This is horrendously long and we apologise for that but these are more guidelines than actual 'rules' so don't feel overwhelmed by them! If you have any questions or issues, just contact one of the staff members and we'll try to help as best as we can.

Characters

There are no limits here! Make anyone and as many people as you'd like. Just try not to powerplay/make invincible characters - we like weaknesses. For students, remember to keep first years between the ages of 15-17, second years 16-18, third years 17-19, and fourth years 18-20. Register with your character's name and don't forget to check the call signs list and face claim list before making any claims. Face claims must be celebrities/models. No pictures of yourselves please - this is for your own safety. As for graphics - avatars must be 150x150 pixels and banners must not exceed 500x200 pixels.

Abilities and skills

A character can only have one ability and three sets of skills related to that ability. Here is a helpful list of abilities in case you're stuck. Each character will be sorted according to their ability into a group represented by a colour. These are the groups:

Red: ability to control, suppress and/or produce fire and heat such as burning elements without actual flames and the power to manipulate any related elements such as thickening smoke.

Blue: you can control water, rain, ice and even mist. Advanced members will be able to produce these elements with ease. However, students will only be able to manipulate them.

Green: anything to do with natural elements (excluding water and fire) are within your power. You can manipulate the weather such as producing winds, worsen/improving conditions. However, even the more experienced members cannot entirely produce or change a weather condition. Plants are also something Green Specials work often with. They are able to manipulate the trees around them, and some have the ability to generate growth amongst plants or take away their lives by mere touch.

Yellow: electricity and energy is your main power. You can generate electric currents, produce/take away energy from a person. The manipulation of energy, however, does not affect one's mental state; it is merely physical. Another handy skill under this category is the ability to slow down or speed things up. Members are generally fluid in their movements and are able to move at incredibly fast and accurate speeds.

Purple: body manipulation. Sometimes members border both yellow and purple categories because they can move at very fast speeds. Other skills include: invisibility, regeneration, ability to go through physical barriers etc.

Silver: all mental power fall into this category. This includes time manipulation. You're able to bend, travel, and/or freeze time.* Some other examples - ability to create shields to reject other powers, ability to mirror other powers, telekinesis, telepathy, alter or create dreams, make a person comatose (this is very rare) etc. Be careful that you don't overdo your powers here.

Black: any others that need a category are placed in here. So if you come up with a more unique power, you will be placed into this area.

* Due to the contentions around the theory of time, we'd appreciate it if the idea of changing the past was not played out.

If you're having trouble differentiating between an ability and a skill, have a look at some approved profiles. The point of writing these skills is to ensure specificity and to discourage powerplaying. If you want to have more than these three skills, you will need skills points (SPs) - 10 for every extra related skill. In total, you may only have five related skills. This is how the points system works:

1 year membership = 5 points.
50 (IC) posts = 5 points.
Spotlight awards = 3 points.
Graduation awards* = 5 points.
Winning a training thread (min. six posts) = 1 point.

* Graduation awards given to one male and one female character with the most number of class attendances.

If you wish to have a skill from another group ability this must be very specific and related to your character and the abilities they already possess. To apply for this, you must have 50 SPs and our approval. Example - A 'shape-shifter' may have the ability to regenerate because they are able to manipulate their body. Try to reflect your character's personality through their powers or vice versa. Those who are able to manipulate minds might be more perceptive, for example.

Graduation and internships

No class attendances or points are required to graduate. Every six months, you will have the option to graduate your characters or keep them within their years. There is also an Agency Internship available to students 17 years of age and over. You can register for a mentor here. Once accepted, your mentors will PM your character's responsibilities and roles according to their interests. To successfully pass the internship you will need to participate in at least one site-plot thread. Alliance members, on the other hand, must be 16yo/over and a mentor is not necessary. HOWEVER please consult one of the Alliance leaders to discuss their roles. Usually a 16yo Alliance member will not be trusted with important assignments. They will most likely act as spies at the school. But we are open to plotting (:

General role-playing rules

All members are to write in third person, past tense, and at least two paragraphs per post to help fellow role-players have something substantial to respond to. This site is essentially PG-13 but with lee-way so if your thread has mature content please label it as MA and write any warnings in your first post. For NC-17 role-playing, contact a moderator for the password to the locked board. This is a friendly site so we do not tolerate out of character excessive swearing and defaming of any sort - religion, race, gender etc. If another member is abusive or offensive, please alert a moderator or myself immediately. God-modding is also not permitted so try not to control another character's actions. More importantly, have fun!

Here is your APB policy code word: babyskittles. Mention this at the end of your character application to be accepted. Check back regularly though as this code will change every month!