Just what is a feature character? Those big, tough guys with loads of points who can squash a newbie like a bug? Characters who have been on the game for ages and hardly ever venture out of their own private domains, much less RP with the "common rabble?" Any character played by one of the admin?

Let's hope not. A feature is supposed to be more than that. While we like to think that every character is important in his or her own right--after all, every character is the main protagonist in their player's story--it is true that some characters have more influence, power, or prestige. They are typically in positions of power so that they might better propel plots along. Often, they have higher stats than your average character, but not always. A feature is not a feature by virtue of points alone. There is far more that goes into the make-up of a feature character, and the following will explain what those qualities are.

First of all, there are two types of features. The first are the kind created by the admin, whose personas, powers, and points, are determined by the staff. Thus, they are considered property of the game rather than of their players. If a player is not fulfilling his or her duties as that character, the player may be replaced by one better suited, or the character may be retired. The admin reserve the right to make those decisions. Also, the staff should be kept informed of any major changes in the character's role or personality, and approval must be given in cases of a feature's possible death.

The second kind of feature is more tied into a character's position than the character itself. That is, it is a little like the Presidency. There may be some office or position that includes a fair amount of power and responsibility, and characters who manage to attain that position will enjoy its benefits, but should they neglect their duties, they may be replaced by someone more active, enthusiastic, or determined.

Average PCs can achieve "featuredom" through their own resourcefulness, yet they can also lose it if they're not careful. This allows for a more volatile, dynamic role-playing environment, for it implies that those who put in the effort and hard work will be rewarded, and those who don't will lose their prestige. Sometimes even players who *are* hardworking and active might lose their position, if another player comes along who manages to oust them through IC means. This is just one of the hazards of playing a feature. The position is what's important, not necessarily the character holding it. Both types of features have the same duties, and the following list will explain what some of those are:

*Inspiring and driving role-play is the main one, and this cannot be done if a character rarely leaves his or her room, or only logs in often enough to avoid getting @nuked (inactive features will be warned by the staff, and if they continually fail to do their duties, they will either be asked to relinquish their position or step down as that character).

* Features should be available for public RP as much as possible, and with a broad range of players rather than a select group of individuals. Granted, a character cannot RP with everyone, and circumstances may limit his or her exposure, but that doesn't mean they cannot influence events in a "behind the scenes" fashion. They should make their presence felt in one way or another.

* Activity is another requirement. Certainly, real life school, work, family, and other concerns take precedence over any virtual responsibilities, but playing a feature requires some dedication to the game. After all, if one player can't fulfill their duties and stay active enough to warrant the "featuredom," another player will come along who can. If a feature doesn't log in for two weeks, with no warning to staff, then the staff reserves the right to replace him or her, or demote them from the position.

* On a related note, if a feature's player is going through a busy period, he or she should notify the staff. A note in his or her +finger is also recommended, so that players will be aware of the situation and can use @mail to set up scenes. Mail, posts, logs (with permission from those involved), and other players are useful tools for staying informed about IC events, and features ought to utilize them.

* Driving TinyPlots is another duty. Some plots are designed by the admin, while others will crop during RP. At times, there may be a "slump," and features should try to help bring the game out of the doldrums by working with staff and/or other players in creating TPs. They should not expect to have their hands held by the staff; players are given features in the hopes that they will fuel RP on their own rather than wait for others to do it.

* The last requirement is basic knowledge of the game, which hopefully all players will learn, though news files can often get neglected. Aether is a completely new environment, and those who play pivotal roles should learn as much as they can about their surroundings.

This last is especially important when applying for the role of a feature (see "news applications"). The first type of feature--those selected by the admin -- are ones which require an application, while the second kind can be achieved through activity and role-play.

To see a list of prominent characters on the game use "+faction VIPS." Keep in mind that not all of them are features pre-designed by the admin; many gained their positions through hard work and dedication. But those positions come with a price -- a responsibility to the game and to other players.

The admin discourage players from playing more than one VIP.

Finally, here is a quick note about expectations and consequences. If a player fails to log in as that feature/VIP at all in the period of two weeks, the character will be removed from the VIPs faction and likewise removed from play in whatever fashion the admin deem most appropriate -- he or she could be killed off, retired to some more remote location, or just simply vanish from the public eye. This is only assuming that the player has made no attempt to contact staff beforehand; if he or she leaves word about an extended absence, exceptions can be made.

If a feature/VIP continues to log in, but fails to do anything significant for a space of a month; i.e. they're just logging in to check @mail but aren't role-playing to any extent, the characters will also be removed or retired, except in those instances where a player may have a good excuse for a period of inactivity, provided he or she promises to become active again when that period is up. But the admin can only grant so many second chances or extensions, and players who establish a pattern of broken promises will lose their features or VIP status.

These rules may also extend to +faction leaders and rare characters such as those with certain types of magic, darkling Empyreans, and so on.