Creating a Group

Ready to create a group? To get started, you’ll need three members, plus a leader, all to agree IC to be in the group. This can happen in one group thread or several smaller threads. These founding members will each need to be written by a different player.

Next, you’ll need to decide whether you want your group to claim a territory or be nomadic. There are pros and cons to each of these strategies detailed below!

Making a group with a territory

Claiming a territory gives you clear turf boundaries that other individuals of your species (vampire or were) will be able to sense. They’ll also be able to sense that you and your members are in a group, though not specifically what group. This can put a target on your back if your group builds a less than stellar reputation.

On the flip side, leaders gain specific abilities to use within their territory that nomadic leaders don’t have. Learn more about those here!

Selecting a territory and hub

Territories can be any area (ex. Alder Heights, Ridgefield, Reignhart) that doesn’t isn’t classified as neutral on its description post. When choosing a territory, you’ll want to consider:

• Is it already claimed? It’s possible to share claims, but if you don’t ask permission first, conflict could ensue. (But maybe that’s what you’re looking for. >:])
• Who’s at the border? Other groups might get fussy if your territory borders theirs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try!

Once you’ve chosen a territory, you’ll need to claim a hub. A hub is a safe space where your group can meet. It can be a private residence, a business, or even an outdoor space. Hubs can be existing sublocations if desired, you’ll just need to claim them in-game.

Claiming a territory and hub requires three scoping threads featuring group members:

• One thread in any part of your desired territory
• Two threads in your desired hub

One of these threads must feature the group leader and at least one future member, one with the leader and any character, and one with any two (or more) future members. All members must have agreed to join in advance in order to count for a scoping thread!

After you’ve completed these threads, skip to the “Submit your group to staff” section for next steps.

Option 2: Pass on claiming a territory and focus on your friends!

Not every group wants to claim land; sometimes you want to work more low key. If your group prefers to live without being tethered to any specific place, you can skip claiming entirely! This comes with a sneaky added bonus: members of a nomadic group will be sensed as rogues (rather than members of a group) by anyone who isn't part of their group. That means that nomadic groups can truly stay under the radar, if they're careful.

This also comes at a cost: without a territory, leaders can’t utilize powers tied to their territory. For example, a domina without a territory can’t dead sleep rogues “in their territory” because they don’t have one claimed. A king can’t sense rogues “in his territory” when he doesn’t have one.

In order to start a group without claiming territory, you’ll need three threads with at least two potential members who have already agreed to join bonding together. (It can’t be the same two members in every thread, and leaders only need to be involved for two of the three threads.) At least one of the threads should involve shifted time for weres or a hunt for vampires!

If you’d like to claim a territory later, you can follow the steps in option 1 with your already established group members, then let staff know.

Get approved!

Send your strange staffers a direct message on Discord with the links to all these completed threads, along with the following:

• The desired name of your group
• A name and description of your hub (if you're claiming territory), a list of group rules, and a small blurb about the leader
• The hex code for the color you’d like to represent your group name
• A pretty banner image for your group page (optional)!

Now: PARTY! Once your group has been approved and is set up, gather your mates to celebrate your shiny new group magic feelings!

Taking Over an Existing Group

Some people are just not meant to be leaders. If your character finds that is a case with the leader of their species’ group, there’s something they can do about it!

Please note, in the event of a group leader simply going inactive or otherwise leaving, these requirements don’t apply - group members can simply decide who their new leader will be if applicable, or, you know, hash it out.

• Issue a challenge! Have your character inform the current group leader that they intend to take over leadership of the group.
• You feelin’ lucky, punk? Figure out whether the current leader is willing to fight for their throne, or if they’re going to step down peacefully. If it’s a fight you want, all group members must be informed of the time, location, and nature of the fight, so that they may come observe if they so desire. Participants of the fight must respond within seven days for each round or the fight will be forfeit.
• Restructure, or not. Whoever wins the fight becomes, or remains, the group leader. It’s up to the player and their character as to what happens to the loser, and any in-game changes around things like group rules and hubs should be taken to a staffer to get your page edited accordingly!

Learn more about challenges here!

Changing Hubs

If a hub no longer suits your group, you can change locations within the same territory with just a few threads!

To claim a currently unowned sublocation or create a new one, three threads are required:

• Two threads with the new owner and another member of the group
• One thread with the leader and an existing member of the group, declaring intent to claim the location as a group hub

If the sublocation is already owned by a group member, you'll only need:

• One thread with the leader and an existing member of the group, declaring intent to claim the location as a group hub

Dissolving Groups

Sometimes, things just don’t work out. Should your supernatural group fall below four total members - whether it’s due to someone being marked inactive or some sort of IC fall out - the group has three months to recruit new members to keep the magic flowing. If they fail an activity check, they'll also have a month long grace period to recover. But in the event that things don’t pan out that way, the magic falls apart, and the territory claim disappears. This can feel saddening or disappointing, but fret not! Your characters’ stories don’t have to end here - in fact, the loss of this magical bond can create some juiciness for writing.

In the event that this shattered group should rebuild down the line, the thread requirements for patching up are a little different from creating a brand new group from scratch, with a few conditions: a former group member must still be in ownership of the group’s former hub, and they must be attempting to re-claim the same territory. The steps for rebuilding are as follows:

• Recruit your people IC! Remember, you need four total members including the leader for the official group.
• Have two reestablishment threads featuring at least two of your already-agreed members! For groups claiming land, threads can both take place in the group’s hub, out about in the territory, or one in each. For groups without land, they can happen anywhere, but one must include shifted time for weres or a hunt for vampires. Just get your claws back in that meaty magic!

That’s it! Get the gang back together!