We strongly suggest all newcomers carefully read over the information contained within this topic and other important game information: your chances of acceptance are partially determined by your capability to follow direction! If you're lost and confused, the Quick and Dirty Guide is where you should start -- it even has a joining checklist for you. If there are any points you're not clear on, check our FAQ on joining! If that doesn't help, we encourage you to ask! :) 'Souls community is friendly and helpful, and you'll find yourself with some direction before long!

Prospective members should be aware that 'Souls is, at heart, a writing game -- we appreciate good writing! :) New members should be able to write at at least an American high school level. New members should also be aware that 'Souls does require a fair amount of reading from members, too! Reading is an important part of roleplaying, and 'Souls has a fair amount of information necessary for an enjoyable roleplaying experience here.

Again, we strongly encourage you to read carefully and ask questions if you have them! :) Welcome!

1. Reading: Read the Rules and Plot pages! Browsing parts of the RP Guide is also a good idea -- check the page tags to the right hand side and look for "Beginner" articles. If you're totally lost as to how to join, check the Quick and Dirty guide. Also make sure you read this page, our Joining information; it's especially important!
   
2. Character: You should have a basic idea for a character -- age, appearance, personality. If you're planning on filling out your forum profile rather than providing writing samples, you'll need to concentrate on this area especially.
   • NOTE: If the prospect of creating a new character is overwhelming, check the Open Characters for adoptable characters. Adoptables generally come with on-board family or old friends, and this may help you to find plot and thread opportunities!
3. Registering an Account: When you're ready to join, register an account under your character's name. It must be properly capitalized and spaced. If you need your username changed, post in the Maintenance Thread: do not re-register.
   
4. Pack: We recommend new members join packs. Check the Game Statistics for some numbers, and check the Active Pack Summary. If you're not sure or you can't make up your mind, you may join as a Loner and join a pack later, of course.
   
5. Questions?: Check out our FAQ -- it has an extensive section on joining! Any specific questions you have may be posted to the Questions & Help forum or private messaged to a moderator or administrator.

Restrictions

• Salsola rejects non-Luperci.
  
• Del Cenere Gang restricts membership to canines under 50% wolf and with coyote or dog heritage.
  
• Salsola does not accept OOC joiners.
  
• Puppies (canines between two and seven months of age) joining the game must have been born on-board and adopted (i.e. they must have previously been yNPCs). The minimum playable age for newly arrived characters is seven months.

Joining Methods

You can fill out a character profile or provide three samples. You needn't do both.

Joining Form

Prospective members should grab the joining form. Once your form is correct, post it to the Joining forum.

Code:

[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Character Birthdate: (Including year)[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Species:[/b] (If your character is a canine, add subspecies.)
[b]Is your character a Luperci?:[/b] (Not applicable to non-canines.)
[b]Other 'Souls Characters:[/b] (List other active characters here. Not required for new members.)
[b]How you found 'Souls?:[/b] (Not required for returning or current members.)
[b]Are you joining a pack?:[/b] SL, CdC, DCG, NC, LN
[b]If joining a pack, are you joining IC or OOC?:[/b]
[b]Character profile or three writing examples:[/b] (Link to your character's profile OR embed [u]three[/u] roleplaying examples. REMEMBER: the Appearance, Biography, and Personality sections should be 200+ words. If you opt to provide roleplay samples, they should be 200+ words.)

1. Character Name:
   
2. Character Birthdate: (Including year)
   
3. Gender:
   
4. Species: (If your character is a canine, put their subspecies.)
   
5. Is your character a Luperci?: (Not applicable to non-canines.)
   
6. Other 'Souls Characters: (List other active characters here. Not required for new members.)
   
7. How you found 'Souls?: (Not required for returning or current members.)
   
8. Are you joining a pack?: SL, CdC, DCG, NC, Loner
   
9. If joining a pack, are you joining IC or OOC?:
   
10. Character profile or three writing examples: (Link to your character's profile OR embed three roleplaying examples. REMEMBER: the Appearance, Biography, and Personality sections should be 200+ words. If you opt to provide roleplay samples, they should be 200+ words.)

Joining a Pack

1. If you're joining as a Loner, start considering your pack -- check the Active Pack Summary for a list of current packs as well as a brief overview of their culture, territory claim, and so forth.
   
2. You must create or join an in character thread within five days of your acceptance. If you're not sure where to get started, pick up an Open Thread -- or start one! You can also make a Thread Request. If you're joining a pack, get to know some members of that pack -- look out for pinned meeting threads, all welcome hunts, and other group threads to meet a few members quickly.
   
3. You should fill out a character profile to the best of your ability, if you didn't do so as a part of the joining process and provided samples instead. You can edit your profile in the UCP or make a thread in the Post and Graphic Logs forum with a full, detailed profile of your character. Modifying Your Profile can help you figure out what you need to do.
   
4. Removal based on inactivity is done at the discretion of 'Souls Assemblage, which conducts regular sweeps. Accounts are not deleted, and you can always rejoin later.
   
5. You may create either a Post Log or a simple list of the threads you're a participant in to help keep track of your threads. Post either a link to your log in the Post and Graphic Logs forum or keep a simple list in your forum profile.

More Information

1. Writing Guidelines -- Check here for some guidelines about what we expect from prospective members.
   
2. Quick and Dirty Guide to 'Souls -- If you're confused as to what to do to join the game, check this out!
   
3. Joining Example -- This thread provides added information about writing a proper game joining application; for an example of pack joining, see the IC Joining Example.
   
4. Joining Etiquette Guide -- The guide to In Character behavior while joining the game.
   
5. Active Pack Summary -- If you're not sure which pack to join, this topic may help you! It presents all the packs we have side by side for easy comparison.
   
6. Joining Questions? -- Check the FAQ!