Thread Awards

Whenever a thread is completed, it is to be submitted to a local moderator for an award. There are several components of a thread award, including skill points, writing points, item and credit awards, reputation bonuses, and injury reports.

For more information, see The Points System.

Skill Points
In the thread award, a moderator can award a character up to 5 points in any skill, depending on how it was used in by that character in the story. Moderator preferences may vary, but in general the type of award is based on the following criteria:

Novice (1-30 points):
1 point: single notable use

2 points: two or three notable uses

3 points: many notable uses or one major use

4 points: multiple major uses

5 points: a prevailing theme of the story

Qualified (31-60 points):
1 point: one or two notable uses

2 points: many notable uses or one major use

3 points: multiple major uses

4 points: a prevailing theme of the story

5 points: a unique or extraordinary use

Proficient (61-90 points):
1 point: a major use

2 points: multiple major uses

3 points: a prevailing theme of the story

4 points: a unique or extraordinary use

5 points: cannot be awarded to those proficient in the skill

Expert (91-120 points):
1 point: multiple major uses

2 points: a prevailing theme of the story

3 points: a unique or extraordinary use

4 points: cannot be awarded to an expert in the skill

5 points: cannot be awarded to an expert in the skill

It should be noted that characters cannot earn more than 120 points in any skill.

Skill Points MUST be included in every award.

Writing Points
In addition to skill points, a moderator can award 1 to 5 writing points to each player in a thread. The number tend to be the same for all players, but does not have to be if one wrote significantly more or less than another. The guide for awarding writing points is as follows:

1 point: basic social and training threads

2 points: average stories

3 points: containing some level of intrigue, creativity, or ongoing plot relevance

4 points: major plot threads involving some level of danger

5 points: truly extraordinary storytelling

Writing points MUST be included in every award.

Item and Credit/Platinum Awards
Through the course of a story, some money might be spent, some item might be obtained, or both. In order for this change to be added officially to a Character Profile and therefore used by that character, it must be included in the thread award. For the sake of continuity, these things may be added before the thread award is given with the express permission of the local moderator (who would eventually award the items or credits/platinum and make the gain official).

Item and Credit/Platinum awards need only be included in an award where relevant.

Reputation Bonuses
Occassionally, the actions of a character in a story have some repercussions among the NPC population with which they interacted. Reputation bonuses include any special contacts, enemies, or allies the character has earned, as well as a short summary of that NPC's opinion of them. If the character is particularly well-known or if the story is particularly broad, the reputation bonus may include an opinion held by a group of people or even an entire city.

Reputation bonuses refer only to OOC aspects. A moderator cannot dictate the opinions held or shared by any player character or group.

Moderators must keep track of reputation bonuses/NPC affiliations with player characters at most publicly, and at least in their private planning pages. Though not required, it is highly suggested that reputation bonuses be included in Character Profiles as well.

Reputation bonuses need only be included in an award where relevant.

Injury Reports
If a character sustains an injury in a story that cannot be healed in a day's time, it must be reported by the moderator in the thread award. The moderator must include the type and severity of the injury, as well as a concise summary of how long it will take to fully heal with a) the facilities available to the area and b) no medical attention. The player may use this time frame and their better judgement to estimate the time it takes for their character to heal. The player MUST include the consequences of the injury in threads dated within this time frame.

Injury reports need only be included in an award where relevent.