Chaîne du Malheur

writer directory.

• General Guidelines
• Art Statement Guide
• Chaîne in-depth

Character directory.

• Character Creation
• Skill Point Allocation
• Sta.sh resources

❖ Name:
❖ Gender: [ include pronouns ]
❖ Age:
❖ Birthday: [ optional — but I want it ]
❖ Occupation: [ Unemployed / Student OK! ]

❖ Boon: [ A talent or skill that is unique to your OC. Pick 1-3. You have 5 points to distribute between them.]
❖ Bane: [ Something that challenges your OC. This can be anything from dyslexia to arthritis to asthma. Pick 1-3. You have 5 points to distribute between them. ]

[ NOTE: your OC may have a special boon or bane for the cost of 4-5 points. This must be discussed with me first. ]

❖ Trivia: [ REQUIRED ]
— Height [ please list in both cm and ft. ]
— Build [ weight optional. list in both lbs and kg. ]
— Handedness [ Left-handed, Right-handed, or
Ambidextrous ]

[ OPTIONAL ] (...but encouraged)
— Ethnic background
— Nationality
— Hobbies
— Fashion style
— Signature scent
— Voice [ written description. voiceclaim. accent. ]
— Moodboard
— Likes & dislikes
— Whatever else you want to add !

❖ Skill Point Allocation [ REQUIRED ]
— [ Allocation Guide ]

❖ RP Details: [ REQUIRED ]
[ mun name, preferred formats, writing style, etc. ]

History:
[ While this portion of your app may be as long or as brief as you’d like it to be, it must be comprehensive. Locked/hidden backstories are allowed and welcome, but all of that information needs to be sent to me as well with your app.
You may write this however you’d like—an autobiography, letters, journal entries, etc.

If you choose to write pages and pages of history, please do include a tl;dr somewhere as well. ]

❖

Personality:
[ Like the history portion above, feel free to write this however you’d like—testimonials, interview format, plain description, etc. Any locked or hidden information needs to be sent to me of course, but you may hide whatever else to your heart’s content.

If you would like to include a list of positive, negative, and neutral traits, do be my guest, but know that it is not a requirement. ]

❖

Sensitive Content?:
[ This does not need to be included in your app, but doing so may help your fellow members get to know your boundaries better. It is required that you DM either EIRA or the ADMIN ACCOUNT about anything you would rather not see come up at all, or content that you would like warnings for in advance. This is ONLY so I can be aware of what to avoid and consider when planning story events and storylines. Do be explicit if you can, and if you do not want to explain to me why you have chosen these things, just let me know, and I will not ask. ]

❖ Agility. ❖
This is your character’s general measure of speed and dexterity. Consider how good your character is with their hands—how nimble they are—how sure-footed they are. If your character is a dancer or an athlete, they will likely have a high agility stat. that reflects it.
Application:
This may be shown in your character’s proficiency with climbing, (out)running, dodging, speed, and mobility. This stat will affect your ability to quickly memorize and mimic actions focused in hand-eye-coordination, and it will also affect your ability to acquire and reacquire muscle memory.

❖ Strength. ❖
Your character’s physical strength. This is a very straightforward stat. Consider how much your character can lift—now how long can they hold it? Can your character carry a lot? Can your character bear the weight of another person?
Application:
Overall straightforward application. Macgyver-style characters may benefit when this stat is high. This stat will be used to lift things: other people, doors, debris, traps—and this will also be used when your character blocks or disperses damage.

❖ Vitality. ❖
Your character’s overall hardiness and stamina. Consider how good your character’s health is—how resistant are they to the common cold? This will not only determine how—or how long your character reacts to ailments cast upon them, but it will also reflect how much damage your character will be able to sustain before they fall.
Application:
This will act as your character’s HP. Currently, there will be no character deaths until such is unlocked later in the story. If your character’s HP reaches 0, your character either fall unconscious or be incapacitated in a way that no longer allows the ability to continue acting in an encounter.


❖ ❖ ❖

❖ Intelligence. ❖
Your character’s ability to perceive, analyze, process and deduce. Using the common cold example from above: how likely is your character to try and reduce their risk of catching the common cold? Is your OC a proper planner who implements learned preventative measures, or do they prefer to improvise while on the go?
Application:
This will dictate how much knowledge you can obtain through trips to the library and [spoiler]. Characters with high intelligence stats will “retain” three pieces of information during their trip—moderate levels will offer two—low levels will result in one. When characters are faced with a puzzle or a riddle in-character as the story progresses, a high intelligence stat will allow for out-of-character hints that will be offered at the same rate as that of “retained information.“ A high intelligence stat is considered 14+, a moderate intelligence stat would be between 7-13, and a low intelligence stat would be considered 0-6. Macgyver style characters may benefit from a higher variant of this stat as well.

❖ Fortitude. ❖
Your character’s mental resilience, and the strength of their commitment. Consider what your OC’s goals are—how determined are they to see that they are fulfilled? How resistant to adversity and failure is your OC? How quickly does your OC bounce back from disappointment?
Application:
This dictates your resistance to mental ailments and mental debuffs. This acts as your psychic damage health bar—when this reaches 0, your vitality will begin to take hits when your character takes psychological damage.

❖ Composure. ❖
This measures your character’s confidence, self-control, and how your OC reacts to their surroundings. Consider how your OC reacts during emergencies. How do they fare in stressful social situations? This contributes to your character’s ability to reassure and manipulate others—people who make for effective leaders will typically have a high composure stat.
Application:
Composure acts as defence for Fortitude just as Strength acts as defence for Vitality. A high composure stat allows a character to “perform at their best” for an extended period of time. The longer an encounter goes, the more of a mental toll will be taken by your character. When one’s composure is considerably higher than the effects of a psychological attack, a character may be immune to damage or resistant to the lasting effects caused by an attack.

Hotels.
The paid-lodging establishments in Chaîne range from small and modest to commercial and luxurious. The two most influential establishments have rivalled each other equally for several years in Chaîne. l'Hémérocalle is a glamorous hotel chain that claims dominance over several major cities in France. It is highly favoured by French-speaking tourists, and French-speaking businesspeople almost exclusively stick to this chain. English-speaking tourists, and foreign visitors of Chaîne will often opt to stay at the Tipton Rose—an English establishment that accommodates to tourists while promising an immersive experience to all who stay with them.

Cafés.
An abundance of cafés litter the streets of Chaîne. It seems the locals like their coffee.

Some of the cafés in Chaîne offer exclusive treats in order to help them stand out. Among the basics such as croissants, muffins, and cookies, visitors may happen upon a store selling Belgian waffles, or authentic Dutch caramel stroopwafels.

Fashion District.
Several boutiques, designer brand shops, Flagship fragrance stores, Cosmetics, and designer wedding dresses can be found among city's famous fashion district.

The designer shops tend to be manned by handsome yet imposing designer bodyguards.

Bakery.
The smell of fresh baking fills the air like a siren's call, coaxing the weak-willed into the clutches of the city's gluten overlord.

Antique Dealers.
A little shop of curiosities. The exterior of the establishment looks just about as peculiar as the trinkets the owner sells.

Floristry Shoppe.
While there are several small floristry establishments across the city of Chaîne, the most prominent of them all seems to be one located in the centre for Chaîne shopping district.

The shop is located along the corner of a lively side-street branching off a road leading to Town Square. The building stands out due to its tidy ivory exterior and eye-catching green awning. The building is constructed from engraved wood painted a refreshing white, and large windows along the storefront allow for natural light to brighten the interior. The fragrance of pollen, fresh-cut flowers, and earth draws forth the attention of both new and returning patrons.

A large blackboard hanging off of the wall inside the building lists in white chalk exclusive offers, sales, new arrivals and restock notices.

A small table and a set of chairs have been set up by the window for customers to sit while they wait and enjoy a complimentary cup of tea with cookies.

Photography Studio.
A popular and well-known establishment based in Chaîne, France. Photographs may be taken in-studio, developed, printed, and/or duplicated by the photographers staffing the establishment.

Further into the building is a darkrooms, space for storage, a display room, and an area set aside to have photographs taken.

Photographers may be commissioned, and have a close working relationship with the Chaîne Wedding Studio just across the street.

Supermarket.
Your trusty local supermarket. Boasts a convenient location in the city of Chaîne, and has a wide variety of goods available for purchase.

Farmers' Market.
An outdoor marketplace consisting of booths and stalls with overhanging awnings are set up by the farmers of Chaîne. The farmers' market is available for a brief period of time every season and is set up in the centre of Chaîne's Town Square.

Fresh produce, fruit and vegetables are available for purchase. On occasion, merchants may sell baked goods, butter, jams, artwork, jewelry, clothing, teas, or artisan chocolate.

Restaurants.
Restaurants can be found all over Chaîne. Many of the restaurants in town openly boast the fact that they are one-of-a-kind and use only fresh, local produce. Most of the cuisine available at dine-in restaurants is either French, Italian, Belgian, or English.

Hospital.
Chaîne's main hospital. It is well-funded and has a good reputation.

Cathedral.
There is a large, ornate cathedral in the main area of the city. Whether you are religious or not, it is very hard to deny how beautiful it is in just structure alone.

The cathedral was built under Roman Catholic influence.

Bookstores.
Small and humble bookstores can be found scattered around Chaîne. Many of the owners are on good terms with each other, so if you are looking for a certain book, they will more likely than not be willing to help you find it.

The bookstores vary both in size and stock. Several bookstores are several stories tall with wooden staircases leading up, down, or both. Many offer seating areas for regular visitors, and several of the bookstores sport cozy little window seats.

Library.
A large, iconic library. It is well maintained and a popular spot to visit for both tourists and locals alike. The building is decorated with meticulously maintained hanging baskets featuring seasonal flowers of attractive and eye-catching colours. It is said that one can find rare books here in la Bibliothèque de la Chaîne.

Gift Shoppe.
An obvious tourist trap, but it'll do the trick in a pinch. Useless garbage decorated with the symbols of Northern France can be bought at this shop. Why would anyone want any of this? Send these 2-for-1 keychains to the person that you hate the most.

Post Office.
Just outside the Post Office itself is an iconic red post box for letters that have already been stamped and addressed.

Stationary Store.
A standard stationary store with friendly, multi-lingual staff. Postcards, patterned wrapping paper, jute rope and collectible postage stamps are available for purchase.

Theatre.
A large, luxurious, multipurpose theatre. Performances of all types are held throughout the year at the Theatre of Chaîne. The building itself is a cherished and well-preserved by the French, as the Theatre of Chaîne is seen as a relic of history, easily showing its historical origins in its Baroque-style build.

Cinema.
Neighbours the Theatre of Chaîne. Yet another Baroque-styled building that has been loved and preserved all throughout the years.

Apothecary.
A rustic and yet quaint little apothecary tucked inconspicuously between the busier areas of Chaîne's shopping district. Dried herbs litter the building, perfuming the inside and its doorstep with a pleasantly medicinal fragrance. The building's interior resembles that of a charming European farmhouse. Wooden cabinets are meticulously labelled and inside they are lined with a variety of tools and instruments for preparing medicinal herbs for use. Scales, jars, twine, and mortar-pestle sets can be found scattered across countertops when not in use.

There is a door in the back that leads into a mudroom and a garden. Visitors of the Chaîne apothecary may learn that certain parts of the building itself has been swallowed by an ancient tree growing strong in the back garden. Regulars of the establishment may be able to point out where treebranches have begun to reclaim its space within the shop.

Police Station.
A two-story brick building connected to a drive-in garage with enough room for three cars. Upon entering, visitors will be met by a flat wooden counter manned by rotating receptionists and bookkeepers. Behind them is shelving.

Further into the station are private interrogation rooms, a communication room with a radio, three simple holding cells, and a couple of meeting rooms. There is a staff room equipped with all of the latest technology—a small television, a microwave, an electric kettle, and one small stove.

Most of the locals are familiar with the members of the police squad. There are rumours that new members are encouraged to participate in some sort of ritual as a rite of passage upon being hired. No one outside the squad seems to know what this is.

Townhouses.
Multi-floor homes that share one-to-two walls with adjacent buildings often identical, or mirrored in structure. All homes have their own entrances and most are distinguishable by their attractive, alternating colours. Most townhouses are located in the suburban regions of the city, but some units may be found further into the urbanized regions of Chaîne.

Homes.
Similar in concept to a townhouse, but homeowners have additional land surrounding the building they reside in. Many homes have gardens and homeowners often install fences to ensure some additional privacy.

Mansions.
Few and far in-between. Mansions can be found within Chaîne's borders, but they are often located in private and secluded estates.

Cabins.
Most of the cabins in Chaîne are owned by people who do not live within the city. Cabins are often bought by people who own homes elsewhere, but want to own additional property to use or rent out over the holidays.

Most cabins are located along the edges of lakes or beaches.

Cottages.
Cottages can be found along the borders of Chaîne's residential and rural regions. While they are small, and often only single-story buildings, they are for the most part equipped with indoor-plumbing, electrical lighting, stoves and refrigerators.

Many cottages are owned by people or families who do not live in Chaîne.

Vineyard.
The only vineyard in Chaîne. It is owned by Glacies Iordanescu-Lavigne and her late husband, Jean-Pierre Lavigne.

Orchard.
An orchard that produces various different fruit throughout the year neighbours the Iordanescu-Lavigne vineyard. This property also belongs to Glacies.

Farmland.
Several plots of farmland support the livelihood of Chaîne and all of its residents. The farmhouses along the rural area of Chaîne are often affectionately referred to as
les vertèbres as they are universally seen as the vital backbone to Chaîne's prosperity.

Apiary.
Located next to several plots of Chaîne's farmland. The apiary overlooks the region's rolling hills.

It is common knowledge among locals of the city that the thriving crop and the wildflower-covered hills of Chaîne are mostly due to the hard work of the apiary's honeybees.

Beach.
Sandy beaches line the boundaries between land and sea. Certain beaches are deemed safe and open for tourists to visit and swim along. Local dairy farmers like to sell ice-cream and gelato along the beachside during the Spring and Summer. Bonfires and concerts are sometimes held along the beach on the colder nights of Fall and Winter.

Lighthouse.
An old lighthouse made of brick that overlooks the sea. At its base, the lighthouse building is a dark, rust red. From the middle upwards, it is an off-white. The top of the lighthouse is a rust red that matches the base. It sits upon a jagged cliffside that meets with the roughest waves of the sea.

At the top of a long, winding staircase is the entrance to the lighthouse's viewing deck. From there, visitors will have a clear view of the incredible sights of Chaîne, and the sea beyond.

Rolling Hills.
Speckled with colourful wildflowers all throughout the year. No one will notice if you go out and snag some, so go ahead and grab some to give to your lover of the day. A hay-fever-haver's living nightmare.

Forest Path.
Dirt roads and trodden paths. It isn't at all uncommon to come across wild animals whilst on a walk through the forest. Birdsong can be heard most prominently at dawn and at dusk. Deer are often spotted between the trees, and rabbits can often be spotted eating clovers along the forest's edge.

Le Lac d'Argent.
A large lake that is home to several types of fish. Freezes in the winter, and is large enough to be used for both skating lessons, and ice hockey simultaneously.

Greenhouse.
Placed near some of the plots of farmland. It is close enough to the train station that the loading of exports is relatively quick and easy.

The greenhouse produces vegetables, some fruit, flowers, and tree saplings.

European Space Association (ESA) Base.
Placed atop one of Chaîne's many hills. The property is heavily guarded and security is tight.

Train Station.
Located right at the border of Chaîne and its neighbouring city. The train runs from Chaîne, and travels all the way down to central France.

Normally, this train is expected to stop by early every single morning. Many of the local farmers know the conductor of the train by a first name basis.

The Climate of Chaîne.
Chaîne's climate will mimic the climate expected of a coastal city in Nord-Pas-de-Calais (Northern France). Weather patterns will be like the weather expected in a city like Calais.

Weather Patterns in Chaîne.
The weather in Chaîne will be generally cool, wet, rainy, and windy all year round—especially so in Fall and Winter. Locals of Chaîne will expect an abundance of rain in the winter. Rarely does it get cold enough to freeze.

Temperatures in Chaîne.
Average temperature range from 3.5 °C (38 °F) in January to 18.5 °C (65 °F) in July, and 745 mm (29 in) is expected of rain fall each year.

Local Fauna.
Chaîne was built upon a unique environment that is home to several strange critters that have over time come to be a symbol of the city.

❖ La Colombe Dorée.
The Chaîne Dove is a uniquely patterned fancy pigeon. The pattern of this pigeon's wings seems to occur only on pigeons that reside in Chaîne. The markings in their plumage is always the same general shape, but their colours can vary between shades of light yellow to shades of very dark grey. These pigeons have been known to frolic in rainy weather—a trait that is unique to this variation of pigeon.

Weddings in Chaîne often incorporate the image of the Chaîne dove for luck and good-wishes for the union.

Local Flora.
[Coming Soon]

History.
The city of Chaîne played a relevant role during Second World War as a battleground city and a place of refuge. Those living in Chaîne that were old enough to remember what it was like to live through a war at the time will have memories of the state of the city at the time of conflict. There is a graveyard within the city where the soldiers who had fallen during the war now rest. On the 11th of November, a memorial is held in the town square to honour the sacrifices of those who were unable to return to their families following the conclusion of the war. Veterans are invited to attend and participate in the memorial, and oftentimes they will voluntarily step up to speak to the bravery and noble acts of the ones who never made it home.

Religion in Chaîne.
There are several religious buildings within the city of Chaîne. These range from small churches to massive and ornate cathedrals. Architecture enthusiasts travel great lengths to see the cast-iron stained-glass window frames in person.

Smaller places of worship exist within Chaîne for groups of those who practice a religion outside of Chaîne's norm. They are far and few in-between.

Roman Catholicism is the most prominent practiced religion in Chaîne.