SO YOU WANT TO APPLY A CHARACTER AT MISCHIEF MANAGED?

Awesome! Our ALOs (Acceptance Letter Owls) look forward to your application! Keep in mind, however, that the better your character is developed, the better chance you have of being accepted. While the application process might seem intimidating, it’s only in place to keep the roleplay calibre of Mischief Managed high. We strive to be the most canon Harry Potter®-themed roleplay in Second Life®, and that means we have to make sure every roleplayer understands and follows the guidelines we have set for the sim. Here are some things to consider and help you create that perfect character for your roleplay.

CHARACTER RULES

We do have some basic rules here at Mischief Managed with regards to your character. These are to ensure a realistic roleplay for all involved.

• No special abilities. No, you cannot be a werewolf, vampire, Veela, half-giant, etc. when you apply. There ARE Special Ability spots you can apply for, but you must be an accepted roleplayer before you can apply for these. To see what Special Abilities are available, click here.
• Choose normal hair/eye colors/appearance. If everyone has yellow/red/violet/checkerboard eyes, we have an unrealistic roleplay full of people competing for the Most Unique Character Award. Please, do keep it realistic. We will deny your application if you put ridiculous colors/appearances in your application. Things like scars, deformities, etc. can be applied for, but if we have too many characters on sim with such traits we reserve the right to deny that trait to your character. Realism is, once again, key here.
• No canon characters. We do not accept any applications with reference to canon characters or personalities exactly like canon characters. If your dad knows Harry Potter, or your personality sounds exactly like a young Voldemort, we will deny your application. No character from the Harry Potter books or films can appear anywhere in your application or you will skip Pending and go straight to Denied. No exceptions. This also applies to characters from other things, like film or literature. No, you cannot be Gandalf. Not even if you change the name.

HOW TO CREATE A GOOD CHARACTER

This isn’t what you might expect. No, we do not mean a well-behaved character. Rather, how does one create a character that’s fun to roleplay, both for the roleplayer and for those with whom the roleplayer interacts? Here are some tips we’ve collected that, when considered with your character development, often lead to a fun and entertaining character and experience on sim.

WHERE DO I START?

This is a very good question. There’s a lot to be considered when creating your character – from personal goals to skills to whether or not he or she has freckles. When creating a character, it’s best to start from the inside and work your way out. Ask yourself these questions:

• Why does my character do what he or she does? What makes him or her tick? Figuring out what’s deep inside your character, what drives them each and every day, is the first thing you should do. Get to know your character as in-depth as you can.
• Where has my character been? What’s your character’s past? Who are his or her parents? Family? Neighbors? Pets? What was their childhood like? How did they first use magic? What are the factors in your character’s life that impact them on a daily basis? This can help dictate what lessons and traits your character has learned and developed through his or her life until this point. Do be careful to avoid cliché backstories — they’re just no fun.
• Where does my character want to go? Figure out his or her goals in life, in class, in relationships, etc. Knowing where you character wishes to end up makes it much easier to figure out how they want to get there – and to roleplay them doing it.
• What are my character’s flaws? Good, engaging characters have flaws. They have weaknesses. Vices. Defining some for your character makes them more realistic and easier for both you and others to roleplay. If your character has nowhere else to go because they’ve achieved it all, can do it all – what is left for you to roleplay?

Once you decide on these factors, you’ve pretty much made your character. All that’s left is deciding age, appearance and House, and even then, whatever personality and traits you’ve already decided upon can be used to guide your House choice.

APPLYING TO ROLEPLAY AT MM

Now that you’ve created your character’s base, it’s time to apply for acceptance at Mischief Managed! Fill out the application to the best of your ability, and make sure you read our Roleplay Etiquette Guide, IC Rules, and OOC Rules. Let’s break down the student application as an example.

1. The Basics. This is basic, OOC information about you and your SL account.
2. About Your Student. This is basic, IC information about your character. Remember that we follow canon, so all First Years must be 11/12, only canon-mentioned wand cores can be used, etc. Remember: To attend Hogwarts, your student’s Hometown MUST be in the UK – otherwise they would attend a wizarding school in their home nation. Because canon does not mention any transfers to Hogwarts, we do not accept them at Mischief Managed. With regards to Blood Status, please note that only students who have two Pureblood parents can be Pureblood. Even if both parents were magical, unless they’re both Purebloods themselves, the most your character can be is Half-blood. Purebloods were rare during Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts, and after the war, it’s even rarer. Most witches and wizards would be either Half-blood or Muggle Born twenty years later. Unsure what your character’s wand would be like? Pottermore’s Wiki has great guides on what traits J.K. Rowling has attributed to the various wand woods, wand cores, and the wand’s length & flexibility.
3. Your Character’s Backstory. This is where you tell your character’s story leading up to their attendance at Hogwarts. Be as detailed as you wish – the more you include, the more you’ll understand your character, and the easier and more rewarding the roleplay will be. Some things that we suggest you include are information on your character’s parents, the household in which they grew up, other family members, pets, adventures, how they first used magic… the list is endless!
4. Roleplay Example. This is where we gauge your skill and experience in roleplay. We do not require applicants to have extensive experience in RPG-style roleplay before applying, and our ALOs love to help applicants learn. This is just to see how much you know, and how we can help you get the most out of roleplaying at Mischief Managed. MM does not discriminate on RP styles — whether you post one-liners or multiple paragraphs, your RP style is welcome here! We do just require that the roleplay make sense. It needs to be in fluent English, and apply to the situation at hand. If it meets these criteria, you’re good to go! If you’d like help with your roleplay skills before or after applying, our ALOs love to help – just contact one on our ALO wall at the Landing Point for tips! We also hold regular Roleplay Classes on sim, and both veteran and newbie roleplayers attend! Applicants are welcome, as we hold these classes on the Landing Point’s parcel, so the classes can be held on days other than Monday and anyone can still attend.
5. Uniform and Rules. In order to make sure we know you’ve read our Dresscode and and IC Rules, we require you to submit a photo of your character. Your character must be in full uniform according to our Dresscode. Here is a good and a bad example of a shot to send:

This is a good example. It’s a full body shot, in uniform, with a normal appearance.

This is a bad example. Not in uniform! Tsk tsk.

We hope this guide helps you in your roleplay, whether you’ve never RP’d before in your life, or you’ve done it for years. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact an ALO or an Admin!