June 2020 Updates & Reminders
With the census results in and lots of exciting in-game happenings afoot, it was about time we did a bulk update! Please read the below carefully, as you don’t want to miss out on the information that follows. Note that this journal is to serve as law until the applicable journals are updated appropriately.
In-Game Announcements
Nombeko/Saraph Slavery Vote
After some
shenanigans that led to
more shenanigans, Sultan Otrera and Overseer Rasiel went into talks about making a deal to free all Nombeko from Saraph slavery! You can read about the deal from both the Saraph and the Nombeko perspective with the links below.
Remember that, by replying to the Mass RPs with your characters, you will automatically get the +2 Collaborative Roleplay Skill Point bonus as well as the +1 Mini-Event Skill Point bonus in addition to your normal Word Count/Artwork Skill Point earnings!
There are only four days left to vote and, as a game where the character voices truly do drive Anomalous’s world plots, we highly suggest that if you have a Saraph/Nombeko who meets the voting requirements to do so! Voting closes at 11:59 PM Pacific time on June 30, 2020. As of July 1st, 2020 no more votes will be accepted.
Nombeko Clan Happenings
Speaking of Nombeko, Overseer Rasiel has also recently enacted the disbanding of the Kitskeeper Clan! With no current PC Kitskeeper Nombeko (and other various issues), any and all Nombeko that were a part of the Kitskeeper Clan must now find homes either in a different Nombeko Clan or hit the road.
Going forward, anyone wishing to create Nombeko that was formerly affiliated with the Kitskeeper Clan must address the disbanding of the clan (Summer, Year 2004 of the Dragon Era) in the character’s history. Please also remember that not all Kitskeepers were aware of the black market slave trading that the former Clan Matriarch, Angelyn, was taking part in!
You can read the lovely roleplay in which Overseer Rasiel puts the kibosh on the Kitskeeper Clan below!
With the disbanding of the Kitskeeper Clan, a lot of territory in the Plains has opened up! This means that Nombeko Clan submissions will be reopening. On July 1st, 2020 (or shortly thereafter) we will be releasing a form (courtesy of
@tyeth) that can be used to submit your Clan ideas to the group for review. Keep your eyes peeled for this exciting update!
General Announcements
These are always the most painful announcements to read through, so let’s get them over with before we get the exciting census results!
Journal Coding Adjustments
It is an ongoing task to fix the journal formatting that has been bungled by Deviantart’s switch to Eclipse. We are actively pursuing off-site formatting that is also easier on the eyes for that wish to use that sort of resource but, in the meantime, we ask that you continue to be patient as we chip away at the tangled pile of coding spaghetti!
Don’t forget to vote for your OTM winners!
As always, we’ve had some really lovely roleplays coming into the group as of late. Don’t miss your chance to recognize our fantastic characters, members, and roleplays, as well as earn yourself some free Salamanders in the process!
Remember that previous winners from the past three months cannot be submitted as MOTM/COTM winners and that all roleplay submissions MUST have been submitted to the group in June 2020.
Breeding Updates
To prevent characters from being used exclusively as broodmares/studs, going forward both the sire and the dam in a breeding must have had at least one, non-breeding RP between breedings in addition to the ‘one RP before breeding’ rule. We don’t run into this issue too often, but please note the new activity requirement between breedings for any future breedings you may have planned!
Regarding Crossbred Breedings
Crossbreeding is fun, but we’ve noticed an imbalance in fertility percentages - especially when it comes to triple herd crosses. Henceforth, the following will apply to all future Anomalous crossbreedings.
- All crosses including 3 bloodlines or more will get rolled for fertility, regardless of whether or not they are being bred back to a Purebred or Fertile Cross of a similar bloodline.
- All 50 x 50 crosses will be rolled at a 50/50 chance when being bred to a purebred of similar bloodline (ie, Cross AxB bred to a Purebred A or B).
Note that, while the fertility percentages are changing, the cost of a crossbreeding itself will remain the same.
Saevarg Territory Locations
After much anticipation, the Saevarg territory locations have officially been added to the Anomalous Locations document! Be sure to check these out if you have a character currently residing within Saevarg territory.
(Also, for those actually reading these updates, keep an eye out in the near future for an exciting auction regarding the Seavargs!)
Leadership Position Updates
Please note that, while we have always had a standard of ensuring that all of our territory leaders/positions of import have had activity requirements, we haven’t been consistent in making sure these activity checks are met.
However, with an increase in world plots being delayed due to inactive leaders, we have made an important update to the leader positions.
- Across the board, ALL leadership positions are now challengeable.
- This includes previously unavailable positions, such as Austerian Queen or the Hihiri Holy One.
While these ‘permanent’ positions will likely require a different process/PC character input if a challenge is made, this new rule is being put in place to ensure that the group, as a whole, has a set of active leaders in play to keep world plots moving at a respectable pace.
Thank you in advance for your understanding!
Ancient Shrines, Dungeons, & Prompt Submissions
Thanks to
@jouroo, our gallery has had a bit of an overhaul!
For future submissions, please submit prompts to the ‘Prompts’ gallery folder, dungeons to the ‘Dungeons’ gallery golder, and ancient shrine offerings to the ‘Shrine Offerings’ folder unless otherwise specified for special events.
Additionally, there are now subfolders for each of Anomalous’s Monthly Prompts/Events for anyone who would like to relive some of our former group shenanigans!
On that note, when sorting through the gallery folders it appears that several pieces fell out of the group so some of you may have received an ‘add’ request from us to get them back into the proper gallery folder. Apologies in advance for any inconveniences!
Lastly, we’d like to once again thank
@tyeth for her coding prowess in providing a lot of behind-the-scenes efforts in getting our Prompt/Shrine rollers more automated. With the resources she’s been able to create for us, the process to getting Prompt/Shrine returns has been greatly streamlined. This, in turn, makes the game more enjoyable (and shorter wait times) for both members/staff. When you get a chance, go give her a hug to show appreciation for all her hard work!
Design/Reference Update Process
With lots of in-game items that allow changes to existing character designs, as well as our in-game born babies growing up, we have been getting quite a few design and reference updates coming into the group! As a reminder, please remember to note in any reference updates to the group using the following form so that we can confirm the update.
Reference Update Note Form:
- Current Character Reference: [Provide a link to the currently accepted reference.]
- New Character Reference: [Sta.sh link to the new reference.]
- Design Sheet: [A link to the character’s design sheet.]
- Reasons for Update: [List any new mutations, aging, fancy new art, etc!]
When adjusting a character design due to a new mutation/gene/etc, please use the following form in the artist’s comments of the new Design Sheet, as well as submit the new design for formal review using the link below AND to the ‘Updated Design’ gallery folder.
Design Update Artist’s Comments Form:
- Accepted Profile: Link to your character's already accepted profile!
- Previous Design: Link to your character's previous design sheet!
- Designed By: Design credits for both the new AND the Original design sheet
- Played By: Your Username
- Name: The character's name of whose design is being updated
- Gender: Biological sex of the character
- Season, Year of Birth: The Year in which your character was born.
- Season and Year of Design Change: In-game year and season the design change takes place.
- Reason for Update: Mutate? Divine Blessing? Fairy? link to the proof here as well.
- List of Design Changes: List out the gene additions or removals here!
- New Phenotype: Updated Phenotype of the new design.
- New Genotype: Updated Genotype of the new design.
- Eye Color: Genetic eye color, in case new genes have changed it.
Additionally, please include links to both the old and the new design sheets on your character's profile, formatted as below, so that backdated artwork may be drawn/colored correctly!
- Pre [Season, Year when the design change takes effect]: Link to Original Design
- Post [Season, Year when the design change takes effect]: Link to Updated Design
Divine Submission Form
Thanks to our coding master,
@tyeth, we also have a new Divine Submission form! This form will henceforth be used to expedite any Divine Blessing/Curse plots that may come into the group. We recommend using a separate document to plan your Divine Plot and then copy-pasting your answers into the form when you are ready to submit.
You may read more about Divine Plots and find the Divine Submission Link in the
Divinity Journal!
Anomalous 2020 Census Results
Alright! Now that we have gone through the general/in-game announcements, it’s about time we reveal the results of the 2020 Character Census!
Anomalous 2020 Census Viewable Results
Want to see the breakdown of the Anomalous Census 2020 for yourself? Well you are in luck! Click the link below to view the handy-dandy, sparkling artwork that shows the breakdown of Anomalous's current inhabitants.
Austerian Character Price Change
Due to their high population/royalty count, the cost for Austerian characters has just increased!
- Incoming Austerian Commoner characters will now be locked at one Basic Salamander Reward (or equivalent token).
- Incoming Austerian Duke/Duchess characters will now be locked at one Rare Salamander Reward (or equivalent token).
- Incoming Austerian Lord/Lady characters will now be locked at one Extra-Rare Salamander Reward (or equivalent token).
- Incoming Austerian Prince/Princess characters will now be locked at one Legendary Salamander Reward (or equivalent token).
- Esprit Magic will now cost one Legendary Salamander Reward (or equivalent token) for all Austerian/Austerian-blooded characters.
Please note that this also means that all Austerians, regardless of their actual herd rank, now require some level of Salamander Purchase. If you are creating an Austerian Guard or Gardener, you will need to deduce what herd rank the character hails from (Commoner, Duke/Duchess, Lord/Lady, Prince/Princess) in order to calculate the correct character unlock cost.
New Member Bonus
With the current locks and new locks that are coming into play, we are henceforth going to be offering New Members to the Anomalous group a ‘welcome to the family’ gift token! This New Member Rare Rank unlock will allow any of our new members to create a single character with a single reward up to Rare Level.
New members will need to note the group in order to claim this reward. Additionally, if they were referred New Members who state who exactly it was that got them to join will earn the referrer a 20 Point Skill Boost Token! Referring members must have at least one accepted Anomalous character reference in the group in order to be eligible for the Skill Boost bonus.
New Member Reward Claim Form:
- How did you hear about us?: [If you were referred, enter the referrer’s username here.]
- How would you like to use this reward?: [Please state what reward you’d like to claim using this Rare level reward; if undecided, that’s okay! Please remember this New Member Rare Rank Unlock is non-transferrable].
Wanted Positions
In the next week or two, keep an eye out for an updated list on the Wanted Positions journal to help fill some of our more neglected herds/herd roles. Remember that, when creating a new character that fulfills the Wanted Position rank requirement, you will get yourself a few fun, exclusive character creation boons!
However, due to the mass quantity of characters with the ‘Mage’ ability, no Wanted Position characters may be created with the ‘Mage’ Ability upon character creation. After the reference has been accepted, you are welcome to add the Mage ability with a Secondary Ability score with an appropriate Token, Quest Item or Salamander Reward.
Ability Bonuses
With the Mage ability being far and away the most popular ability to add onto a character, we wanted to emphasize the roleplay boons that the abilities themselves have to offer! While Skill Cap increases are, of course, beneficial, did you know that many of the abilities have traits that can benefit your character not only in roleplay, but also in dungeons and prompts?
While we work behind the scenes to figure out a system to highlight these ability boons (expect some ability-specific prompts in the near future!), here is a gentle reminder about the unique benefits that each ability trait has to offer!
Bloodhound Ability Highlights
Bloodhounds have the most sensitive sense of smell in all of Anomalous!
Those with this ability make fantastic trackers, capable of finding even the faintest trace of a living creature that has moved through an area. They may even be able to sniff out a particular object or plant if they have had contact with a similar item. Within a dungeon setting, this also means that Bloodhounds will have advantage on smell-related checks should they arise!
Bloodhounds are prized in the Linx herd (especially in the Delta - Tracker position).
Hawkeye Ability Highlights
Those blessed with this adaptation are said to have the best eyesight in Anomalous!
Those with this ability can see over far greater distances than those without the Hawkeye adaptation and see the world in far greater detail. Did you know that those with Hawkeye may also choose whether or not they would like their character to have a nictitating membrane? Within a dungeon setting, this also means that Hawkeyes will have advantage on perception checks should they arise!
Hawkeyes are particularly prized in the Nombeko Clans (especially in the Sentry position) and the Saraph Nation, where hawk-like vision from soaring heights can help them see the ground below in detail!
Fleetfoot Ability Highlights
Those with the Fleetfoot Ability are the most agile in Anomalous!
Fleetfoots can easily outspeed their less agile compatriots and it is a particularly useful gift for those who have to hunt or run for a living! Those who are fleet of foot also tend to have more durable hooves/paw pads that easily can keep up with the wear and tear that highspeed running can cause. Regardless of build, Fleetfoot characters may or may not be more lithe than their counterparts. Within a dungeon setting, this also means that Fleetfoots will have advantage on agility-based checks should they arise!
Fleetfoots within the Linx Pack are valued as Delta - Sprinters and across the board as messengers, scouts, hunters or even spies!
Those that have the Fleetfoot ability can also give advice to those who would like some tips on how to get from Point A to Point B faster! In roleplays that feature a Fleetfoot mentoring another character, the student will get a +2 Agility Skill Point Bonus while the mentor will get a +1 Agility Skill Point Bonus!
Fortitude Ability Highlights
If there were ever an endurance race across Anomalous, it would be more than likely that someone with the Fortitude ability would be the winner!
Those with this ability can travel the farthest distances without getting tired or fight the longest in battle before giving in. It is particularly useful for anyone who travels great distances on the daily or those who fight for a living. Did we mention that those with Fortitude also tend to be able to cast spells for longer durations that those without this ability? Within a dungeon setting, this also means that those with the Fortitude ability will have advantage on stamina/will-based checks should they arise!
Regardless of build, those with Fortitude often have larger chest cavities than others and may have large nostrils to allow space for more air to enter their larger-than-average lungs and to house their larger-than-average heart. Fortitude is a great all-around ability to add to a character in a position that requires a lot of stamina, such as a Saraph mercenary, an Austerian guard, or any position that puts the character in endurance situations, such as traveling merchants, fighters, or general laborers!
Those who know the great importance of pacing themselves to achieve their goals can offer advice to those who perhaps have less knowledge! In roleplays that feature a Fortitude character mentoring another character, the student will get a +2 Stamina Skill Point Bonus while the mentor will get a +1 Stamina Skill Point Bonus.
Mage Ability Highlights
The mage ability gifts the owner of this ability with a better understanding of magic!
Those with Mage seem to be able to sense when magic is being used around them, when an area is cursed with dark magic, pick up on magical lessons more quickly than others, and may even be able to detect the ‘aura’ of a particular type of magic within another character (they are particularly sensitive to detecting Devoro mages, as they can feel the pull of magic gravitating toward the individual). Within a dungeon setting, this also means that those with the Mage ability have advantage on magic-based checks should they arise!
With so many marvelous magic types in the world, it is little wonder why the Mage ability is the most popular choice when choosing an ability. Mages are highly prized within the Scybilline Order, where a Mage’s insight and innate abilities allow them to more quickly control the Psychic magics that the reptilian order is best known for.
Mages often make wonderful magic tutors, as they know how to better explain magic to their students. In roleplays that feature a Mage mentoring another character, the student will get a +2 Magic Skill Point Bonus while the mentor will get a +1 Magic Skill Point Bonus.
Medic Ability Highlights
Herbs and tinctures come easily to medics!
Medics naturally seem to understand the various uses of plants and learn what they do not know quickly. Medics are often master potion makers, capable of making strong healing concoctions and the best teas around. Those with this ability have an innate ability to detect whether or not a plant is poisonous. Within a dungeon setting, Medics have advantage on checks pertaining to flora or non-magical healing should they arise.
Medics are an integral part of Anomalous culture throughout all the territories. Without herbal healers, the death rate in a world as perilous as Anomalous would be much higher. Able to cure poisons and heal wounds that would otherwise fester, without medics Anomalous would be a much darker place.
Medics often make the best medical teachers, as they know how to better explain herbs and their properties to their students. In roleplays that feature a Medic mentoring another character, the student will get a +2 Herbs/Medicine Skill Point Bonus while the mentor will get a +1 Herbs/Medicine Skill Point Bonus.
Ranger Ability Highlights
In Anomalous, there is no one better acquainted with the flora and fauna of the land than a ranger!
Rangers typically have an unquenchable thirst to travel and are naturally talented at identifying a strange looking plant or animal with ease. Rangers are quite useful to have when it comes to scouting or hunting, as they have a knack for noting when terrain has been disturbed, and can usually tell the medicinal properties of a plant simply by its smell - even if they don't know it by name! Within a dungeon setting, this gives Rangers a great all-around advantage on plant/creature-based checks should they arise, as well as a general sense of the best direction to head in and which paths to avoid.
Rangers can be found through the Anomalous world, often living as Rogues or Renegades as their wanderlust urges them to visit places they’ve yet to see. Rangers excel in positions such as travel guides/guardians, healers, merchants, or other fields that require a level of stealth and general know-how!
Spellbound Ability Highlights
Those with the Spellbound ability are drawn to magical objects!
When in the presence of items bestowed with magical properties, they might experience any number of strange symptoms such as itchy skin, an unintentional twitch, or an unexpected change in voice pitch! Spellbound Anomalites appreciate the value of old spell scrolls and tomes; very often, they feel more at home surrounded by spell scrolls and magical knicknacks than by other Anomalites. For this reason, Spellbound individuals may sometimes be viewed as a bit odd or reclusive by others!
Within a dungeon setting, Spellbound characters may feel a physical pull in directions that lead toward magical items, as well as benefit from an increased percentage in finding items that have magical properties.
Spellbound characters can often find themselves in positions that require handling objects on a daily basis, such as merchants, or identifying the properties of a magical object. Even if they have never seen a given item before, by giving it a quick study they can get a feel for what consequences - good or bad - that possessing such an item might hold!
Stonewall Ability Highlights
The tanks of Anomalous, Stonewalls are the strongest of the strong!
Not many can best a Stonewall in battle… except maybe another Stonewall! Regardless of physical build, a character with this ability may feature more defined muscles beneath their coat, as without effort that are naturally more muscular than their counterparts. Within a dungeon setting, those with the Stonewall ability gain advantage on strength-based checks should they arise.
A veritable brick wall, those with this ability make excellent guards or warriors and excel in fields that require brute strength, such as Austerian guards, Scybilline Templars, Nombeko Brutes or Saraph mercenaries.
Gifted in the art of tank-hood, Stonewall characters may impart their knowledge on physical training to others if they so choose. In roleplays that feature a Stonewall mentoring another character, the student will get a +2 Strength Skill Point Bonus while the mentor will get a +1 Strength Skill Point Bonus.
Surefoot Ability Highlights
When it comes to being steady on their feet, a Surefooted character can't be bested!
While they may not always be graceful in their efforts, it is rare that a Surefoot trips over their own feet or loses their stance in a spar. They seem to always be aware of where their next step might land! For this reason, Surefoots excel in physical sports and sparring; most typically, you can find them on some sort of guard duty in another high-octane career!
Within a dungeon setting, Surefoot characters benefit from advantage on strength-based checks should they arise and may automatically avoid falling into unseen perils!
Surefoots excel in acting as guides through perilous terrain, of which there are many in Anomalous. Especially among the Linx - where the mountain paths may not always be clear - having a Surefoot guide around may be essential to one’s survival!
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