APPLICATIONS

[powergamer]

APPLICATIONS

july 6, 2013
next processing date

about applying
If you'd like to apply for a character, you're in the right place! As of June 24, applications are now always open. Fill out one of the two forms on this page depending on the type of character you're applying for and post it in the comments of this entry. While you fill out your application, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Please read over the rules and FAQ before you begin to fill out your application—This will save you headaches later!
  
• Check the taken and reserved pages to make sure that your character isn't listed on either (unless you reserved them, naturally).
  
• Please check your application for spelling and grammatical errors. While we're hardly going to reject for a misspelled word or two, a large amount of errors makes us much more likely to reject an application.
  
• Plagiarism is unacceptable. If we find an application has been plagiarized, it will result in immediate rejection and a ban from the game.
  
• You may app ONE character per round, for a total of THREE characters in the game. You may have two characters from the same canon provided they have little or no interaction in canon.
  
• If you're already in the game, all of your current characters must have passed the last AC to apply for a new character. If this is your first character, don't worry about this, of course!
  
• When posting your application, please format the subject line of your first comment in some form of Character Name - Series - Reserved/Unreserved in that order. Do not link to your application.
  
• Original characters are allowed, but their applications are judged to a much higher standard than canon characters. We want to make sure that the character and their world are thought-out and developed. This isn't meant to discourage such characters in the slightest, so all this really means is take care to explain the world your character comes from especially, since all we have to judge them by is what you tell us!
  
• If we ask for a revision, don't worry! Usually we just need clarification on something before we decide on your application. If you are asked for one, you have five days to supply the requested revision.

application for canon characters:

<span style="font-family: bell mt, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: black;">OOC</span></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NAME</b>:</span> Your name. <b>USERNAME</b>: <user name="your username here"> <b>CONTACT</b>: email/aim/<user name=plurkname site=plurk.com>/what have you <b>CHARACTERS IN GAME</b>: put N/A if none</div> <span style="font-family: bell mt, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: black;">IC</span></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NAME</b>: Your character's name. <b>CANON</b>: Your character's canon. Please note the specific canon if the character is from a large franchise <small>(i.e. Marvel Comics vs. Marvel Cinematic Universe)</small> or has different ways the canon can progress <small>(i.e. Fate/Stay Night's routes)</small>. <b>CANON POINT</b>: At what point are you pulling your character from? <b>AGE</b>: How old is the character? <b>APPEARANCE</b>: A link to a picture is fine! It's recommended to upload it to <a href=http://imgur.com/>Imgur</a> or a similar site to prevent pesky hotlinking images! <b>PERSONALITY</b>: This is the most important part of your app, so take special care with this section. Describe their personality, and use canon to support this section as needed. While quality is of course more important than quantity, we're likely to ask for a revision if this section is less than three solid paragraphs. <b>PROJECTED CLASS</b>: Which base class can you see your character having and why? This doesn't need to be more than a paragraph, but we just want to make sure you understand the class system and think about how your character will fit into it! <b>OTHER</b>: Additional notes/questions about the character go here.</div> <span style="font-family: bell mt, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: black;">SAMPLES</span></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>FIRST PERSON SAMPLE</b>: Links to threads from previous games, memes and museboxes are allowed, but must be within the past six months. <b>THIRD PERSON SAMPLE</b> Must take place in the game's setting. 300 words minimum.</div>

OOC

NAME: Your name.
USERNAME: Your personal Dreamwidth account.
CONTACT: email/aim/plurkname/what have you
CHARACTERS IN GAME: put N/A if none

IC

NAME: Your character's name.
CANON: Your character's canon. Please note the specific canon if the character is from a large franchise (i.e. Marvel Comics vs. Marvel Cinematic Universe) or has different ways the canon can progress (i.e. Fate/Stay Night's routes).
CANON POINT: At what point are you pulling your character from?
AGE: How old is the character?
APPEARANCE: A link to a picture is fine! It's recommended to upload it to Imgur or a similar site to prevent pesky hotlinking images!
PERSONALITY: This is the most important part of your app, so take special care with this section. Describe their personality, and use canon to support this section as needed. While quality is of course more important than quantity, we're likely to ask for a revision if this section is less than three solid paragraphs.
PROJECTED CLASS: Which base class can you see your character having and why? This doesn't need to be more than a paragraph, but we just want to make sure you understand the class system and think about how your character will fit into it!
OTHER: Additional notes/questions about the character go here.

SAMPLES

FIRST PERSON SAMPLE: Links to threads from previous games, memes and museboxes are allowed, but must be within the past six months.
THIRD PERSON SAMPLE Must take place in the game's setting. 300 words minimum.

SAMPLE APPLICATIONS
Arcueid Brunestud, Tsukihime
Panda, Shirokuma Cafe

application for original characters:

<span style="font-family: bell mt, serif; font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">OOC</span></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NAME</b>: Your name. <b>USERNAME</b>: <user name="your username here"> <b>CONTACT</b>: email/aim/<user name=plurkname site=plurk.com>/what have you <b>CHARACTERS IN GAME</b>: put N/A if none</div> <span style="font-family: bell mt, serif; font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">IC</span></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NAME</b>: Your character's name. <b>AGE</b>: How old is the character? <b>APPEARANCE</b>: A link to a picture is fine! It's recommended to upload it to <a href=http://imgur.com/>Imgur</a> or a similar site to prevent pesky hotlinking images! <b>WORLD INFO</b>: Explain the world that your character comes from. While we hardly want pages and pages of information, this does need to be a solid section. Relay the parts of the characters world that relate directly to them or have affected them the most. We're looking for evidence that this character is clearly thought out, and in absence of a canon, this section is how we'll be judging your character for consistency. <b>BACKGROUND</b>: Your character's history/background. This doesn't need to be extensively detailed, but we need to know what made the character who they are today. <b>PERSONALITY</b>: This is the most important part of your app, so take special care with this section. Describe their personality, and use canon to support this section as needed. While quality is of course more important than quantity, we're likely to ask for a revision if this section is less than three solid paragraphs. <b>PROJECTED CLASS</b> Which base class can you see your character having and why? This doesn't need to be more than a paragraph, but we just want to make sure you understand the class system and think about how your character will fit into it! <b>OTHER</b> Additional notes/questions about the character go here.</div> <span style="font-family: bell mt, serif; font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: black;">SAMPLES</span></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>FIRST PERSON SAMPLE</b> Links to threads from previous games, memes and museboxes are allowed. Links to threads from previous games, memes and museboxes are allowed, but must be within the past six months. <b>THIRD PERSON SAMPLE</b> Must take place in the game's setting. 300 words minimum.</div>

OOC

NAME: Your name.
USERNAME: Your personal Dreamwidth account.
CONTACT: email/aim/plurkname/what have you
CHARACTERS IN GAME: put N/A if none

IC

NAME: Your character's name.
AGE: How old is the character?
APPEARANCE: A link to a picture is fine! It's recommended to upload it to Imgur or a similar site to prevent pesky hotlinking images!
WORLD INFO: Explain the world that your character comes from. While we hardly want pages and pages of information, this does need to be a solid section. Relay the parts of the characters world that relate directly to them or have affected them the most. We're looking for evidence that this character is clearly thought out, and in absence of a canon, this section is how we'll be judging your character for consistency.
BACKGROUND: Your character's history/background. This doesn't need to be extensively detailed, but we need to know what made the character who they are today.
PERSONALITY: This is the most important part of your app, so take special care with this section. Describe their personality, and use canon to support this section as needed. While quality is of course more important than quantity, we're likely to ask for a revision if this section is less than three solid paragraphs.
PROJECTED CLASS Which base class can you see your character having and why? This doesn't need to be more than a paragraph, but we just want to make sure you understand the class system and think about how your character will fit into it!
OTHER Additional notes/questions about the character go here.

SAMPLES

FIRST PERSON SAMPLE Links to threads from previous games, memes and museboxes are allowed. Links to threads from previous games, memes and museboxes are allowed, but must be within the past six months.
THIRD PERSON SAMPLE Must take place in the game's setting. 300 words minimum.

SAMPLE APPLICATIONS
Sidel Blanchet, Original Character
Cheriour, Original Character

Comments

[likemother]

PERSONALITY:

In a world dominated by NEETs and hikikomoris, and where the male to female ratio was, to make an understatement, unbalanced, a particular girl with chestnut hair who smiled as brightly as the sun stood out.

Skilled, strong, and not to mention beautiful, Asuna Yuuki climbed up the ranks at an incredible speed, becoming a top level level player despite it being her first experience in any sort of video game. Retaining common sense and possessing an analytical mind even in the midst of tragedy, she managed to direct and commanding large groups, organizing countless expeditions into dungeons, and even becoming second in command of what was known as Aincrad's strongest guild, "The Knights of The Blood Oath". The amount of things Asuna achieved in «that world» cannot be measured, for she appeared to surpass terror and fear and became a guide for many. It’s no wonder that she garnered so many fans during those two years.

The intelligence and patience needed to calmly and successfully lead groups into battle and emerge successfully from them, and the grace she presented throughout it all, Asuna Yuuki seemed to be someone incredibly strong.

However, this confident, no-nonsense class representative type of girl isn’t all that she seems. Her past and the changes that occurred to her throughout her adventures in Aincrad are things Asuna keeps to herself for many reasons. In truth, the strength she presented in the beginning was nothing but her desperately attempting to survive. Asuna Yuuki was someone who feared a lot of things. She feared the possibility of a worthless life if she survives and she also feared dying a dog’s death inside a video game. She feared getting into trouble and she feared how much time she would waste dawdling about if she didn’t involve herself with things, while also fearing what would become of her and her life if she simply existed and never reacted to the things going on around her. These sort of contradictions halt her progress and leave her simply smiling and nodding at everything her parents told her.

Her stubbornness shines through here, as she holds everything in and deals with it on her own, sometimes even keeping it from the one who knew her heart the most. She couldn’t possibly call herself a «swordswoman» if she crumbled under the weight of her baggage, and disappointing that reckless boy who dared to call her «strong» isn’t an option either. But, the truth is that the warm-hearted Asuna who sacrificed herself for the boy she loved that we see at the end of Sword Art Online is, in many ways, different to the Asuna who played a videogame on a whim.

«Asuna - Yuuki Asuna's 15 years of life, were a continuous battle. It began with the kindergarten entrance exam, then with many small and big tests after; Asuna overcame them all. It was set so that even one failure would make her a worthless person, so she continued to repel that weight.»

Born to parents of high-class, she worked hard to fulfill their expectations whilst living in fear of them, or, to be specific, how they would react if she disappointed them. And so, she became someone who sacrificed her present to gain a better future, despite the fact that she feared being trapped in a predetermined world. Everything from her high school to her friends were approved by her parents, and for the longest time she didn't think about anything other than becoming a person of high enough caliber to please them. In fact, her being in Sword Art Online was merely one of the whims she rarely indulged in, and it was a decision she would mercilessly beat herself up over for a long time.

Originally, Asuna was one of the thousands of players that chose to hide in the town of the first floor. Controlled by panic and fear, she hid in an inn for weeks, often screaming and beating on the walls as she wailed. She wasn't a gamer, she didn't understand terms like Rare Drops or Skills. If things like video games were completely foreign to her, the new VRMMORPGs were on par with another dimension completely-- If that was the case, she'd be better off waiting until they were rescued, right? She had to get back home soon, or else she would fall behind on her studies. Exams were soon, if she missed that then her carefully crafted life would turn into shambles. However, after a few weeks of silence from the outside world, she lost hope, and realized that waiting for other people to get the job done would be futile.

«Instead of huddling in a small dark room fearing for the future, it's better to go outside. Use all her ability to learn, train, and fight. If she ended up dying after using all her strength, at least she would be without trouble for the past and regrets of a lost future.»

Once she becomes fully aware of the situation, she heads out with newfound determination to get this ordeal over with. Not because her life was threatened, but rather because her ideal future was in peril, and if things weren't righted, she would ultimately disappear into nothingness. Throughout the time spent memorizing the reference manual, garnering equipment, and ardently leveling up, she thought not of living, but of her parents discontented expressions as they thought of their child who failed midterms thanks to a video game console.

With a rigid schedule where she slept twice a day for only three or so hours, she leveled up by herself, refusing to party with, or even interact, with other players in a manner similar to Kirito; although for different reasons. Once she was trained to be competent even on the front lines, she attended the meeting for clearing the first dungeon, where she encountered Kirito and partied with someone for the first time. Here she learns that there are limits to what a solo player can do, and it would be more efficient to join a guild.

After defeating the first boss and learning that Kirito was a beater, Asuna's actions are hazy. It's assumed that she either continued to level grind until she was noticed by the Knights of The Blood Oath, or that they recruited her once they formed. What is certain is that she quickly climbed the ranks until she was second in command of Aincrad's strongest guild, and in that span of time she became extremely popular for her fierceness in battle and beautiful appearance.

Although, at this point, Asuna still remained the same. She still feared. Feared death and life and the realistic feel of adrenaline urging her on throughout the battles she experienced, for this world was a cage for 10,000 prisoners and none of whom she could trust. Every minute spent in this virtual reality was yet another blemish in her already tarnished life, because it didn’t matter how real the handle of her sword feels, the truth was the same: She was still lying on some bed in some hospital, and she will never be able to return to «that life» again. However, something unexpected occurred.

She met a boy who felt the warmth of the sun and enjoyed the breeze of the plains. She met someone who fought with everything on the line, who felt the frustration and troubles that all of them were going through, yet still moved naturally in this fantasy world. She was sure that he was the same here as he would be anywhere else. She met a boy who lived. On that babyish face resting under the shade, Asuna saw the answer she had been looking for.

Is this world real?

Does it mean something?

«"I realized that 'this person was actually living properly within this world.' He didn't mind losing days in the real world and instead focused on experiencing each day within this world."»

It does.

Asuna Yuuki was someone did not live «in this moment.» Looking forward, towards that distant future, never stopping to think about her current self. Her leadership and capable commanding abilities weren’t because of charisma, or her beauty. Her words did not inspire those under her command into action, but rather, forced them to trudge on, if only because of fear. Asuna Yuuki had become like her mother: cold in her relations with others, firm in her words and actions. She certainly couldn’t be blamed, and it is worthy of praise that she held herself together in that tragedy and found the strength to fight and lead, but-- That’s not how she should live. She wasn’t just sealing off her true self, but it was a very lonely and unnecessarily difficult path.

Her first intimate meeting with that «swordsman» marks the first step towards Asuna’s change.
Such things don’t happen overnight, especially when there’s 16 years worth of baggage to get rid of. However, Asuna learns to dream and smile without a cloud hanging over her head. Things like her family and future begin to lose their meaning, and while the pillars that held her crumble, she still stood tall and proud. That was because he taught her how to be her own person. It’s not the fact that Aincrad was her reality, or that it was possible to live in the present and have a happy future, but that the weight on her shoulders was lifted, and she could finally stand without support. Kirito changed Asuna in a very special way, for he didn’t remake her, but freed her from what held her back, so she is free to do as she wants.

The right which she denied herself for those 16 years of life was finally given to her by a mysterious boy in black.

Now we see her true colors. Despite the cold, hardened exterior she displayed in front of her subordinates and the bossy attitude she had, Asuna Yuuki is a 17 year old girl who behaves like one. Stubborn, emotional, a meddler, yet kind and accepting-- All in all, she is someone who shines brightly with youthful vigor. For the first time in game, and perhaps the first time in her life, she exposes her heart to someone, and becomes her true self without any restraints. For the following year, she gains true friends, and sleeps for more than 4 hours for the first time since the beginning of the death game.

It should come as no surprise that she eventually falls for him. For his kindness. For his strength. It’s not just that he helped her-- She finds his way of life to be so dazzling that she wants to continue to be guided by him, and protect him while he goes on his way. Kirito is more than just a brightly shining meteor that quickly fades away. His strength is something constant, something she knows she can depend on. Kirito could do what she could not. Not only was he infinitely stronger than her in many ways, he managed to remain reckless and free.

[likemother]

PROJECTED CLASS:

WARRIOR → PALADDIN

Seeing that Seven Titans is one of the most, if not the most known guild, she’ll naturally want to go see it first. Even though she’ll be hesitant about joining, the Scarlett Dragons are too similar to The Military in Aincrad, and none of the others appeal to her personally, she’ll ultimately join the Seven Titans. Seeing as you can use magic here, she’ll quickly want to learn how to use healing magic, in order to support her comrades and not let anyone die, but she’ll want to fight as well, so Paladdin seems like the right choice.

SAMPLES

FIRST PERSON SAMPLE:

Hello, my name is [ A beat. ] Asuna.

Is anyone here from Aincrad? [ For some reason, she feels the need to verify this, even if they should be. Everything is just too different. ] I don’t know if this is a special event or some sort, but there have been no rumours and I’ve never seen anything like it.

[ Then again, wouldn’t it be impossible for someone to report this if they got stuck here... ]

This object is also different, as far as I’m concerned, the user menu didn’t have this function. [ She trails off for a moment, panic setting in, although it’s not too visible. Who wouldn’t be shaken by something like this though? ]

Anyways, if anyone is kind enough to share whatever information they have, it’s appreciated.

THIRD PERSON SAMPLE

It shouldn’t be natural for a regular human being of a regular human world to know how to use a sword in this manner. Like a character directly out of an RPG, her movements are fluid and natural, as if she was born for this sort of dance, as if she had done so all of her life. From her stance to the slight twist in her wrist, it was all precise and perfect.

It’s only natural. This is the second time she’s had to hold onto an unfamiliar weapon. Except this time she’s not blinded by despair and has knowledge and experience. Fighting is a reflex instead of something she saw in movies and video game jargon is part of her everyday vocabulary. There’s no screaming and crying, only a stronger determination to escape.

Ah, but, there’s an undeniable sense of disappointment. How many more times is she going to go through this? She probably doesn’t have that much time, definitely not an entire year more to waste in a fictional land. So, why was fate being so cruel to her? She’s worked so hard, done so much, risen up to the challenge and fought for her escape-- Why did she have to be sent to another place, having to start from scratch again?!

“It was a great raid! We couldn’t have done it without you, Asuna ~”

“We should go train soon. There are some of you who are too sloppy.” The reply is curt, serious. There was nothing to be pleased about. Going there didn’t get them closer to finding a way to escape, nor did it level them up. Honestly? It was necesary, but there were other, more productive ways they could have achieved their goal.

It’s like they didn’t care about going back home.

Was she really the only one who thought of leaving?

[powergamer]

REVISIONSYour application is almost good to go! But before we accept it, we want to see the following:

» We would like to see a slightly expanded personality section. While we feel the provided personality section touches on the main points of Asuna's character, we would like to see a concise description to how she reacts to people, her environment, etc., since some of this was lost or unclear in having her history incorporated into this section.
» We would like to see an alternate first person sample, since we don't feel like we can gauge the character's voice well in the sample provided. You may submit a linked post or thread, or write a new one out.

You have 5 days to reply with your revisions.

[devilfine]

Can you be a bit more specific on what you specifically want to see when you ask for how she reacted to her environment? I believe I wrote how she reacted and coped with Aincrad was quite clearly. I don't mind writing something up, but I'm a bit confused on this.

[powergamer]

We apologize for the confusion! What we would like to see is a more concise explanation of Asuna's personality traits in general without the history behind them. It is good to have canon support for these traits, but we do not get a clear idea of Asuna's character with her history mixed into this section.