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A Guide to Passing Review

Resources for creating a character, including character tie requests, art requests, and adoptables.
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A Guide to Passing Review

To clarify what we tend to look for in profiles, this is a guide on backstory elements that we tend to look more closely at and may ask you to remove. We are not banning these traits, they are simply things we give extra scrutiny.

We don’t ask that you never write them. We ask that you ask yourself “Why __?” and “Do I really need it?” before going crazy with the backstory. Ask staff if you’re not sure and we’re happy to let you know if it works or how you can fix it. And remember this is all happening off-screen. You’re trying to create an interesting, logically consistent character, not trying to compete for the most dramatic history.

Look at the examples below the relevant topic to see how the trope can be used and in what circumstances and to what degree we'd okay it.

And note that this really applies to anything unusual or upsetting in the backstory even if it's not listed here. For instance, everyone hated your character? These things rarely happen without a reason; why did it happen? If there isn't actually any in-universe reason, then why wasn't there one? We're not going to say that unusual or interesting events can't happen in histories, but that they need to be explained, whether in character or not.

Gratuitous trauma: Trauma in backstories is absolutely allowed but we ask it be kept within reason. There should be a coherent narrative and we prefer if the number of deeply traumatic events be limited to one or two core ones, especially for candidates. Riders and older characters have a bit more leeway on this as threadfall, hatching injuries and war trauma happen, but again- please limit the childhood tragedies.
Examples: Mishima (appropriate level for most characters), Alayna (maximum we’d allow and definitely requires special permission), J’vel, Elyron

Abuse: Keep in mind that Pern is a communal society. A kid who is badly abused by their parents or guardians will be moved to the creche or foster parents and no kid is going to end up entirely on their own. This goes especially for Weyrs and major Holds, where the actions of parents are not going to go unnoticed; there’s more leeway at minor settlements and cotholds.
Examples: Xander, Anani

Holdless: The only homeless in Pernese society are the holdless: criminals who were banished, refugees who didn’t find somewhere to go, and their descendents. You can write holdless characters but they will most likely NOT be spending a lot of time in holds as they are very much unwelcome.
Examples: Tam, Ly’nk

Blooded families: Ask yourself the question “Why must it be __ Hold and not a minor hold in the same area?” If there isn’t a good answer to this question, the answer is no. For the most part, being the Blood of a major hold is a trait reserved for characters involved in site plots. Once there’s one character in a family, it sets canon for all of them and limits what they can do plotwise in the future, hence why staff asks that you please think twice before doing this. Let staff know what you’re doing and why it matters before you start your profile and we’ll give you a verdict. And remember that most “noble” characters work just fine with a minor hold.
Examples: Lelou, Toro

Disabled Characters: We do allow disabled candidates but they need to be able to handle the physical and mental rigors of being a rider. All candidates must be deemed fit to enter the wings. Dragons do not exist simply to be pets or companions- they have an important job to do and candidates must not be a hindrance to them fulfilling their duty. Suicidal candidates will not be accepted. Accidents do happen to riders through their threadfighting career. Riders who are seriously injured may have to retire or move to the healer's wing if they are unable to adapt well enough not to be a danger to themselves and others. Keep in mind that in many cases it's not just the actual injury but how well they handle it although there are disabilities that are too severe to be fully compensated for.
Examples: Toph (an active handler), Ariel (a rider who's been retired due to injury)

Healers: The exception to the above is Healers, who often do continue their healing while serving in the Healer’s wing, but Healing is a craft that takes an exceptional amount of study and focus. They are Pern’s equivalent of doctors and should be written accordingly. Not everyone is suited to being a Healer. Being a good Healer takes a certain intellect, determination and an ability to deal with trauma in a healthy way. Healers tend to both start their craft and advance at older ages. It’s a vocation and not something a candidate does simply as a back up plan.

Riders still cannot be masterhealers. Journeyman level is plenty for the work they do and they do not generally have the time to attain mastery.
Examples: Beliana, Ya'ra

Bronze/garnet/whiteriders: If you are writing a character who rides a “special” color, staff is going to be stricter on what else we allow that character to have. We really don’t want people piling all the unusual things on one character. It’s a judgment call but in general your new rider should have at most one thing besides the color of their dragon that is exceptional. Note that this does not apply to on-screen Impressions; regardless of what the history is, your candidate can still Impress anything.
Example: Noor, Tuckal

Non-standard Impression in backstory: Your character can be a stands Impression but we ask that it’s used conservatively. As with most of the rest of these, staff will ask and wants you to ask yourself “Why did this have to be here? Is there a good reason they COULDN’T just be a candidate?” Hatched adoptables must Impress in the same way they did the first time (stands impressions stay stands impressions, dragons who Impressed to candidates still did). Don’t try to backdoor this with a character accidentally on the sands. Most riders should have gone through candidacy and stood the normal way.
Examples: Rigel, L’ir

Murder/Other Serious Crimes: Pern is a society with harsh punishment for criminals, namely holdlessness. We do allow characters to have committed crimes including murder but it’s something that will be more strictly scrutinized, and we ask that so grave a crime also only be used when necessary.
Examples: Majima, Faralyn

Expies: We love expies here and have a lot of them. But Pern and TPA Pern are not identical to their home canon and their backstories should change accordingly. This also applies to characters from other sites. Chances are, the backstory needs substantial changes to fit our canon and if it doesn’t match the source material? That’s okay, and is in fact preferred. One thing to keep in mind is that an expy is not going to be the Protagonist on TPA, and will need their backstory to reflect that. Some characters may be especially hard to fit TPA so please think through who you're adapting and how you're going to do it.
Examples: Z'kon of Bronze Gottmitunth, Jarjar
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
Steward Molly
Athan
Tarva
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