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FAQ
Shadows | Anima | The City of Requiem | Spicy Content | Ask A Question
Overview
What is the premise of the game?
Neon Requiem is a synthwave neo-noir panfandom roleplay with elements of paranormal horror, mystery, and tongue-in-cheek humor. Characters find themselves in Limbo, the realm between life and death, uncertain whether or not they have died. It’s promised that Niesha, Lady of the Dead, will sort out the mess and send you all on your way… eventually. In the meantime, characters are free to create a life in the mysterious city of Requiem, to pursue their interests, and to seek out bonds with others to generate “anima,” the life force that keeps Souls intact until they can pass on.
Just watch out for the monsters. And the crime. And the ghostly phenomena. And pay no attention to the rumors about scandal, corruption, or dysfunction in the mayor’s office. Sit back, relax, and you’ll be on your way back to life/afterlife in no time!*
* Current average wait time: several decades.
What are some themes of the game?
The game’s major themes include life and death, noir tropes (mysteries, crime, corruption, vice, gray morality) and horror tropes (ghosts, monsters, paranormal activity, psychological horror.) There are also elements of cyberpunk, spy thrillers, corny TV crime procedurals, power metal, and dark comedy.
A major focus of the game is existentialism: characters finding goals to strive for and reasons to survive in an absurd situation. Building relationships and connections is necessary to continue existing in Limbo. Characters are encouraged to seek out purpose within the city, whether a job, a problem to tackle, a mystery to solve, or some good old-fashioned interpersonal drama. These choices will largely be player-driven, and we encourage you to pursue whatever would be interesting for your characters.
Requiem is also a collaborative “malleable” setting by design. We welcome player ideas to flesh out the setting, including locations, monsters, NPCs, and events.
I am neither hip nor with it. What’s synthwave?
A music genre and aesthetic style that draws inspiration from action, sci-fi, horror, and video games from the 1980s. Think bright colors, neon lights, palm trees, 80s retrofuturism, and a heavy dose of cornball synthesizer. Dark synthwave leans heavily into the gothic/horror side of things, with an emphasis on 80s horror cinema, slasher movies, and the works of John Carpenter. “Outrun,” “futurewave,” and “retrowave” are other good search terms when you go to look this up on Pinterest in a bit.
Wow, neat vibes! Any other inspirations I can check out?
Films and TV shows including Blade Runner, Miami Vice, Dark City, Bubblegum Crisis, Stranger Things, and regrettably, Baywatch Nights.
Video game inspirations include The World Ends With You, Cyberpunk 2077, Hotline Miami, Ghostwire Tokyo, Ghost Trick, and a touch of Persona.
For music, check out Carpenter Brut, The Midnight, Gunship, Nightstop, A Space Love Adventure, Night Flight Orchestra, Beast in Black, and the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.” Need some background music? Please enjoy our official vibes playlist on Spotify!
We have also lovingly taken inspiration and elements from other Livejournal/Dreamwidth games including but not limited to Siren’s Pull, Mask or Menace, Carvaka, The Ton, Eudio, and Project Daisychain.
What pace can I expect?
We are aiming for a casual, slow-to-medium paced game with a mix of slice-of-life/freeform play and plot to keep things lively. (1:1 game day to IRL day)
There will be one mod post per month containing setting updates and event prompts. The bimonthly test drive meme counts as game canon. Players are encouraged to pitch ideas for plots and potentially run them for the rest of the game, and we plan to sprinkle in a variety of “mini” plot hooks that can be pursued.
Pages will be updated once weekly. The mods will be checking and replying on the plotting pages at least twice weekly.
Is there an overarching plot?
The overarching plot relates to the mystery of what’s taking so long to get the Souls sent on their way. There will also be citywide events that may threaten the… well,”peace” isn’t really the right word to describe Requiem… and “lives” doesn’t apply so much either…
Anyway, yes, there will be a loose ongoing storyline for characters to participate in. We have about three “arcs” in mind as of now, enough to last a year or two. More may follow after.
What kind of plots can we play in this game?
Pretty much anything your little heart desires. Requiem is a city full of maybe-dead people with nothing better to do than indulge their worst impulses. Vice, sin, and indulgences run rampant, and there’s a barely functioning city government trying to hold it all together. Does your character want to start a career? Commit bank heists? Open a flower shop? A strip club? Become a lawyer, a cop, or a private eye? Investigate paranormal activity? Hunt monsters? Do some other stuff with monsters? If you can dream it, we want to help you swing it (within reason.)
This is a sex-friendly game, and smut is both allowed and facilitated. Other adult content/dark subjects come with the noir territory and should be expected. So long as everything is marked with the proper content warnings, we welcome you to play just about any kind of plot you may like.
(Please refer to the rules regarding what content is not allowed.)
Please explain, in detail, what the hell “sex-friendly” means in this instance.
Smut/sexually explicit logs are welcome in Neon Requiem. There are locations and mechanics within the city to enable a variety of kinks (sex shops, brothels, exotic clubs, etc.) Mod plots will also provide the occasional sexy event prompt (sex pollen, consentacles, Monsterfucker Appreciation Week, etc– expect approximately 1/4 or 1/5 of event prompts to be explicitly sexual in nature.)
Though there will be locations and events to facilitate it, playing smut is never a requirement. If you are uninterested in smut, you can simply ignore these prompts and find plenty of other things to do instead.
Please note that if you are completely uncomfortable with smut and cannot coexist with it happening around you, this game will not be a good fit for you.
Is there an age requirement to play here?
Players must be over 18 to join the game.
If you are under 18, we cannot allow you into this game, but we do genuinely want to know what you’re doing on Dreamwidth.
How does AC work?
There are no comment counts for activity check. Instead, AC is “check-in,” in the form of a report written by either your character or their caseworker at the Bureau of Soul Affairs (in case your character would refuse to write such a thing.) This report is a summary of your character’s activities of the month, to be added to their file for consideration in soul judgment.
This can be as long or short as you like, and your character can attempt to lie. However, if they do, the truth of their activities will appear as a magical addendum at the bottom of the page (because we really do want to know what they’re up to!)
AC will be posted “permanent” style, on a threaded comment for your character. It’s due by midnight EST on the last day of each month. Failure to post AC will result in your character being swept from the game.
What are the communities for?
neonrequiem - the main log community, for logs and events
Applications
How does the invite system work?
In order to apply for your first character, you must be invited by either a mod or a current player. Submit a request for an invite on this page, and we will approve it. There is a space to include this link on your application. Current players may apply for additional characters without needing another invite.
Please note that an invite is not a guaranteed acceptance to the game. We reserve the right to deny your invite or your application for any reason, including but not limited to poor quality, character suitability, or behavior concerns.
How does the app cycle work?
Applications will be open the first 5 days of each month, closing at midnight EST on the 6th. Applications will be processed by the 7th.
Players may apply for up to two characters per app cycle.
Is there a reserve system in this game?
No. If multiple players submit an application for the same character, we will judge on the basis of application. If your application for a challenged character is not chosen, we will give you the opportunity to submit a replacement application in that same cycle, so long as it is submitted before the 7th of the month.
Are there any caps on casts?
There is a preliminary cap of 7 characters per cast, to avoid the game being overrun by any one canon as it gets off the ground. As the playerbase develops, this limit may be altered or lifted.
How many characters can I play?
Players may initially play up to 3 characters. If you remain active with those 3 for at least two months, you may apply for a 4th character. Players wishing to play more than 4 characters will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
What sorts of characters are appable?
✧ Canon characters from any fictional medium
✧ Original characters
✧ Tabletop RPG characters from an established game system (D&D, Pathfinder, etc)
✧ Canon AUs (characters from “alternate version” canons– Marvel Universes, Kingdom Hearts, etc)
✧ Malleable RPG Protagonists (Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Fallout, V:TM, Elder Scrolls, other MMOs, etc. ONE OF EACH for their respective games– one Warden, one Hawke, etc)
✧ Fandom OCs (original characters from the "world" of a canon) are allowed, with extra scrutiny, on a case-by-case basis. The character cannot have any connections to canon characters, should not be overpowered compared to canon characters, and cannot have abilities or background details which are canon-atypical or otherwise violate canon lore.
What sorts of characters are not allowed?
✧ Real people/celebrities (fictional characters based on real people are allowed on a case-by-case basis)
✧ Non-Canon or Fanmade AUs
✧ “Warrior of Light” from FFXIV
✧ Characters whose concept or powerset make them inappropriate for a collaborative game setting (ex: Kilgrave)
What’s the age restriction for characters?
As a baseline, characters should be at least 16 years old, physically and mentally. Characters who are ageless, appear younger, or are chronologically younger but physically/mentally an adult for their species are fine.
Characters who are or appear under 18 must abide by our content guidelines re: underaged sexual content. Please do not try to rules-lawyer this for your specific canon circumstance; if your character is or looks underaged for a human, this applies.
Can I play a CRAU character?
You may apply for a character with CRAU memories of ONE other game (in addition to this one, in case of a reapp.) Please specify any changes to your character in the provided space on the application. If your character has developed non-canon abilities in their previous game, please explain those. We may ask you to tone these abilities down if they are too powerful.
We reserve the right to reject CRAU characters who are drastically, unrecognizably different from canon.
Can I app two or more characters from the same canon?
Only if the two characters are not closely involved in canon. You may not play more than two characters from the same canon/”related” canons (ex: you cannot play Cloud, Kingdom Hearts Cloud, and Sora at the same time.)
Can I play a duplicate of another character already in the game?
Only if you are applying for a canon AU version of that character (ex: Cloud from Kingdom Hearts,) and only with permission from the current player. We will defer to the player who was here first in cases like this.
Is there a waiting period to app a character from a new canon?
Please wait at least one month after the initial release of a canon to app a brand new character. This gives everyone the chance to enjoy your canon without being immediately spoiled.
How much canon is necessary for a character to be appable?
Appable characters should have enough canon that their personality and motivations are understood. They don’t necessarily need a lot of screen time and can be fleshed out in other ways (notes, journals, etc) so long as there is enough to get a solid grasp on their characterization.
In other words, you should be able to fill out our application without relying on “headcanon” to fill in the blanks (<25% is okay so long as you clearly explain what is headcanon, and especially if you provide canon evidence to support it.)
Do characters get to keep their powers?
Usually, yes. Characters may keep their powers with the following exceptions:
✧ If your character’s powers are omnipotent, godlike, or otherwise so strong they’d be considered game breaking, we will ask you to tone those down.
✧ If your character is immortal, heals instantaneously, or is otherwise unkillable, they can still be particularly resilient but it is now possible for them to “die” the same way as other Souls.
✧ If your character is able to teleport/jump between dimensions, they will only be able to teleport to other locations within Requiem– they cannot escape Limbo.
✧ If your character has powers related to death, ghosts, or spirits of the dead, they may qualify for a special choice of power alteration. (see below)
What happens to characters with death/spirit/ghost-related powers?
By the nature of Limbo, it is not possible to know whether Souls are alive or dead. All characters in the setting are technically “dead”– and thus, a character whose powers involve manipulating or controlling the dead could wreak absolute havoc. Thus, if your character has the power to:
✧ Channel/embody/communicate with spirits
✧ Control, manipulate, or summon spirits
✧ Perform any form of necromancy
✧ Discern the living from the dead in any way
These abilities will be lost upon arrival, and altered in one of the following ways:
✧ Empathy: Your character has gained the ability to sense the strong feelings of others around you. They have a calming presence and with concentration and effort they can learn to actually quell tension, sorrow, or anger.
✧ Healing: Your character has gained the ability to heal others. They can patch up minor wounds and provide an extra burst of anima to others when they do so. With concentration and effort, they can learn to heal more severe wounds.
✧ Draining: Your character is stronger and healthier than usual, but in exchange they absorb anima from others around them. This can be dangerous, but with concentration and effort they can learn to control this effect.
✧ Secret Fourth Option: Your character no longer has their ghost powers at all– with the understanding that they can eventually use AC rewards to gain new powers of your choice.
You may choose any of these four options in lieu of your character’s lost powers.
Other ghost/death-themed powers will not automatically need to be altered, but please be very thorough in explaining them on your app. The mods may request clarification or revisions if we feel a character needs to have such powers altered.
If your character has other abilities that do not fall under this category, they may keep those. For example, Dorian Pavus from Dragon Age can keep the rest of his spells- only his necromancy would need to be altered. Maya Fey from Ace Attorney could still use her magatama to detect lies– only her spirit channeling would need to be altered.
If you have any questions or alternative ideas to alter your character’s ghostly powers, please let us know! We are happy to help you workshop this.
Can characters gain new powers?
Characters will eventually be able to gain powers as an AC reward, even if they do not have any in canon. The mods will approve these powers before you put them into practice.
What items can my character bring with them?
Your character arrives with the clothes on their back and any items that were on their person at the time they were whisked into Limbo. This includes weapons, armor, jewelry, and any personal items they were carrying. Characters may not arrive with more than they can reasonably hold. A sword, shield, and a satchel of coins is okay. A Ferrari and a speedboat, not so much. Sorry fantasy nerds, your Bag of Holding is gonna be a bit nerfed.
If your character is in possession of a powerful or magical item/weapon, please include a description in your Abilities section. We may ask that its power be restricted slightly, or that the item be removed if it’s too gamebreakingly strong. If your character has an entire arsenal of ungodly powerful items, we may ask that you choose one or two to keep and have the others “lost” (for now...)
Can my character regain powerful items or relics from home?
There is an option to regain items like this as an AC reward, if they do not initially arrive with the character.
Can my character bring pets/familiars/Pokemon/animal companions with them?
Yes, if the pet is not an “appable” character in their own right. For example, a Pokemon character could bring in a Pikachu, but Detective Pikachu is himself a playable character. Characters with multiple pets can bring up to three. If it’s somehow absolutely crucial that your character has more than three, please check with the mods and we’ll assess on a case-by-case basis.
(This answer is assuming that the pets in question are small animals or summonable/won’t take up a huge amount of space. If you’re hoping for a full sized dragon or a horse, let’s chat.)
In all cases, please describe what powers these little fellas have in your Abilities section. We may ask you to tone them down if they are extremely powerful. We will provide how/where your character can find their pet in your acceptance. It’s also possible to use an AC reward to regain a character’s pet, if you’d rather they come along later on.
Unlike Souls, pets/familiars/summons will not have Shadows.
Can I use a PB?
Sure, if you want to. If you are choosing a PB for a character that’s the same actor/face as another character in game, it is courteous to ask if they’re okay with that and whether they want to acknowledge the similarity. Please be cool and don’t make us get involved with icon drama. Please.
Arrival and Orientation
How does my character arrive in Requiem?
Characters awaken on either a train or a plane that they don’t remember boarding (your choice, for aesthetic preferences.) The sky outside is dark and seemingly endless, until the bright glow of neon lights appears on the horizon.
An announcement comes overhead: “Good evening, folks. This is our last stop before your final destination. Welcome to Requiem. Estimated arrival in ten minutes. Last stop, city of Requiem.”
There may be other passengers on board, though they seem as confused as you are. Worryingly, there don’t appear to be any crew– or at least, you can’t see any. But there’s no safe way off the vehicle, so there’s little else to do but sit back, relax, and wait to arrive.
Once the train pulls in or the plane lands, characters will be ushered through the terminal and into a conference room called the “Welcome Center.” There, a representative from Requiem City Hall will provide a short orientation to get you up to speed.
What’s going on?
Your soul has been drawn into the city of Requiem, located in the heart of Limbo– the realm between life and death. Bad news: this means that you may be dead.
Good news: you also may not be dead! It seems that living souls occasionally get lost in the shuffle and brought here by mistake.
Bad news: nobody can tell the difference either way.
Is my character alive or dead?
It’s unclear. There is no reliable way to tell the difference between living and dead souls in Limbo. Your character’s memories can’t help either– even if your character remembers dying in canon, what if they really didn’t? Or if they can’t remember dying, what if they suddenly did somehow? There’s just no way to be sure without an in-depth investigation.
But not to worry! The representative assures all newcomers that their circumstances will be sorted out by the Bureau of Soul Affairs. If you truly are dead, your soul will be measured and you’ll be sent on your way to the afterlife of your preference. If you’re alive, your soul will be returned back into your physical body as you left it, no harm done.
Regretfully, it may be some time before the BSA can process your case. We can’t provide an estimate, but some of the Souls here have only been waiting a couple of… years ANYWAY in the meantime, all Souls will be provided complimentary lodging and a stipend to help get them established.
After orientation, newcomers will be loaded onto buses and brought to Requiem City Hall to meet with their caseworkers.
Who is my character’s caseworker? What do they do?
A wraith who works for the city’s Bureau of Soul Affairs, the caseworker’s job is to investigate your character’s circumstances– their life or death, how they were brought to Requiem, and where to send them next, whether back home or some sort of afterlife. The caseworker is your character’s liaison to City Hall, and will represent them to Mayor-Queen Niesha, who has the power to judge their souls and release them from Limbo. In theory, your caseworker is supposed to be helping you get out of here as efficiently as possible.
In practice, caseworkers are a cruel parody of every stereotype about government process– some are aloof, some are lazy, some transparently couldn't care less about helping you. Some are well-meaning but incompetent, and some put on the condescending customer service voice while failing to do anything useful.
Your caseworker is essentially a personalized NPC for your character. You are free to make up the appearance and personality of your caseworker and to handwave their mediocre assistance. If you really feel ambitious, you can even write your AC reports from their perspective. Be as creative or silly as you like. The only constant with caseworkers is that they are extremely unhelpful.
At the very least, the caseworker will explain and provide a pamphlet with the basic mechanics of the setting, including Shadows and anima. They work with your character to get their paperwork started and discuss their eternal reward. After that, they are nearly impossible to reach via phone or network message, and your character will have little contact with them apart from the monthly report (AC.)
What is an “eternal reward?”
Niesha, Lady of the Dead, is the deity who weighs the worthiness of Souls on their way into the afterlife. It’s within her power to grant every worthy Soul an eternal reward.
Your character’s eternal reward should be something personal to them, a wish that will motivate them to persevere through Limbo. This can be as simple or as outlandish as you like. A stolen family artifact? A chance to change one day where everything went wrong? Resurrection or reunion with a lost loved one? Forbidden power? A bajillion dollars? Anything is fair game, so long as it’s something that will motivate your character to live a worthy life while in Limbo. OOCly, this is submitted on the application for your character and ICly, it’s submitted by their caseworker.
Your character is informed that if they are found worthy, they will receive their reward once their soul is transferred out– whether living or dead (as a token of apology from Her Honorable Majesty.)
You’re being very specific in saying “worthy life.” What does that mean?
All caseworkers are extremely specific with their usage of the phrase, and will never use any other adjective than “worthy.” Not a good life, not a bad life, not a righteous, sinful, useful, pure, or honorable life… but a “worthy” life. Perhaps it is up to each of us to decide what it means to live a worthy life…
No, they will not explain further if asked.
Will my character ever actually receive this reward, or is this just a carrot to placate them into playing nice?
It’s a carrot, mostly. Your character cannot receive their reward until they’re out of Limbo (dropping the game.) So on one hand, there’s no way to find out if departing characters have actually received their requests. On the other, Niesha does have the power to grant these wishes, if she so chooses…
Can I change my character’s eternal reward when they’re already in game, for character arc reasons or otherwise?
Yes. You may have your character “submit a revision” to their caseworker at any point. This is entirely your business, the mods don’t actually need to be informed.
If I drop and then re-app my character, can I say that they did (or didn’t) get their eternal reward last time when they left?
Oh wow, weirdest thing… they can’t seem to remember whether they received it or not. You’d think they’d recall something that important, wouldn’t you?
How long will it take for my character’s status to be sorted out?
Due to municipal red tape, getting your paperwork sorted out takes ages. It’s rumored that some Souls have been waiting for decades, or even centuries. But if you settle down and be patient, you’ll be called to the BSA office and transferred out as soon as possible.
(The caseworker will never finish the paperwork during your tenure in the game. “Transferring out” is the method by which characters drop.)
Now what?
As mentioned, your characters will be bused one more time to their new accommodations. They will be assigned a complimentary room in communal housing, and provided a sum of 500 dosh to help them get established. Then, with a promise they’ll be contacted when their paperwork goes through, they are left to their own devices in the city of Requiem.
What are the free communal houses like?
There are two levels of free accommodation for newcomers, boarding houses and apartments. These housing options are provided by the city for free, so you won’t need to worry about paying the rent. Most are located in the West district of town, but you can claim communal housing in any city district you choose.
(Provided images are just examples, rooms/floorplans/layouts can look however you want.)
Boarding houses provide your character a small private dorm-sized bedroom that comfortably fits one person (two if you’re REALLY close.) There are three floors with four bedrooms each, for a total of 12 characters per house. Each floor has a shared bathroom, and there is also a communal kitchen, dining room, and family room. The boarding house option comes with an NPC proprietor who manages the building and provides group meals for breakfast and dinner.
Apartments come in two and three-bedroom floor plans, and can comfortably fit up to four characters (if beds are shared.) They include one or two bathrooms, a family room, and a kitchenette. A bit more privacy, but no provided meals.
Housing assignments are handwaved. Your character may room with whoever they like and move elsewhere in communal housing whenever they want. If you would prefer your character to reject communal housing and try their luck living in a van down by the river, that is perfectly fine. Your character will never be without somewhere to go unless you so choose.
Where in the city is my communal housing building located?
You pick. Seriously, your call, we're easy. Go for your preferred vibes.
Can my character later move into private housing/a luxurious mansion of my own design that can hold all of my CR?
If your character would like to move to private/custom housing, they will need to pay for it on their own (and cash in an AC reward.) If they choose to open up their home to friends once they own it, go right ahead.
In-universe, are new people coming into Limbo every day or do they only arrive in waves that match the app cycles?
New people do arrive in Limbo between app cycles and there are usually daily arrivals at the Transit Center (though the trains and planes are rarely full.) The population does remain more or less steady, which means *some* Souls are departing (or turning into monsters) at a fairly even rate.
Game Mechanics
What if my character speaks a language other than English?
All are equal in Limbo, which is a fancy way of saying that all Souls can understand each other effortlessly/by default. If your character wishes to speak in a different language, they can do so if they concentrate on it. You’ve got plenty of time, after all. Why not pick up a new language as a hobby?
What happens to my character if they are dropped?
Your character is finally, FINALLY called to City Hall. Their paperwork has gone through, and it’s time for them to pass out of Limbo and onto the afterlife, or back where they came from. Maybe they even got their eternal reward on the way out…
You can also choose to have your character disappear to an unknown fate. Vanished into the Underground? Eaten by a monster? Still out there somewhere, walking the mean streets of the city that never sleeps? Who knows…
What happens to my character if I go on hiatus?
You may choose to assume your character goes about their normal business on autopilot, or if you’d rather they disappear for a while you may use the canon update mechanic below.
What happens to my character if I want to canon update them?
Your character suddenly vanishes for a period of time. Ten minutes? Four hours? A week? The longer they’re gone, the more their friends and family assume the worst. Suddenly, your character reappears, stepping off a bus from the Transit Center in new, canon-updated form. They can recall all their memories of Requiem before their disappearance, along with any new memories from the canon update.
Hope your CR didn’t sell all your stuff while you were gone.
What is the “rule of expectations?”
You will often hear it said that everything in Limbo runs on “expectations.” Reality in this strange place is created by the collective memories of the Souls who dwell here. Basically, things exist and operate and work in Limbo because people expect them to. Water is wet. Gravity is functioning. Stars come out at night. Most people cannot fly or do magic. Some people come from places where they can, so they can.
For another example, if your character goes to a supermarket, they will expect to find milk, bread, and eggs. Those items were delivered by a truck, because the supermarket workers expect them to be. The truck got them from a warehouse, where grocery goods are expected to be. So on, so forth.
In a meta sense, this “rule” is used to explain nitty-gritty details and the presence of basic amenities so you can have fun without getting too deep in the weeds. If you find yourself fretting to explain how the power grid and utilities work for the logistics of getting your character a sexy hot tub, go ahead and say “the rule of expectations.” (Repeat to yourself, “it’s just a game, I should really just relax.”)
Can my character try really hard to “expect” something and change reality?
The expectations of one person aren’t enough to alter reality in Limbo. If your character pretends really hard that they can fly, that won’t be enough to actually grant them the ability. If they pretend they’re not starving to death, that won’t remove the need for their body to eat.
On a larger scale, that’s another story. Strange phenomena happen often here in Limbo. And sometimes rumors get around that can alter the way things work temporarily, ever so slightly…
How does money work? How does my character earn and spend money?
The currency in Requiem is the dosh, also called “moolah,” “clams,” or “simoleons.” It comes in the form of paper and coins, and is formed from the collective expectations of the city’s residents– after all, how’s a city to function without currency?
Souls get communal lodging free of charge, but to afford food, clothes, kinky lingerie or anything else, they’ll need dosh. Jobs are plentiful throughout the city, and you are free to give your character any low or mid-level job you feel they’d be qualified for. You may assume they receive whatever reasonable salary you’d like them to have– or not have, if you’d prefer them to struggle. They may also commit crimes and try to steal from one another (with player consent) or low-level NPC characters.
The economy here is largely handwaved, and you are at liberty to have your character earn and spend dosh within reason. We’d like to weigh in if you want your character to become extremely rich, to gain a prestigious or influential job, or to afford some massively expensive purchase like, say, a mansion or chain of car dealerships. Otherwise, do whatever’s fun. The mods are not keeping track of your math and don’t suggest you do either. Unless that’s fun for you, then go off we guess.
Is there a network?
NeoNet is the bleeding edge online network within the city of Requiem. It functions like every other network in every other DWRP game, except it runs on janky dial-up and the interface looks like it was made in MS Paint.
What do the network devices look like and what functions do they have?
As part of your welcome package from City Hall, all Souls are issued a Neo64 network device. They come in a variety of colors and styles, all of which are 80s retrofuture monstrosities roughly the size of a hardcover dictionary (at the smallest.) All devices come with text, voice, and video functions, a MIDI-quality sound chip, a luxurious backlit 64 color digital display, and a matching backpack carrying case for your convenience.
All communal housing comes with a state-of-the-art half-a-room-sized personal computer in the family room. Characters can also access the network through this. It’s got 128 colors!
Characters post on the network under a custom username, which can be changed or disguised at the character's discretion. ICly anonymous posts are permitted.
So we’re all Souls now. How does this affect my character’s body?
Everything in Limbo runs on “expectations.” This includes how your character expects their body to look and how they’re used to it operating.
Maintaining the body of a Soul is just like maintaining a living body. They can still feel heat, cold, pain, pleasure, and all other physical sensations. They can still be injured and bleed. They still need to eat, drink, and sleep– unless by nature they don’t need to do any of those things. If they normally subsist on a diet of human blood and string cheese, they will find that to be true now as well. If they were missing an eye or a limb, they are still missing it now.
Basically, whatever they expect their body to be like, it is.
Is anything different about my character’s body now?
Your character no longer ages or gets sick from ordinary common illnesses. They cannot get pregnant or get anyone else pregnant.
Because your body is now just an expectation of your body, it’s a bit more malleable and susceptible to odd paranormal occurrences. Hm, that sounds ominous…
My character has a medical condition/terminal illness. Do they still have it?
Up to you. Your character can be free of their illness in Limbo, or if you prefer they can keep it in some form (either the exact same symptoms, or having some effect on their anima.)
My character is nonhuman/a robot/an animal/a furry. Do I have to humanize them?
Up to you. If you would prefer to give your nonhuman character a human form, the explanation would be that they expect to have been turned human here– and so they were. (In this case, their Shadow may appear in the shape of their true form.)
Hang on a sec… My character was never alive/is a machine/doesn’t have a soul. How have they died, and how are they in Limbo?
Congratulations! They now, for all intents and purposes, were alive and do have a soul! Hope this doesn’t raise any crushing existential questions to keep them up at night!
My character is a vampire/werewolf/some other supernatural creature capable of turning/thralling others via bites/blood-drinking/whatever. Can they still do that?
Up to you. If you and a friend would like your vampire to sire their character, by the rule of “expectations,” the fledgling’s body can change after being bitten. If you’d prefer this ability be removed by the “no sickness” factor then go for it. Your character cannot spread their supernatural conditions onto unwilling characters, is the only thing here.
Can a Soul starve to death? Get severely injured? Be killed (again?)
Within Limbo, your body serves as a “vessel” for your spirit (as in your lowercase s “soul.”) You need both in order to survive here. You must eat, drink, sleep, and take care of your body as normal (along with generating anima– more on that later.) If your body is weakened due to injury or loss of anima, you run the risk of losing your soul and becoming a ghost– a state of “death" that if not remedied quickly could have fatal consequences.
Conveniently, it’s very easy to keep an eye on your soul. As long as you’re in Limbo, it’s plainly visible to all as your Shadow (see below.)
Shadows
What is a Shadow?
While in Limbo, your character’s soul is visible in their Shadow– as in, the literal shadow they throw when standing in light. Though it’s a dark silhouette, as expected, here the shape changes form to show the innermost image of self– who your character believes they truly are on the inside.
For example, if your character believes themselves to be a brave, courageous hero, the Shadow they cast on the wall may appear as a strong warrior wielding a sword. If they think they’re a sniveling coward, their Shadow may be some spindly, scrawny creature that’s constantly shaking and cowering. An animal character who’s become human may appear as their true form. A character who thinks they’re an irredeemable villain may appear as a monster.
There are no limitations to what a Shadow can look like, or how it represents what the person truly believes about themselves. Shadows can move independently from the person they represent, but always remain “attached” (will not break off and flee down the hallway like Peter Pan’s shadow.)
Shadows are deeply personal and deeply revealing, and cannot be willingly altered by the characters. They are also visible on every Soul character in the setting, PCs and NPCs alike.
Reactions to one’s Shadow vary from person to person. Some don’t care about having their very soul perceived by others. Others go to great lengths to conceal their Shadows, avoiding light shining on them or bringing extra flashlights to cover up. It’s considered prying and rude to comment on the appearance of someone else’s Shadow, but this is a situation where everyone is in the same boat– remarking on somebody else’s means it’s fair game to bring up yours.
What form is my character’s Shadow in? Can I change it?
This is 100% up to you at all times. Your character’s Shadow can look however you like and reveal whatever you want, and you are free to change it however and whenever you please.
There may be some events where we suggest widespread changes or side-effects to your Shadows. It is up to you if you want this to happen.
Is my character’s Shadow always visible? Do I have to keep track of it in all of my threads?
Not at all. Consider the way shadows work in real life: depending on the lighting in the room, the time of day, and the other objects around, your shadow isn’t always visible. Unless characters are standing in specific lighting, it’s very likely their Shadows will be distorted or impossible to see.
Additionally, this is a setting where EVERYBODY’S Shadow reveals personal information that they may not want to be known. Many of the fashion and architectural trends in Requiem have evolved with this in mind. Public areas tend to be either drowned in bright, multi-directional lights or barely lit at all. Furniture and household items are widely available with unnecessary lights built in. Clothing items that implement LED strips or otherwise glow in the dark are both fashionable and popular. In a pinch, some Souls will carry lanterns or flashlights around to “cover up.” If anything, it’s harder to spot a legible Shadow in Requiem than it would be on Earth.
In general, this mechanic is meant to be a fun little personalized detail for you to use as you please– characters can comment on their CR’s Shadows, lovers see one another in an intimate moment, withdrawn characters go to great lengths to hide theirs, etc. You are not required nor expected to keep constant track of how visible your character’s Shadow is or what it looks like.
What happens if my character loses their soul/Shadow?
Your character’s Shadow houses their actual existence here in Limbo. So long as body and soul stay connected and healthy, the character can linger on indefinitely. However, if a character’s body becomes weakened by injury or a lack of anima, it’s possible for their body and soul to separate. Should this happen, the body goes into a comatose state, and the soul becomes a ghost.
Ghosts are the dead among the dead, flickering and faint with no physical form to tether them down. They give off a frightening aura that chills all Souls around them, and they radiate anger, despair, and other negative feelings. Ghosts can sometimes be seen wandering the streets at night, or can be bound to particularly haunted places. Most ghosts are drawn to and inevitably end up in the Underground– an ominous, dangerous network of abandoned subway tunnels beneath the city.
If left to wander long enough, ghosts eventually transform into monsters, and the bodies they left behind fade away. This is essentially a final death, and there is no known way to recover a Soul once this happens.
It is said that if the ghost can be recovered and returned to the body before it fades, there may be some way to restore them…
(Yes, it’s possible to play out some Orpheus and Eurydice action, but please let the mods know if your character becomes a ghost in this manner. This is meant to be a serious near-death crisis situation and should be utilized with some restraint, not happening on a frequent basis.
If your character’s body fades, barring special events, they are effectively dead and thus dropped from the game.)
Does the Shadow’s form have any effect on the character’s mind/body?
The way a character’s Shadow appears has no effect on how they look or act. Usually.
Well that sounds very ominous.
:3
Anima
What is anima?
Anima is “life energy,” magical CR juice, the mysterious force that fuels Limbo and sustains the weird in-between existence of all the souls stuck there. Along with regular survival, in order for Souls to continue existing they must create anima.
How do characters gain anima?
Anima is created when two or more souls form connections with one another in any capacity. Having a friendly conversation with someone creates anima. So does wordlessly sitting with them, feeling safe in their company. So does hugging them or holding their hand. So does having sex with them. So does getting in an argument or even a fistfight with them. Positive or negative, forming connections with other souls generates anima and anchors your existence.
Positive anima feels warm and extremely pleasant, like pure endorphins beneath the surface of your skin.
Negative anima is more like a shot of adrenaline and may leave you feeling tired or drained afterwards– but will still do the trick to keep you “alive.”
Anima can be given to others willingly (by holding their hand, etc) but cannot be unwillingly taken. For example, you cannot run up to somebody on the street and mug them for their anima. But if you picked a fight with them and it made them yell at you, that would work…
How do I keep track of my character’s anima? What’s the minimum to keep them alive?
This mechanic is largely handwaved and mostly to encourage CR/for your own dramatic purposes. If you want to play out your character being low on anima or needing to create some, feel free to do so. Don’t worry too much about keeping track.
How do characters lose anima? What happens when it gets low?
Merely existing in Limbo naturally depletes anima at a slow rate. It depletes quicker in extreme physical situations such as starvation, exhaustion, and being severely injured. Use of superhuman powers also drains anima, and the more you use them, the faster it goes.
In general, characters will begin to feel the effects of anima loss after two weeks without generating any. They will feel sluggish and tired, like they’re getting sick. If they have powers, they will begin to fade and malfunction. They slowly become weaker and weaker until they eventually lose consciousness (about 21 days- more or less depending on the health of the character and the use of powers.)
What happens when a character runs out of anima?
If they aren’t provided some anima immediately, they risk having their soul slip apart from their body, turning them into a ghost. You then have roughly three days to find some way to fix the situation before the body vanishes and they are a ghost permanently.
(Again, this is essentially “death” in this setting, and barring extraordinary circumstances there is no coming back from this.)
The City of Requiem
What is the city of Requiem?
Limbo is meant to be a transitional space between life and death, but the process has become so slow and arduous that some have lingered here for centuries. It’s taking so long, in fact, that the collective Souls in Limbo had time to build the city of Requiem.
Requiem has a population of around a million Souls, gathered from different places and times throughout the multiverse. The city’s architecture and culture have largely taken on a synthwave/retrofuture/cyberpunk aesthetic, because even in the great beyond we can’t escape ubiquitous 80s nostalgia. However, there are small pockets of other cultures throughout, neighborhoods where souls from similar places and times have gathered. The downtown areas where most Souls live and work are bustling urban centers of cramped streets, towering skyscrapers, and lights as far as the eye can see. In the eternally moody-dark skies of Limbo, Requiem glows like a neon beacon and is quite beautiful to behold.
But no beauty can hide the true nature of Requiem– a grim, sleazy, cynical city populated by restless Souls. Many have been waiting so long they’ve given up the idea of ever passing on, and decided to make the most of their afterlives here. Hedonism is the prevailing philosophy and pleasure is the lifeblood of the city in whatever form you’d prefer it. Bars, casinos, dance halls, and nightclubs of every imaginable theme line every block. Crime is rampant, and there are multiple gangs vying for control over the city’s districts. The city’s strapped police department and legal system keep the appearance of law and order, but there’s always more going on beneath the surface and always new trouble to be found.
Sounds exhausting? Not everyone is content in giving themselves over to the fast-paced, indulgent lifestyle (deathstyle?) Those who hold out hope of passing on or who prefer a quieter purgatory can find a more routine, ordinary existence. Plenty of Souls bide their time by getting a job, opening a business, or studying the knowledge of the multiverse at the university. Life (or death) in Requiem can be peaceful too, and those who seek it can find something close to normality.
Except for the whole “being dead, maybe” thing. And the mysterious supernatural phenomena constantly occurring without warning. And the monsters, of course. But please don’t worry about that! City Hall has it all under control!
How’s the weather?
Requiem has the climate of a temperate, humid northern coastal city, with four recognizable seasons and the weather you would expect in each. It rains frequently, and the streets are often wrapped with dense fog late at night through the early hours of the morning.
Days and nights pass in Requiem as they would on Earth. Due to its location in Limbo, the sky is always moody and dark. Even in broad “daylight” the sky varies between bright orange and magenta-pink. At dusk it fades to purple, then deep blue, then pitch black after midnight. Stars can be seen, but the constellations are constantly changing and only occasionally like those seen on Earth and other places.
There is a moon in Requiem, but it’s not always the same moon. Occasionally it has changed rotational directions, shape, color, or even multiplied itself. This is caused by the clashing expectations of what various Souls believe the moon looks like.
What is the technology level of the city? What kind of media is present?
Technology and media in Requiem are roughly equivalent to the late 1980s-early 1990s. There are phones, televisions, computers, speakers, radios, VHS, cassette tapes/vinyl, vehicles, and other familiar items easily available all over the city. Given the retrofuture trend, most devices are clunky, brightly-colored, and look extremely outdated. Also given the retrofuture trend, they have far more functionality and convenience than you would expect them to.
Phones/Network: Instead of phones, Souls use NeoNet network devices. They come in a variety of colors and styles, and at their smallest they are the size of a very thick dictionary. Your NeoNet64 comes with text, voice, and video functions, though the camera is roughly Game Boy Advance quality, so don’t get too excited about it. Pixellated nudes are charming in their own way, we suppose.
Computers/Internet: There are personal computers, usually found in the common rooms at communal housing or in public cafes or the library. They are absolutely massive and much less functional than what a “modern” character would be used to. Remember dial-up? You're about to!
The “internet” in Requiem is restricted to the communication network and a few very basic websites: local news, weather, some games, and a Wikipedia-style encyclopedia. This sounds useful, but unfortunately the information changes which dimension it’s from on a daily basis. You’re better off trying your luck at the library.
Televisions: Televisions are your classic big, blocky CRTs. There are four stations broadcasting in city limits: a news channel, an entertainment/movie channel, a public access station, and a 24/7 wrestling channel. (Pro wrestling is far and away the most popular sport in Requiem.)
Media properties in Requiem may bear a suspicious resemblance to those you’re familiar with, but there’s always something slightly different about them. Popular movies and TV shows include Thursday the 12th horror films, The Revengers franchise, Hollowpoint P.I., Chums., and She Said Homicide. Everybody loves video games like Eatman, Monkey King, and Ultra Fabio Cousins! Play them at a local arcade or purchase a console to use at home. Don’t forget the joystick!
Music: There’s a wide variety of music to be found in Requiem, re-created by the souls who remember it from life. Music can be heard on the radio or purchased on vinyl or cassettes, but it’s best seen live at one of the city’s many music clubs. If you can think of a genre, there’s a club that specializes in it. Jazz and synth/dance clubs are particularly popular, for aesthetic reasons.
Vehicles: Vehicles are what you’d expect from a large city– cars of many shapes, buses, taxis, above ground rail, bikes, motorcycles, etc. Some of them can fly. The Requiem Transit Center is both a train station and an airport, but strangely there are never any departures, only arrivals. There are both standard and hovering skateboards available. Radical!
There is also a subway system called the Underground, but nobody in their right mind uses it. The trains do run on time, but you’re liable to be torn out of your body by ghosts or eaten by a monster before you reach your destination.
Are there wild/natural areas? What kind of plants and animals can be found?
The natural areas outside the limits of the city are collectively known as “The Wilds.” Crystal Lake Park to the west of town features a large lake and an expansive forest. To the south is a beach and the shores of the Oblivion Sea. To the east is a desert wasteland known as the Barrens. To the north, the Mag Mell mountain range. Things get increasingly strange and spooky the further away from the city you get, so it is recommended you keep your jaunts into nature fairly short and close by.
Plants in Limbo come in a variety of unusual colors, and vary from ordinary Earth plants to bizarre, alien-looking specimens. Going foraging in wild places, you may find small clusters of herbs and flowers from other worlds that have snuck in on memories.
Animals native to Limbo are easily discernible from Souls that happen to be animals. The native fauna are somewhat ghostly and luminescent, with odd neon-colored stripes and details. Rats, squirrels, pigeons, dogs, and cats are often found within city limits. In open space areas you can find wild species such as deer, raccoons, bears, birds, fish, and waterfowl. (Essentially, if you would like an ordinary Earth animal to exist here for some reason, it probably does.) Check the Bestiary for a few more details about native animals.
Do racism/sexism/homophobia/other real-world bigotries exist in Requiem?
Though some residents hold on to their ugly ideas from life, in general there are no prevailing prejudices against any race, sexuality, gender identity, or any other marginalized group. In fact, given the nature of the place, many Souls use their time in Limbo to explore sides of themselves that they may not have been comfortable with in life.
(There will never be any mod plots/NPCs who use real-world bigotry.)
Portions of Requiem society have developed classist tendencies, looking down on Souls with less money and influence than others. Given the currency here is literally imaginary, this is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. Being rich and powerful may give you a leg up in Requiem, but it means nothing in the grand cosmic scheme of things, and there is no evidence it gives you any advantage at all in pursuit of a “worthy” life.
The official stance of Niesha is that all Souls stand equal before her.
Are there children in Requiem?
No, there are no Souls in Requiem under the age of 16. If asked, City Hall will explain that children go to a different area of Limbo. A much more pleasant one with less naughtiness, certainly!
What are some notable districts in the city?
The city map is divided into five main districts:
Central District: “downtown,” large skyscrapers, bustling streets, most offices and businesses. City Hall is located here, as are the police, the courthouse, and other municipal services.
North District: “arts” district. Atropos University is here, as are the museums, zoo, and other cultural facilities. There are many parks and peaceful spaces, a little respite from the urban blight.
West District: “residential” district. Many, but not all of the communal housing buildings are in this neighborhood as are shops, grocery stores, small businesses and restaurants. As close to the suburbs as it gets.
East District: “entertainment” district, with theaters, casinos, bars, nightclubs, arcades, and other similar businesses. Notable in this area is “Elysium,” the street/neighborhood that holds the majority of the city’s brothels, sex shops, and other kinky establishments.
South District: “waterfront” district. Warehouses, factories, and other industrial/shipping facilities are located here. Also prime real estate for shadier, more criminal enterprises. The beach lines the shore of the Oblivion Sea, and beach activities are extremely popular.
Running beneath it all is the vast network of Underground tunnels. Formerly a subway system, the Underground has become completely overrun with ghosts. As a result, it’s a major spawning location for monsters, who sometimes spill out from the stations and into the streets at night. The Underground is extremely dangerous and residents will be warned (though not forced) to stay away from it at all costs.
More specific information and descriptions can be found on the Locations page.
Does (X) business exist? Can I make one up?
In general, you can assume any kind of business you would find in a modern city is available in Requiem. There are also some traditional/period businesses in various suburbs, such as a blacksmith and a bookbinder in West Hedge. Canon-specific businesses (such as a materia shop or a PokeMart) are less likely to already exist in the city, but check with us if it’s something you think ought to.
Your character can use AC rewards to open a business of their choice. Due to the rule of “expectations,” they will be able to acquire materials to run that business even if they are specific to a certain canon.
Can my character acquire (X) items in Requiem? Food? Things from home?
You can assume that any item you would find in a modern city is available in Requiem. This includes types of food/restaurants from many different cultures, and even some from other worlds. Clothes from other worlds are a bit harder to find, as most fashion has adapted to the trends within Requiem, but you might get lucky at a thrift shop. This is a shared Limbo and Souls arrive here from everywhere.
Similarly, common or ordinary canon-specific items are rare, but you may find the odd one here or there. EX: materia in a display at a crystal shop, Pokeballs at a convenience store, etc.
Unique, powerful, and otherwise significant items from home can be only acquired via AC rewards. The guideline here is how common the item would be back in canon. EX: Link could find rupees or an ocarina, but would need an AC reward for the Ocarina of Time; Thor could find common, simple items from Asgard but would need an AC reward for Mjolnir, etc.
Wait, what’s this about monsters?
Wander too far away from the (relative) safety of town or into a particularly haunted area and you may find yourself face to face with a monster. These creatures come in many shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common: they’re ruled by anger, hatred, and sorrow. Formed from desolate and despairing ghosts, monsters have lost all traces of their humanity. Some attack in an attempt to steal a new body, and others out of pure resentment to have lost their chance to escape Limbo. They absorb the souls of their victims to make themselves bigger and stronger. All monsters are brutal and ruthless and they all want you dead(er.)
Monsters are most common in remote wild areas or in dark, abandoned places like the Underground. But there have been reports of monsters appearing within city limits, walking the streets at night. City Hall tries as hard as they can to suppress and deny these rumors, but it is common knowledge that you should be careful anywhere you go after the sun goes down…
Can we fight the monsters?
Yes! Most standard monsters can be killed by expected means, using a weapon or powers to damage their bodies. Some more powerful monsters may be a bit trickier, but every reported species of monster is killable. Thus far.
You may provide yourself as many standard monsters as you would like for your characters to fight or be attacked by. See the Bestiary for information on various monster types, or submit your own ideas.
The Requiem Police Department is often more occupied dealing with monsters than they are in fighting traditional crime. There are also multiple groups like BEASTFORCE, mercenaries dedicated to proactively hunting monsters and protecting civilians from them.
Can we FUCK the monsters?
Your average standard monster will be trying too hard to rip you to shreds to engage in any sexual activity.
However, we know our audience, so there will be items and events to provide less fatal monsters, player character transformations, and enable other teratophiliac shenanigans.
In short: we see you. We understand. There will be chances.
What happens when a monster dies? Are there teeth/claws/a pelt/other bits left behind? Are the ghosts freed?
A body is left behind, formed by the pure will and spite of the ghosts that joined to create it. The ghosts themselves return to a subdued, weakened form. They may return to their senses, or may simply drift off in an amnesiac state to continue wandering. Without a body to tether them, there is nothing to prevent them from becoming angry and turning into monsters all over again. As long as there are Souls in limbo and ghosts being made from them, monsters will eternally be spawning.
What are phenomena?
As we are in Limbo, there are many places throughout the city where strange, inexplicable supernatural things happen. These are referred to as phenomena.
A phenomenon can be as simple as an unusual antique, or elaborate as an entire haunted house. They may be locations that characters can visit at any time, or can come and go as part of events. Effects can be temporary or permanent, silly or serious, benign or dire, sexy or dangerous, or whatever other RP nonsense you can think of. We welcome you to investigate phenomena however you like, and especially to suggest them as permanent additions to the city.
Here are a few examples:
Lethe Square Fountain: A fountain with shimmering water that glows at night. It’s said that those who touch the water will suddenly lose a portion of their memories.
Valhalla Canyon: A short hike into the Barrens, this mysterious canyon makes you vividly hallucinate the consciousness of a soldier somewhere in space/time.
Platform #4: A nonexistent platform that sometimes appears at the train station at the Transit Center. Occasionally, a ghostly train brings in visitors from other worlds.
See the Locations page for more. Have an idea for a phenomenon? Please submit it and we’ll add it!
How do NPC interactions work in this game?
NPC interactions will be planned out on the NPC page. Leave a comment explaining OOCly which NPC you’re trying to work with and a summary of the interaction you’re seeking.
For example, “Jim Bob requests a meeting with Raymond to discuss a permit for his new stripclub,” or “Susie Q, a member of the Syndicate, requests to meet with Ruthie to ask if she’ll make an appearance at her birthday party next weekend.”
The mods will respond with how that interaction goes and what, if anything, your character gains from the conversation.
For example, “Raymond apologizes that he’s too busy to meet, but provides Jim Bob the paperwork he needs to fill out in triplicate,” or “Ruthie, wanting to reward her loyal follower, agrees to do a 10-minute promo at Susie’s party, and it goes like this:”
NPC interactions will be largely OOC/handwaved like this (the mods will not normally be ICly threading out/playing the NPCs.) Occasionally, an NPC may post on the network or be otherwise available for IC threading.
What are factions? How do they work?
Factions are IC groups that player characters can join. If your character becomes a member of a faction (via the Plotting page,) they may represent themselves as a member of that faction ICly. All you have to do is let us know the character wants to join up and what they’d like to do for them.
Joining a faction and receiving instructions afterward are largely handwaved, but being a member will allow your character some unique plot opportunities and interactions with NPCs. For example, members of the Syndicate or the Symphony will be more likely to receive positive reactions from those faction leaders (or negative, if they try to approach an opposing faction.)
There are no real barriers for entry to a faction, but your character’s activities will be taken into account. For example, a character who has previously been known to work with the Syndicate will likely be denied entry into the Symphony; a character known to be a cop will likely be denied entry into ANY criminal faction, etc.
Players are welcome to come up with their own factions as well. If they are widely joinable by other player characters, submit them to us to have them added on the page.
So Requiem is a city full of vice. Are all crimes created equal?
There is an awful lot of tolerance for crime in the city. Financial crimes such as robbery, burglary, swindling, and other types of theft are practically a matter of course, especially between gangs and factions. Various illegal drugs (both real world and exclusive to Limbo) are commonly sold. None of this is legal, per se, but it’s all pretty low on the priority list of the strapped police department. The less prominent the victims, the less likely there’ll be anything more than a pointless, cursory investigation before the case is dropped.
Violent crime, on the other hand, is regarded much more seriously. The police are more likely to step in and intervene if a crime involves physical violence. Assault/battery and kidnapping are very serious crimes, to say nothing of murder– attempted or Niesha forbid, successful! Physically attacking or trying to kill NPCs will quickly gain you the attention of the cops, and the full weight of the threadbare justice system will come down upon you.
Is there a legal system? Can my character work in it?
There is both law enforcement and a judicial system in Requiem. If your lawyer has ever wanted to feel like they’re on an episode of Law and Order and your cop on Miami Vice, they’re gonna love it here. For those with an ounce of sense they’ll find it an increasingly ridiculous slog, a corrupt system full of constant drama and very little in the way of efficiency or common sense. Fighting for law and order in Requiem is a constant battle for the soul of a city that’s quite content being a crime-ridden pit.
That’s not to say that characters with a more lawful bent can’t make any progress in Requiem. Crime will be a constant theme, as this is a noir, but characters’ hard work won’t go unrewarded. There will certainly be moments in which justice can prevail and certain wrongs can be made right.
Can my character be a criminal? How are crime and punishment handled?
Of course. There are two prominent criminal factions, the Kayfabe Syndicate and the Symphony, two minor factions, the Pinheads and the Hepcats, along with other, smaller criminal gangs. Joining up with these types is a good way to receive some minor clout and opportunities to plot. Your character can also go solo, committing petty crimes against basic and low-level NPCs to make their living.
If you want to commit more extravagant or dramatic crimes (including violent crimes), please consult with the mods. We are happy to encourage your naughty characters to be naughty, but we also want to make sure it’s not a free-for-all. Prominent or extended crime sprees may be subject to attention from the law or other factions.
Those who run afoul of the law and get put away for it will spend out their sentence in Tartarus Acres Memorial Prison. Minor sentences are between a few days to a month. More serious sentences may be longer. Due to the uncanny magic of Limbo, your character will feel every single minute of their sentence, no matter how much time passes outside the prison. Serving a 10-year sentence in a week is as disorienting as it is miserable, to say the least.
Can my character work for City Hall to see what the heck’s going on over there?
It is incredibly difficult to get a job at City Hall. They’re rarely hiring for anything more prestigious than mailroom clerks or the lowest of the low-rung cubicle farmers. These positions will be sequestered off in their own portions of City Hall with no access to the rest of the building, and no clout that would allow employees to go poking around. Higher-up positions such as caseworkers are restricted to wraiths, and you have to practically be a minor death god yourself to get anywhere near the mayor’s office.
If your character is extremely dedicated to pursuing this path, let us know. They’re in for an Office Space-level cubefarm nightmare, but we’ll try to make it at least a little interesting.
Is there anywhere my character is not allowed to go?
✧ Out of the boundaries of Limbo, past the “Brink”. Passing beyond the Brink is likely fatal, and if not immediately so your character would either starve or faint and be mysteriously returned to city limits.
✧ The higher levels of City Hall. There is a reception area where your character can attempt to speak to their case worker or ask to see the Mayor or other leaders, but they will never grant you an audience on your terms. Trying to break into the upper floors of City Hall is a huge, monumental no-no with capital C Consequences. (Yes, you can try it if you REALLY want to find out.)
✧ The private offices of the Braun twins (Kayfabe Syndicate) and the Maestro (The Symphony.) Heavily guarded, even among members of their respective factions. Please use the NPC page if attempting to visit these NPCs.
✧ Places that other players create and designate as private, without permission. That’s just good RP etiquette.
Going to the Underground is not recommended, as it is exceedingly dangerous, but characters may go there if they really, really want to.
Otherwise, the whole city is your playground.
I have an idea for a business/monster/NPC/phenomenon! Can I submit it?
Triple double ultra super yes. Please submit any such ideas on their respective pages. We will do our absolute best to implement your idea. (We may do a little adjusting for game balance purposes or to fit the setting, but the spirit/mechanics of your idea will stay intact as best we can.)
Spicy Content
Okay, now talk about sex. What about sex? Is this a smut game?
The mods consider this a “sex-friendly” game. Smut/sexually explicit logs are welcome. There are locations and mechanics within the city to enable a variety of kinks. Mod plots will also provide the occasional sexy event prompt, and roughly 1/4 or 1/5 mod plots will be explicitly sexual in nature. You can turn the other prompts sexy if you feel like it too, we won’t judge.
Playing smut is not required, and all such events will be opt-in only. If you are uninterested in smut, you will find plenty of other things to do in this game, and the majority of events will not be (exclusively) sexual in nature. For this reason, we do not consider this a smut game.
In general though, we have designed this space to be sex-positive and so long as the proper content warnings are provided, we welcome smut RP here. “Live and let live.” We expect our players to curate their own experiences, and to respect other people’s right to do the same.
If you are thoroughly uncomfortable with smut and cannot tolerate it happening around you, this game will not be appropriate for you.
I do not wish to play out smut. Do I have to?
No.
Can I play (X) kink in this game?
Yes, probably. Please see the rules for our full content guidelines. Other than that, it is frankly none of our business what you and other consenting adult players would like to make your fictional characters do with/to each other.
I would like to play out (X) kink. Can I say there is a club that specializes in it? Could we have an event for it?
Yes. If you think it’s something a lot of people would like to play, submit your ideas on the plotting page. We’ll do our best to work it in.
My character is not interested in smut/I do not want them to participate in smut. Is that okay?
Yes. Playing out smut is not a requirement.
I don’t think another person’s character should be playing out smut.
Cool, none of your business. Do not read logs in which that character plays out smut, which should be clearly marked for content by the players involved.
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