Opal Realms Primer

[Nero Zhir]

Opal Realms Primer

This thread serves as an introductory point for the Opal Realms and aims to answer some initial questions. This thread is more of a primer as opposed to a walkthrough or a guide. Disclaimer: This thread will likely not answer every question that everyone has about these new settings, if there are questions not answered here, please reach out to a member of the DoF Staff (we’ll respond as soon as we’re able) and if the same question comes up repeatedly, may add it to this thread or a future FAQ!

Opal Realms

What are the Opal Realms?
The In-Character answer is…it’s up to us as a community to flesh them out! Out of Character, the Opal Realms are new settings that are being introduced into the Duel of Fists to help address the main concerns raised in feedback from our player survey.

Why are Opal Realms the chosen way to address that feedback?
Based on the survey and additional discussions with some of you, it became clear that players are having difficulty engaging with the opals (in part, due to their long history), are reluctant to add to Opal lore and are unsure as to whether they can/should add to the rich history of the gems. Our intent is that the Opal Realms will bridge those gaps and offer each of you a doorway into writing and playing with the opals.

How will they function?
The Opal Reams offer new roleplay and writing opportunities. Their identities and qualities are unique in setting, aesthetic and – potentially – story implications. A small list of what the Opal Realms offer includes: broad story avenues for players to create their own path with the Opals, opportunities for intersecting stories (new/new, new/old, old/old), physical manifestations of the past [allowing characters to relive the experiences of prior opal holders & learn (in-character) more about former stories/holders]. The Opal Reams are also an opportunity for players to tap into the Opals’ new powers launched during the The Metamorphism storyline.

Where will they exist?
In-character, this answer may change from character to character. One character may find an entryway deep within the forest, another might find their favorite spot in Seaside leads to an Opal Realm, and some might not know how they were transported there. Out of Character, the Opal Realms can be explored/written about on the forums and in live-play. At this time, there are no plans to create Discord rooms for the Opal Realms.

What if I'm not interested in Opal Realms at all? Do I have to write or play with them?
The short answer is: no. There is no requirement or mandate for you as the player of a current/former/never-had-one Opal holder to include the Opal Realms in your stories, or even give your character access to them. The Opals Realms are an option for storytelling and role-play that, like so many other things in Rings of Discord, can be utilized (or not) at each player’s discretion.

Can only Opals write in the Opal Realms?
The Opal Realms are open for all players and characters to write about/play with, effective immediately.

I want to write/play but I don't know where to start! What do I do?
One of the reasons we created the Opal Realms is to create a space that reflects the nature of the Opals and inspires your creativity. In character, every player will have the choice of how (or if!) their character enters an Opal Realm. It is up to each player and their story to determine those specifics. We hope that the Opal Realms are part of the solution to the “I’m unsure about how to engage with the opals” concern expressed by several players in the feedback survey.

How much freedom will I have in the Opal Realms?
Our expectation is that players treat the Opal Realms like any other community setting. The Opal Realms, like the Rhydin city districts, are wide in scope. How you play your character and their story within the settings is entirely up to you; where they explore and what they find is also entirely up to you. Our intent with the Opal Realm descriptions was to provide a general setting without being too specific or too limiting in what those settings entail. Think of the descriptions as a skeleton; through your play and your writing, you have the opportunity to build the muscles and sinew that makes them more than words on a page.