in government who start wars for a profit; just because they don’t necessarily look to kill people doesn’t mean that they aren’t killing people. They are still evil characters.

The Chaotic Antagonist: These are the worst of the worst, the ultimate form of pure evil. Whether it’s to enslave all the life forms in the world, or to eradicate them; these antagonists are the worst of the worst. Those who enjoy murder for fun and hunt those much weaker than them fall under the Chaotic Antagonist role. They are usually deranged entities.
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Okay so now you know what each affiliation is, and what roles your characters can take up. But how do you swing them one way or another? Is it by creation or role play? Etc. etc.

There are several ways to change your affiliation; and there are certain things you should know about it.

1. First no character begins “Good” Or “Evil” because although they have their histories that can make them see good or bad, they haven’t done anything in our realm yet. In other words character affiliations are not set from creation; you have to mold your character through your role playing adventures

2. Just because you do one bad thing, doesn’t make you evil; likewise one good thing doesn’t make you good. You can always change your affiliations by the way you role play. Of course the further you are in one spectrum, the harder it is to move into the other one. Ex: A demon lord cannot simply turn good overnight; as he has murdered countless people etc. It would take a lot more time and effort to change sides then say a man who has murdered one innocent person and tries to repent.

3. YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE AN AFFILIATION; staying neutral is also an interesting way to go about things, and you can still join events under self protection, or interest, curiosity or testing of your own power etc.

4. Neutrals are generally swung more easily to one side or the other if they do good or bad deeds; though they can remain neutral by distancing themselves when asked for more help etc.

5. You don’t have to fight to be good or evil. This Is a common misconception.

So now that you know all of this what can you do to swing your affiliation one way or another? (Note: These are only several ideas, and there are many more ways to go about these)

Protagonists
1. Helping others is an easy and non-combative way to start. Start a charity, help clean the city; or just help someone on the side of the road. This will generally take longer but eventually everyone will see the good you are doing

2. Take up arms to protect your town and your people. Have you ever seen demons raid your city? An evil group attack innocent people? Take a stand, a bad guy would join in; a neutral would watch, but a good guy would help those people.

3. Develop arms for the good guys at affordable to free costs. Whether it be cancer saving research; or new rifles that will help humanity against the hollow; someone who develops these and give them away easily is definitely a good person. Someone who creates these for the sake of earning money is simply

Neutral

1. This one is a little more straightforward, these are people who don’t help anyone but don’t hinder anybody either. In other words creating goods for the sake of profit; whether it be to the good or bad guys. As long as your not giving the technology away, or favoring a side you are neutral.

2. Denying good or evil organizations. As a neutral you are an easier target, as you can be swung either way. If you want to stay neutral you deny them, and stay neutral. If they choose to fight you and you kill them because of it; it won’t change your affiliation because it was simply self defense.

3. This is more a note than a way to stay neutral; but killing or saving one person does not change your affiliation. But killing multiple people will swing you more to an antagonist side, while saving many people will swing you more towards the protagonist side.

Antagonists

1. Killing multiple people. For whatever reason, your killing innocent lives and this is a terrible thing. This will always swing you towards the antagonist side for whatever reason. If you kill too many people under the pretense of “Self Defense” you will be swung towards the antagonist side. Murder is a cardinal sin and that will never change

2. Dictatorship. Whether it’s enslaving others, or stealing from a group of people; or controlling a region and leaving it in poverty for your own gains. All of these things are considered evil and will swing you towards an antagonist side.

3. Creating machinery or weaponry for the sole purpose of destroying others. This is pretty self explanatory; if you’ve created the second version of the black plague to make others suffer, you’ve created a target over your head and will be labeled as an antagonist.
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I’ve saved this one for the very end, because it probably deserves its own little section. Each organization serves a purpose and they can be either good or bad. Joining one of these organizations will drastically swing your affiliation one way or another in most cases. If you join the Shadow fall organization for example, your affiliation will be swung drastically towards the antagonist side as their sole goal is to resurrect the demon king to eradicate other races.

Note that joining an organization means several things.

-Generally it’s an employment, and most organizations will offer wages to it’s members. They well also receive whatever other benefits the organization offers. Whether its training or access to new technology.

-Joining an organization means your joining their cause, and you will be called upon to help them. This way you can join events, and help whatever cause your fighting for

-Leaving an organization on bad terms can spell bad news for you; as you can be hunted down by your former organization out of spite, or because of the information you hold.

-Just because you join an organization does not mean you can never leave it, just becareful…

All of these organizations can be found on the left side of your screen under “Organizations” and will lead you to each organization sign up thread; where you can learn the mission and affiliation of each organization, and sign up for them.
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How do you decide the type of protagonist/neutral/antag?
While swinging one way or another is pretty defined, what kind of protag you are is completely up to you. While helping others will swing you to a protag, only the way you role play will decide whether you are heroic/chaotic/etc.

What are you characters like?
I have a chaotic protagonist, a heroic protagonist; and an absolute neutral. Each of them are completely different, and that’s how I choose to role play them.

Are organizations recommended?
If you ask me, their great! But not necessary. In an org, you can talk to other people in them, get guided; and join major events and that’s always fun. But you also have to follow the general mission behind the organization, leaving less leeway for your own stories.

Can you join an event without an organization?
YES. You can always join as a neutral, or as a rouge(An unexpected entity). Just don’t be surprised if people from the same organization gang up on you.

Well that’s all, hope this helped.