Almost all of the Feature Characters who are children of Oberon can potentially have played children. This policy articulates our policy for grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) of Oberon, and what we expect from Features in this regard. If you play a Feature, you need to read this; if not, you don't.
(If you are looking for "how do I get approved as a kidbit", you are looking at the wrong page. Read the Blood of Oberon page instead.)
Philosophy
In this policy, we attempt to balance two things — the need for Features to have reasonable, consistent histories, and the game's need for easily-obtainable parentage. We have an "open kidbit" policy, which means that anyone who wants to can play a kidbit; this therefore requires cooperation from our Features. In general, we will never assign an unplayed parent to a kidbit, unless the player specifically really wants to be a child of that character.
Open Kidbit Roles
As a Feature, you should maintain, at all times, at least one and preferably several open roles for kids; the descriptions can be sent to r2a-apps at roadtoamber.com.These roles describe concepts for children that are integrated into your background. The staff will tell players who are looking to be your child about these specific roles. The more broadly accomodating these roles, the more useful they're likely to be.
If a player chooses one of these roles in chargen, the staff will simply approve the background, and notify you when they do so. It's up to you to discuss further details, but the pre-defined role is intended to speed the chargen process. The staff generally likes to turn around background submissions within hours, if not minutes, and consequently, the streamlining of pre-defined roles makes things easier.
Your Grandchildren
You should also provide the staff with the description of one child of yours that can be used as a tie for additional kidbits. You should describe that child, along some general guidance as to what type of children he or she might have had.
In general, these roles will be used for kidbits whose backhistories don't easily integrate with any Feature's. As part of your line of descent, however, these kidbits still fall under your arena of responsibility as a Feature.
Like the open kidbit rules, the staff will simply approve these backgrounds and notify you, leaving you to work out additional details with the player.
Other Kidbits
For those who choose neither the open kidbit role nor grandchild route, we'll ask them to work out a background directly with you. We ask the following:
- Please respond promptly to these requests. If you don't see the player on, send them +mail. If you don't want to deal with the player and/or his background, do not try to get rid of them by procrastinating. Send them back to the staff immediately and we will deal work something out.
- Please be patient. The game gets a fair number of first-time MUSHers as well as genre newcomers; we do want them to be able to play kidbits, and we feel that part of the responsibility of being a Feature is to try to assist such players.
- Please be proactive in the discussion. You are not only helping someone become a kidbit, but you are also inherently sales-pitching them on the fun possibilities of the MUSH — a critical, vital role for the game's success. Share your open kidbit and grandchild possibilities, a quick overview of your background and concept, and suggest possibilities for how they might be able to fit in with you. It is not the player's responsibility to try to find information about you. It is your responsibility to tell them about your character, playstyle, hooks, etc., and help them find a fit. If the player has unworkable ideas, try to guide them in a better direction. If the player's concept would fit better with another Feature, feel free to send them to that other Feature, but don't ping-pong players. (If the concept is totally unworkable, refer them back to the staff.)
- Please be both reasonable and flexible. The concepts don't need to be brilliant, or even original; the staff's primary concern is that characters start with strong hooks for immediate interaction, and solid ties to caring about what happens in Amber. Similarly, kidbits don't need to be either young or ignorant; they can start with powers such as Trump, as well as what might be considered "advanced" Pattern bits, for instance (including original and unique powers, just as with other gifts).
