New Player's Guide

[Mors Vigilia]

So you’re a new player, or are interested in becoming one. Well done, you!
Hopefully this guide will help you to walk from a crawl and become immersed in lovely RPG stuff before you know it.

God Save the King (GSTK) is a Role Playing Game taking place in Medieval England. The current version of this game started in 1100 and you can find a timeline of events since then here.

In joining the GSTK Community, you start as a freeman and strive to become a knight or a clergyman and rise up the ranks in order to contribute to England's history. Would you be a warrior, hell-bent on violence and destruction or a holy man, spreading the Lord’s message throughout the lands? Eventually, you could lead your character to greatness, becoming king or archbishop, wielding great power and influencing the land with your decisions.

How to begin

Register your character here.

Character type:
Is your character a main or auxiliary character? A main character is the character that you will play as the most, with auxiliaries (auxes) adding to your role playing experience.

Name:
Everyone needs a name, even you.

Age:
A young page or an old monk, what age is your character? Characters age one year each week and their age can influence how other characters see them.

Ethnicity:
Most characters will have a Norman or English heritage and could become hostile towards those that they perceive to be different.

Appearance:
A short description of your character would help people when it comes to roleplaying with you. Is your character tall, short, hideously deformed?

Biography:
What has your character been doing before entering the game? How have they come to the position that they are now in?

Now that that's out of the way, you are now a freeman, higher than a serf, your character is tied to no land and can forge their own path in the Kingdom of England.

Creating a Home Thread

The first thing you should be doing after joining the game is to create a House. This can be done here by creating a thread and describing your character’s house (it need not be lengthy, but the longer you make it the more enthralling the game is). This is where players can come to visit you. Remember, though, that you start as a freeman and so you will not be living in a castle or palatial manor just yet. Be sure to describe your house as something which fits your character.

Choosing your Class

Now that you're a freeman, you can choose to enter Knighthood or Priesthood. If you want to become a knight then all you must do is find a knight or nobleman and attempt to become their squire. After some time he may decide that you are ready and will make you a knight, gaining you one step up the power-ladder.

If you want to become a priest then you should talk to a bishop, archbishop or cardinal about becoming a priest. This is where your character will learn about Catholicism and how to protect it through the hearts and minds of the people.

What do I do now?

If you decided to become a knight, then it is your duty to protect England from her enemies and your Lord from harm. In return you will be given land on which you may live and farm (known as your fief). Perhaps you will have to help another player in their struggles. At any rate, actions speak louder than words - so get going and make yourself known! You won't get any titles sitting in your house!

If you decided to become a priest, then it is your duty to preach the word of God to your parish. Your parishioners will look to you for spiritual guidance, as well as an intelligent and educated man to help with their problems. Sometimes you will give a sermon to the people. Sometimes you will be called upon to perform a baptism, a marriage or even last rites. In times of great peril, you may have to denounce heretics and call for them to be cleansed of their sin. Whatever you do, be sure to travel about as well. A priest may do well in his own parish, but it is your job to make sure that all people rest in the good graces of God.

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If you have any questions, please post them below.

Thanks for reading and enjoy GSTK