Are you bursting with ideas for comic book stories? Have you invented a heroic or villainous character that you want to unleash upon on an unsuspecting World? Think YOU can create better plots and stories than some of the men and women making their living writing comics? With Arkane Heights, Comics Nexus’ very own super hero roleplaying series, now’s your chance!
(Q) So, what’s this all about, then?
(A) It’s the latest, greatest word in on-line role-playing. If you’ve ever wanted to prove how well you could write a super hero comic, or if you’ve got a fresh, original character that you want to unleash upon a unsuspecting World, now’s your chance! Set in the fictional City of Arkane Heights, there is a main plot evolving and growing, around which you and your roleplaying character will live. You can interact and affect the main plot, as well as create your own. You can forge friendships, create enemies, love, kiss, lie, cheat, steal and even, if you’re so inclined, murder! The only limit – and I mean this from the bottom of my heart – is your imagination!
(Q) How do I apply?
(A) If you’re interested, send an e-mail, subject heading “Application”, to: logan@bwfcworld.co.uk
An application form will be e-mailed back to you, consisting of a table that you’ll need to fill in with details of your character.
You’ll need to create a name, powers, etc – even supply us with a bio – make it as detailed as you like, telling us the history of your character, where they came from and who they are. We will be selecting only the very best, as for the first issue’s, only a limited number of spaces will be available – so be creative and be original!
(Q) Can I create a villain instead of a hero?
(A) Absolutely! We need bad guys – the plan is to have a roughly equal number of each. You could even get together with a friend and create one hero, one villain, with each of you having a long history together!
(Q) Are there any limits to what I can have my character be?
(A) In theory, no. Mutant, human or even alien – go for it! Obviously making a character too powerful or unstoppable wouldn’t make things a lot of fun, so don’t expect your application to be accepted if you do!
(Q) How does the whole thing work?
(A) We have one issue a week – a column, which will appear on the main page. Within each issue, several main plots and several side plots will be expanded on and showcased. The main plots are part of the overall ongoing story – which you can affect, directly or indirectly, with your character. In addition, the side plots, what they are, where they’re going – will be created entirely by you!
(Q) How do I do create plots?
(A) Each new issue will come out on a Friday. By the Sunday evening before, each player, if they wish to participate in that week’s issue, will need to send an e-mail to logan@bwfcworld.co.uk subject heading “AH Plot & Interaction”. You need to provide one plot point for your character, and one interaction with another character. The plot point can be anything from “My Character fights with X” or “My character decides to track down and arrest X” – the only limit’s on plots are those imposed by your imagination! Interaction can be anything from an argument to a kiss to general conversation with any other character in the game. If you want to have an interaction with somebody within an issue, make sure you say so within your weekly e-mail.
(Q) Will every plot I send in get used?
(A) Sadly not, due to time and size constraints, but we will endeavour to use as many as we can. The one golden rule concerning plots is that we will always use the very best and most creative, so let your imagination run riot!
(Q) Do I have to send in a plot and interaction?
(A) No. You can send in just one or the other if you so wish – the golden rule is that if you want to try and influence what’s happening with your character in that coming week’s issue, you MUST submit something.
(Q) Can I interact with the NPC’s?
(A) Of course! Again, we would encourage it. If you’re a bad guy, maybe you want to apply to work for Fabian’s Underworld, or if you’re a heroic character, perhaps you want to strike up a friendship with Police Chief Myers. It’s up to you.
(Q) What about plots involving the NPC’s?
(A) As long as it doesn’t affect too radically what we’re doing with the main plot, then again, yes, we would encourage it.
(Q) Can I submit plots involving another roleplayer’s character?
(A) With their permission, yes. Again, the key to this is YOUR imagination and creativity. Say, for instance, when you apply, you do so in conjunction with a friend. You could both write in your bio’s that you’ve been friends for many years, or maybe enemies for many years instead. You could then get together and work out something for your plots where there is on-going conflict between you.
(Q) Can characters die?
(A) Yep. You can kill off your own character if you really want to, although we would hope this wouldn’t be a regular occurrence! In addition to this, NPC’s can, and will, sometimes be killed off, too – if it services the main story.
(Q) Can hero’s form groups together, like the Avengers, for instance?
(A) If enough of you want to, of course. I would encourage interaction between all roleplayers, hero’s and villain’s, to get the most out of the experience. The closer you all work together, the more interaction you all have, the more intricate and exciting the plots and stories will be.
(Q) Can anything happen to directly affect my character involving a plot submitted by somebody else?
(A) It depends. Minor impacts on your characters, such as losing a fight, or failing to catch and stop the bad guy on a certain occasion, will sometimes happen. That’s part of the magic – sometimes things will happen that will take everybody, not just the readers, but the roleplayers, too, by complete surprise.
I think that’s covered most of the major questions I imagine you guys will initially have – if you have a question you want answered, just send it in to: logan@bwfcworld.co.uk but hurry! Application spaces are limited, and we are anticipating that they’ll fill up quick! Good luck and have fun letting your creative juices run wild!!!
Remember – YOU are the key to this. There is a on-going plot, but if you’re creative enough, you could find yourself influencing or even driving it. Or, if you want, go off and create a whole new story of your own.
Below is the main, on-going storyline around which you’ll be role-playing, and also a mention of some of the major NPC characters you’ll meet. Think how your character could best fit into this situation.
Arkane Heights -. A multitude of events have rocked the City – Mutants, those humans possessing strange and extraordinary powers, have been forced to officially register their existence and abilities with the Government. At this moment in time, the Government is allowing their identities to remain secret, and the powers that be are refusing to divulge to the World at large who the registered mutants actually are. However, a shocking declaration of war upon the mutant community from an insidious terrorist group is about to tear the status quo apart.
At the same time, the self-styled “Lord” Chrome has declared himself the “Mutant Messiah”, and is openly embracing his powers and heritage while also gathering around him those who seek shelter and safety – but are his motives and intentions really as honourable as he would have the World believe?
Deep in the criminal underbelly of the City, two men have long fought it out for supremacy – Fabian and Kortez – each man in charge of a rival gang. An uneasy truce has reigned between them for some time, but this threatens to shatter as the younger generation of mobsters clamour for position and power. In addition, Kortez is harbouring his own deadly secret.
The City’s new and idealistic Police Chief Myers, freshly promoted into the position, battles to keep these events under control, while also confronting corruption in his own force. He’s a good man, weighed down by the heavy burden of his job, and needs support that the opportunistic and vain Mayor Dooley just isn’t supplying.
Nightwind, the masked, ruthless vigilante who hasn’t been seen for twenty years, has suddenly reappeared on the rooftops of the City and is once again dispensing his brutal justice – but is it the same Nightwind as before, and if not, what happened to the original?
Over successive nights, The Crusaders, the City – and the World’s – best known super hero team have suffered a series of defeats at the hands of a new and deadly enemy who call themselves The Shadders, and a mystery letter has been sent to the new Police Chief claiming that one member of The Crusaders is a traitor, secretly feeding information to The Shadders and helping them plan their strategies.
Who are The Shadders, and what are their ultimate goals? As The Crusaders threaten to fall apart in an orgy of recrimination and mistrust, Arkane Heights is a powderkeg, waiting to explode, and into the situation comes a new breed of hero’s – and villain’s – who aims, motives and fates are yet to be known.
Next week: A special prelude issue, introducing the main characters…
