Special Permissions

When crafting a character, you may encounter a creative impasse or feel that the character could benefit from additional elements to enhance their role in the general roleplay scene. Special Permissions are designed to provide these extra features, though not without certain conditions. They aim to facilitate the creation of unique characters based on a player's vision for their design and purpose.

Special Permissions vary in complexity. Some Special Permissions can be as simple as a backstory attachment, which would allow a character to include deep lore or some kind of unique historical inclusion in a character’s life story that would not usually be accessible to most players. On the other hand, other Special Permissions can permit the creation of custom spells for a magic-using character, adding a layer of uniqueness to their roleplay. However, each permission comes with its own set of conditions that must be met for approval, detailed below. If this has already caught your attention, please see Special Permission Types on this page to see what Special Permissions can be applied for.

What are the prerequisites?

Due to the nature of Special Permissions and the additional perks and benefits that come with them over that of any other regular player character, Gears of Galudon Staff expect certain conditions to be met to firstly earn the right to use them and then secondly, to maintain in the long term. At a baseline, Gears of Galudon Staff would like applicants to note the following universal conditions that have to be met:

1. Your character must be an active, approved character.
2. Your character must actively engage with other characters or within a group.
3. You must have a general plan as to what you wish to do with your special permission, if granted.

Additionally, the following factors will be taken into consideration by Gears of Galudon Staff when reviewing your Special Permission Application.

1. All previously mentioned conditions laid out above.
2. Does the player have a good community standing and roleplay history on Gears of Galudon.

Depending on the Special Permission, mandatory conditions will be required to continuously use that permission. They may be any or all of the above or additional elements implemented by Staff for that specific tier of special permission. In some cases, Staff may impose a custom upkeep requirement on your special permission where Staff believe additional elements must be considered for its continuous use.

Moreover, please note that the upkeep requirements for multiple special permissions is greater than if you only hold one. For each special permission after your initial special permission approval, the line count increases by 50%. Additionally, the number of groups you need to be involved with also increases, as are staff expectations for the character's involvement in the progression stories.

Special Permissions are reviewed every 2 months to ensure their prerequisites and upkeep requirements are met. You will be notified if you are no longer meeting the special permission requirements and be given a timeframe in which you can attempt to fulfil their requirements. You can of course always choose to revoke your special permission if you no longer play the character or if you feel the upkeep or prerequisites are becoming too difficult to manage.

Additionally, you can apply via discord ticket to have your permission re-reviewed. This is especially useful in situations whereby you feel you aren't getting enough mileage out of your permission, and want parts or all of the permission redone to better fit your playstyle. Note however, Staff have the final say in what goes into your special permission. If Staff believe that the permission is balanced and is adequate for the character, you may be told to continue with your current permission.

Special Permission Tiers and Types

Tier 0 Special Permissions

Tier 0 Special Permissions are on server benefits that require the least amount of pre-requisite attainment. Having one of these permissions does not impact any further special permissions, meaning that the upkeep requirements do not stack, as there are no upkeep requirements for Tier 0 permissions. These permissions are solely one time benefits to players that satisfy the following criteria:

• Activity: The player must meet a 600 roleplay line requirement for the past two months, or have first joined the Gears of Galudon server at least a month prior to the application.

Rental Region Decoration - When granted, Gameplay staff will decorate your rental region to specifications requested insofar as is possible. There is no requirement to upkeep this permission, and once the region is decorated, changes can be requested down the line with another application.

Tier 1 Special Permissions

Tier 1 Special Permissions are basic permissions that require only a small amount of upkeep. The pre-requisites and upkeep requirements can be read below:

• Activity: The player must meet the 1,500 roleplay line requirement every two months to be considered active.
• Player Longevity: The player must have had their character approved for at least one month before applying.

• Good Behavior: The player themselves must exhibit good behavior and conduct both on and off of the server. In line with Gears of Galudon’s community mission statement, and rules, the player must avoid meta gaming, power gaming or engaging in otherwise offensive roleplay or toxic behavior towards other players, else they risk perm revocation. Special Permission holders are expected to be representatives of good roleplay, and must act accordingly.

Backstory Attachments - When granted, the Backstory Attachment special permission, allows players greater flexibility in incorporating details into their character's backstory that might typically be restricted. This permission allows for elements such as being the illegitimate child of an NPC foreign dignitary, having a lifespan extended to 1,000 years due to a curse, or other unconventional details. It opens the door to various possibilities, including but not limited to extended ages, elaborate family histories, and participation in exceptional in-character historical events. Backstory attachments can sometimes have special impact conditions that may assist you in progressions.

Foreign Notoriety - Players may wish to write into their character application that they have particular influence, sway, and power in another country in Lore. The details are not limited, so you can be as creative as you wish provided it does not break established, Staff written Lore.

Special Building Rentals - Certain buildings on the server are accessed not through the rental process but by application. These include all factory builds, the bar on Meridian Street, the brothels in Paradise Court, offices in the media building, homes and businesses at the docks and the northern mining camp, and farm buildings on the outskirts of town.

There are many larger factories and lumber mills dotted around the city of Ironhurst. These are not rentable - rather, they are assigned on an application basis, with a one-time sum to be paid for the lease agreement. These buildings are meant to be used for businesses such as; coal processing, iron working, copperworks, clay and brick manufacturing, food production, weapons production, lumber sales, mining sales, or another similar business venture.

Please note that any alterations to the exterior are not allowed and will result in the forfeit of the building. Any interior things that come prebuilt and that you'd like to change should be discussed with Staff. Players who have not found a building suitable for what they want it for should make a ticket and discuss this with Staff. Note that the location, aesthetic, and purpose should be devised prior to application. Staff will not entertain huge makeovers of a building if another one is already suited to the purpose. Interior design and help designing working processes will be given to all those accepted. A list of ready-built buildings for application can be found HERE.

Tier 2 Special Permissions

• Activity: The player must meet the 1,500 roleplay line requirement every two months to be considered active.
• Player Longevity: The player must have had their character approved for at least one month before applying.

• Good Behavior: The player themselves must exhibit good behavior and conduct both on and off of the server. In line with Gears of Galudon’s community mission statement, the player must avoid meta gaming, power gaming or engaging in otherwise offensive roleplay or risk perm revocation. Special Permission holders are expected to be representatives of good roleplay, and must act accordingly.

• Group Engagement: The player is expected to make reasonable efforts to establish some form of roleplay group or interact frequently with existing roleplay groups to some degree. These groups must be server recognised, meaning that a social circle of a few friends that roleplay with one another does not count toward this. A group is one that is open to most to join, or at the very least apply to, and holds frequent gatherings and/or events as well as public notices. This is to promote good standing with other players within the roleplay community, and allow the permission to be experienced by the wider server player base.

Custom Magic Grimoires - Some players may wish to have a custom spell kit outside of the written magic schools. You can apply for such here, but you must include the type of aesthetic you want, some ideas for some of the spells, and some general backstory as to how they can to utilize this custom magic.

Character “Level Ups” - The Character ‘Level Up’ special permission gives a player additional Talent Points to spend on their Character Application. This is reserved for characters who have proven themselves to excel within their field. This means that the character has worked towards improving their skill and has the roleplay to back it. A level up is for characters with history and not those fresh into Ironhurst.

Character Virtuoso - This Special Permission allows a player to bypass 3 Point per 1 Talent Subcategory cap to allow for 2 Talents at 3 points. A Virtuoso is a character who has mastered two talents. They have put all their time and effort into mastering their talents of choice and are now rewarded with an exceptional level of expertise. The difference between a Virtuoso and a Level Up is that a Virtuoso is more focused on what you can assign your points into, while a Level Up can be more generalist, like a proficiency point increase in D&D.

Criminal Gang Bases: Criminal Gang Bases are intended to house gangs as they complete their nefarious deeds. Criminal bases are available in both Shademire Tunnels and The Maw. Gangs wishing to claim a base should have a minimum of three players in their gang and intend to not only utilize it for crime-related roleplay but also as a way to carve out territory and control it in their respective locations. Please make a ticket with the base you would like to occupy and tag @build in your ticket.

Tier 3 Special Permissions

• Activity: The player must meet the 1,500 roleplay line requirement every two months to be considered active.

• Group Engagement: The player is expected to make reasonable efforts to establish some form of roleplay group or interact frequently with existing roleplay groups to some degree. These groups must be server recognised, meaning that a social circle of a few friends that roleplay with one another does not count toward this. A group is one that is open to most to join, or at the very least apply to, and holds frequent gatherings and/or events as well as public notices. This is to promote good standing with other players within the roleplay community, and allow the permission to be experienced by the wider server player base.

• Good Behavior: The player themselves must exhibit good behavior and conduct both on and off of the server. In line with Gears of Galudon’s community mission statement, the player must avoid meta gaming, power gaming or engaging in otherwise offensive roleplay or risk perm revocation. Special Permission holders are expected to be representatives of good roleplay, and must act accordingly.

• Player Interaction: The player must make reasonable efforts to interact with the general playerbase. Permission holders must not brickwall roleplay, or otherwise engage in ‘clique’ like behavior, so as to ensure that the permission is used for the benefit of the larger roleplay community. Moreover, the player must keep their interactions with other members of the community pleasant and non-toxic.

• Player Longevity: The player must have been on the server and actively playing for at least 3 months. Because of the nature of these types of permissions, they award considerable character boons, powers and abilities. As a result, we ask that those who are applying for these permissions have been on the server for a reasonable amount of time and have met the activity quotas for the previous 3 months (750 roleplay lines per month.)

Enhanced Cursed Being - With this special permission, you can further empower your Cursed character by gaining new, unique mutations, powers, and aesthetics that are not common for the Cursed Affliction you play. These characters have consistently stood out and kept strong in Ironhurst. These characters can benefit from custom abilities based on your wishes and Staff’s approval or compromises. Furthermore, your Cursed Being will be considered a ‘Sovereign Beast’, the highest in the food chain for your respective Cursed Affliction.

Folk Hero - A folk hero special permission empowers a “good” character,who has illustrated good virtue and moral values with additional combat skills, tantamount to an excellent fighter or soldier. Folk Heroes, however, are not permitted to use magic, and their permission kits will be written with the same number of combat abilities (non-magical) as that of a custom magic grimoire. Folk Heroes cannot become ‘evil’ or ‘morally ambiguous’ characters at any time. They are intended to act as the ‘good guys’ in roleplay, fighting for justice for the people. Your character will be considered a ‘famous warrior’, one of the highest skilled fighters in Pannotia.

Outlander - Outlanders are the polar opposite of Folk Heroes. Outlanders are fighters considered ‘evil’ or ‘chaotic’ characters, who are mostly disliked or outcasted for their brutish combat habits but are still excellent fighters and/or soldiers. Outlanders, like Folk Heroes, are not permitted to use magic, and their permission kits will be written with the same number of combat abilities (non-magical) as that of a custom magic grimoire. Outlanders cannot at any time become ‘good’ characters and must remain either ’evil’ or ‘morally ambiguous’ but always self-serving. They are intended to act as the ‘bad guys’ in roleplay or those that cannot be easily trusted. Your character will be considered a ‘famous warrior’, one of the highest skilled fighters in Pannotia, but also extremely outcasted and disliked for being dishonorable fighters.

Luminarch - Luminarchs are devotees of a specific Fey Lord or [REDACTED] who are elevated to serve as that being’s chosen avatar. Becoming a Luminarch means sacrificing part of your character’s freedom, as they act as a vessel for their patron’s will. Each Luminarch is bound by a Maxim—a set of tenets dictated by their chosen being. Should they break these tenets, they risk losing all their power and becoming cursed by their chosen being. However, those who uphold their Maxims gain the ability to commune directly with their patron, receiving guidance and commands to enact on Pannotia. The Luminarch permission is a slightly upgraded form of the Custom Grimoire special permission, reserved only for select characters devoted to a specific Fey.

How Do You Apply For A Special Permission

Applicants should make a ticket on the Gears of Galudon Discord through our Ticket Bot (Ticket Tool). The following application template should be filled out and posted for Staff review. It is advisable to be as detailed as possible in these sections to give Staff a clear understanding of what granting you a Special Permission is likely to achieve.

Please note that you are not to write these abilities yourself for some permissions, such as those allowing for custom skills, spells, or abilities. Instead, only provide general vibes or baseline ideas you may have for certain abilities. Staff reserve the right to alter parts of your special permission anytime. They may require that some of your ideas or general guidelines be altered for balancing reasons or if the ability does not fit within the realm of lore compliance.

Minecraft Username: (Include your Minecraft Username here)‎
Character Name: (Your character’s full name)‎
Approved Character Application Sheet: (Link your character’s approved character application here)‎
Special Permission Application Type: (For example, Backstory Attachment, Custom Magic Grimoire etc)‎
Special Permission Details: (Include as many paragraphs as you like on the details of the permission you want. For example, what sort of backstory attachment do you want? What does it include? If you want a custom magic kit, what kind of spells are you looking for)‎
Special Permission Intent: (Outline what you intend to do with the permission, and why we should approve it.)

Upon delivery of a special permission, the player must include the details of the special permission in their Character Applications, under the Basic Information Section of their App. Simply denote a new heading called ‘Special Permission’ and link your Special Permission document there, and designate what Special Permission it is you have.