What is Free Form Role Playing?

 Free Form Role Playing (FFRP) is easier described in two parts. First: role playing. When you role play, you take on the persona or character of an entirely new person. You decide this person's appearance, history, motivations, personality and so forth (see New Characters for more information). Once you've decided all this, your character becomes part of a living story, a sort of impromptu play where you ad lib your lines according to what's going on around you and what you've decided your character to be.
Free Form is the term used to set the type of role playing done in #VampCastle apart from the type done in tabletop role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons or Vampire: the Masquerade. Where those games depend heavily on dice, pencils, rules, character sheets listing your strength, intelligence and other traits, free form role playing is dependent upon your interaction with the other characters. No single set of rules is used which leads to some interesting characters and unexpected mixes.

 Do I need to know how to play Dungeons & Dragons to play?

 Not at all. Although many players have played tabletop style games, quite a few have never once done so and felt very much at home in #VampCastle. If you've never role played before, and you're not confident as to how it's done, we invite you to simply stop in and watch for a bit until you get an idea what we're doing.

 What is the difference between a character and a player?

 Characters are the persona you take while in the channel. The player is you, the flesh and blood person at the keyboard.

 I have a character from a tabletop role playing game, can I use him or her in #VampCastle?

 Sure, but keep in mind that not everyone will automatically understand your character or the game you're taking him or her from. If you play Dungeons & Dragons, not everyone will understand what a specialty mage is. If you play Vampire: the Masquerade, not everyone will understand what a Tremere is. Also, keep in mind that since characters in #VampCastle span all sorts of gaming genres, your modern day mob hit man might well run across a medieval style elf. Be prepared. We highly recommend that you read the Hall of Antiquity FAQ before starting, so you have some idea of the location you'll be playing in.

 How do I start playing? Do I need to talk to a channel Op or register a character?

 No. Anyone who walks in is welcome to play from the start. #VampCastle runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Needless to say, some days and times are busier than others. Usually nights are most active since players need to work and go to classes during the day. But anytime you wish, come on in.

 How do I let people know I'm ready to play?

 One of the best ways is to have a short description of your character ready. If upon walking in, you describe yourself to us, it lets us know that you're actively looking to play. An example of this would be:

 * Cassiel walks into the room, her long red hair flowing behind her. Draped over her tall, lithe body is a blue cloak beneath which can be seen a black leather outfit and the hilt of a sword. She peers at each patron in turn, sizing them up as she walks to the bar.

 Your description can be as short or lengthy as need be (although it shouldn't require more than one use of the IRC /me command) but should at least give everyone else some idea of your physical looks. Don't fret if you're not overly poetic or wordy in your description, the basic idea is simply to let people know who you are and that you're ready to play.

 I've been in #VampCastle for several minutes and no one has noticed me. What am I doing wrong?

 Perhaps nothing. If you're not feeling like you're being noticed, try to get in on what's going on. If you see people talking, try to join in. If there's a fight, join in, try to stop it or simply describe how you're staying out of the way. Even a simple action like getting a drink or reading a book might perk someone's interest. Keep in mind that if you do nothing, people might take the idea that you're simply being idle to watch and aren't interested in playing. By doing stuff, you assert your presence and let others know that you want to play.

 I see people typing things {{like this}}. What do the double brackets mean?

 Things typed in double brackets are how players show that they are talking to other players instead of characters talking to characters. This way players can say hello to one another, ask for a clarification on someone's actions or otherwise converse without confusing people as to what their characters are doing.

 What are terms such as mun, ic, ooc.. etc?

 Common terms used in #VampCastle are:
Mun: Short for mundane; the player. Cassiel's mun is the person playing Cassiel.
IC: In Character. Most speech and action takes place 'ic'
OOC: Out of Character. Things said by the player, usually in double brackets so they're not confused with IC.
w: Whisper. Usually in single brackets before a line of text, it shows the character is whispering the comment.
qw, vqw: Quiet whisper or very quiet whisper.
m: Mumble. Same usage as whisper, except of course the character is mumbling, not whispering.
HoA: Hall of Antiquity. The setting in #VampCastle is in the Hall of Antiquity. A full description of the HoA can be gotten through the Hall of Antiquity FAQ and the #VampCastle map.

 That should be enough information to get you started. By reading the rest of the #VampCastle site, you can learn tips on creating your own character, information on the HoA, something about those of us who already play in #VampCastle and even a map. If you still have questions, feel free to message an Op or send mail to Edamoth. We're glad to help and hope to see you there!