Help Topic: PvP
Category: A Beginner's Guide -- Help File
You don't need to know a lot about either systems or lore to dive right in and play the game. What you do need to know, however, is that Song of Avaria is a game about stories. Actions will lead to consequences, and relationships with other characters will develop and evolve. Characters may be at odds with each other sometimes, and use many different methods to influence each other's stories.
The truth is that you will not generally die in Avaria unless you as a player decide that this is a suitable end to your character's story. Death is consensual. There are very rare exceptions, but we are looking to pursue long and deep character stories here and because of that we don't want character death to occur in spurious fashion. Character death is largely permanent as we are striving for relatively meaningful and at least somewhat realistic narrative.
While death is consensual, conflict is not. There are many other consequences besides character death that can happen. If your character is injured badly, they may end up permanently handicapped, and wound recovery can take a relatively long time. Your character may lose titles and prestige due to political manuevering, or lose economic advantages due to banditry and theft. Untrue rumors may be spread, your character may be lied to or betrayed, and all manner of realistic conflict may happen...
But the most important thing to remember about PvP in Song of Avaria is that we consider it to be CvC, or character-versus-character rather than player-versus-player. Please remember that you are storycrafting with fellow writers, and definitely not trying to damage the enjoyment of other players. Our characters might hate each other to death, but we are still enjoying a hobby together.
Winning can be measured as having an interesting story, rather than 'my character beat yours in a fight'. Stories can be boring without conflict, but conflict sours quickly when it spills over into real life. Please assume the best of your fellow players.. or preferably don't assume anything at all and simply roleplay your character while keeping focus on the story as it unpredictably unfolds!
Gossiping about in-game events and the actions of other characters should be something that your character does (in-character), not something that you do (out-of-character). Metagaming in terms of coordinating action over an out-of-character medium is absolutely not all right. Speculating together about the motives of other players is unnecessary and damaging to immersion. Spreading rumors and lying about other players is not part of the game.
If you are worried about something, report it. You can even make anonymous reports. But remember: keep character conflict in-character, and have fun!
We all win when we play together, enjoy dynamic and exciting stories, and don't take conflict personally.
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