Legends of Belariath
Welcome
I'm sure if you are new here you are eager to jump in and get started but please take a few moments to read this. Read the Quick Start guide too, so you don't end up making a silly mistake and getting so embarrassed that you have no option but to go count penguins in the Arctic.
Yes, I know they are all in the Antarctic, thanks. That was just poetic license to indicate how desperate you may become to avoid even the remotest signs of human life if you blow your chances here by not taking a couple of minutes to read things up first!
Legends of Belariath can be enjoyed as a web site alone. There are lots of stories and pictures for you to browse. It's real purpose though is as the manual for a comprehensive online fantasy roleplaying game using the text medium of IRC. You will find details of how to join in by reading the Quick Start Guide.
READ THIS NOW!!
This is a game and a web site for ADULTS. The purpose of the roleplay is not to play out explicit scenes of random sex or violence but such things do happen. So we have to insist that you are at least 18 years old before continuing.
It may be tempting to want to join in before you reach the age of 18 but we cannot allow that. So if you do give in to that temptation note that we will find out and you will be banned from any future part in the roleplay permanently. It won't make any difference how old you are when we find out, or how long you have been here. Play here under the age of 18 and you will be permanently banned. No exceptions, no excuses.
Some aspects of individual roleplay may involve obtaining sex by force and/or taking slaves. You can happily join the roleplay without doing such things yourself but you will be expected to respect the rights of others to play such scenes between consenting adults. If these topics disturb you, this is not the right place to visit.
We welcome all adults to the online roleplay so long as they act like adults, respecting other players and respecting our world. If you do not do that we have a right to exclude you and we WILL use it.
IMPORTANT: This is fantasy set in a sort of medieval world. In real life sexual assault and bullying are very different to how they are played out here. They can and do destroy lives. No one in this roleplay would wish to see such events anywhere except in this roleplay.
If you are the victim of either, don't blame yourself and don't let them get away with it. Go to the police and report it, or find your nearest support center and talk to them. They are there to help you fight back! If you look in the mirror and see a bully, then there are groups that will help you control your actions before you do something you will have to live with the rest of your life.
Belariath is a fantasy world in which many races live side by side with varying degrees of tolerance for each other. Some races will be familiar to you, others will be new. However, each fantasy race has been belariath-ized. What that means is they have their own characteristics unique to this world. We don't directly copy from any other roleplay though similarities are inevitable. Such being the case, you cannot assume that your dark elf from some other online game can be dropped into Belariath and played in exactly the same way. All characters are expected to match the descriptions, mind set, morality and history of this world, not any other.
Ours is a dark world by modern-day human standards. Things happen which would not be tolerated in any current civilized society. Indeed, none of us admins or players would actually want to really live in a world such as Belariath. But remember, this is just fantasy. It's an escape from reality into a place which has it's own morality and social standards, but ones which differ considerably from the here and now. The strong take from the weak and that is the natural order of things. The weak learn to become strong, so they can do their own taking. We do build in safeguards so that newer players are not victimized, but in a structured roleplay like this, you can't expect to arrive on day one and kick much ass. How your character acts in the game will attract consequences and by joining in, you accept that basic premise.
Well, with those warnings stated and heeded, the point of the roleplay is to have fun; to immerse yourself in a world very different from our own where you can play out those fantasies of being a strong warrior, a deadly wizard, or a beautiful slave in a safe environment alongisde others who share your interests. Stick to the rules but ENJOY YOURSELF!!
