Epic and AU FAQ

[Kainus Maximus]

Epic and AU Character Guidelines.

This section is for the storing and submitting of Epic and AU characters. In order to understand how to use this section, lets go over a few basic guidelines.

Q: What is AU?

A: AU stands for Alternate Universe. An Alternate Universe character is considered to be a standard character, however with a different upbringing, event, feature, or possibly anything different about the character that does not go in line with the canon source. For example. Star Peacefire is considered to be the canon character, while Satoro Peacefire, a male version of Star Peacefire, would be considered to be an Alternate Universe character, where the character is male instead of female. Another example, is Evil Star Peacefire, who is simply an evil version of the canon Star Peacefire, who is of the good alignment.

Q: What is Canon?

A: Canon is a term used to describe material that follows the original concepts and guidelines set up in creating a character. Characters that are canon are the most commonly used form, or the form that is generally seen in the public eye, canon in essence, is the base of a character, while AU is what is changed or added onto the base.

Q: What is Epic?

A: Epic is a term to describe a character who is still considered in the canon, however time has passed, and they are now older, and more (or less) powerful and wise. They are still considered to be the same characters, but in the future one could say.

Q: Can a character be AU and Epic?

A: Yes, this would simply be considered an epic version, of a canon character.

[Giant Brother]

So, we have to move our Epic and AU characters here? Alright, this is gonna take some heavy cleaning. Once we have moved all of our guys, do we delete them from the other character board?

[Kainus Maximus]

Yes, it would be appreciated

If you wish, you can send me the list of the characters you want moved, and I will do all the work fo you... then again, I think only the three admins have the power to move, so it wont matter anyway.

[Giant Brother]

Ah, yes. That'd be nice, thank you. One of them I can move, it's one post in a larger thread. The others I'd appreciate you moving. I'll send you the links.

[Teh Donut]

Yes, that's the original meaning of canon. However, a "canon" is also a basis for judgement, such as a standard. (American Heritage Dictionary, 3b) Thus, when we're speaking about AU and epic characters, we can call the original character the "canon", or the character by which all other variations are considered AU, because that character is the original, the standard, the canon.

I can't really answer the second, but I'd have to say yes.

[The Silent Orator]

If one of my characters dies and was reincarnated, would the reincarnation count as an epic character, or just another character entirely?

[Ninmast]

It would depend how much of the former character was still represented in the new one.

Mya Rhegalls, for instance, is a reincarnated Evil Star Peacefire, but her past has so little impact on her as a character, she can safely be treated as a separate character. She has absolutely nothing in common with the other Star versions.

Now, if she had some memory of it, or still shared their mission as the Chosen One, or just in general had something in common with them other than inconsequential lineage, then she would be an AU/Epic character.

[Giant Brother]

Hey, is that character on the boards? Because she's not on the registry, and if there's a missing character, I want to know about it.

To stay on topic, though... Wasn't there a debate on how big of a change a character has to go through to be considered AU?

[Ninmast]

No, I don't believe I reposted her. I still have it on file, it's just not up on the forums.

And yeah, there was. I believe the decision was that it had to be enough to make a definite difference in the character overall. Ice cream was used as an example. Unless the ice cream preference of the character actually made a difference (one being identified as a demon because he likes Rocky Road and the other being identified as an angel because he likes vanilla, because they otherwise look identical), then it's not enough to be considered an AU difference.