Newbie's Guide to Herds of Azreth

Newbie Guide

A Guide to Herds of Azreth

º New to the Isle?
Everything in this Guide has its own section in the Website’s Forum. A link will be posted at the end of each section to the respective area in the forums.

×C o n t e n t s×

Introduction
Getting an Azrein
Customs / Breedings
Roleplaying
Equivir, Stats, and Herds

Getting an Azrein

What is an Azrein, anyway?

Put simply, an Azrein is a special breed of horse. Azrein are able to Bond with people and can communicate to humans and each other through the use of human speech.

Unlike normal horses, Azrein have many colors, patterns, and body parts that aren't seen naturally on any other equine. Azrein may have wings, different types of tails, horns, cloven or clawed feet; just about anything you can think of!

The only limit to their appearance and personality is your imagination!

How to get one:

Freebies:

What IS a Freebie?

A freebie is an Azrein that is usually Unedited [meaning everything on it is “stock” -- so no custom items, like new wings, new hair, or new accessories]. Generally, the Soulpainter will have you fill out a form, and will create the Azrein from your specifications.

With Freebies, you are allowed to choose the gender, the stock mane / tail you would like, and the color scheme and pattern of your Azrein.

How Do I Get A Freebie, Then?

Occasionally, when he has free time, Azreth will give freebies out to people. He mostly gives them to new-comers to HoA. However, in the Main Thread [url], on notable page-markers [5o pages, 1oo pages, 2oo pages, 5oo pages, 1,ooo pages, etc.], the Colorists will give out Freebies to one or two people.

Sometimes, Soulpainters will randomly give out Freebies if they’re bored or have nothing else to do for the shop.

Flatsales:

Herds of Azreth has plenty of Flatsales, so that everyone has a chance to get an Azrein. Flatsales are first-come, first-serve events. There will be a preview of the horses up for grabs [usually put up at least a day or two in advance], and at specific date and time the Flatsale will start. You simply fill out and post a pre-made form in the thread saying which one you want, and if it hasn’t been claimed yet, you get it!

There are two different types of Azrein sold in flatsales: Growing and Adult.

Growing Flatsales start at the Blanket Stage, and it grows to a foal and then adult based on how much you Roleplay it.

Adult Flatsales are already full-grown.

Growing Flatsales cost more than Adult flatsales, considering the Soulpainter has to do not only the Adult stage, but two or three extra ones as well!

Pricing:

Growing: 25o crowns

Adult: 2oo Crowns

However, there are different types of flatsales themselves. The first is a Speed Flatsale. This is a 'first come, first served' type of sale. The host of the sale will post an order form that details which Azrein a user would like to purchase. Only at the signal GO, and not before then, the user will post the form with their request. If they are quick enough, and are the first to lay claim to their choice, they have won that Azrein. In the event that someone has beaten them to the punch, they may repost the form in a new post with a different choice. If a user is caught editing their form, they will be warned, and unable to participate in the next 3 sales of any kind. If the user is caught again, more serious measures will be taken.

The next type is what is known as a Flaffle. In this sale, a form is posted for users to fill out in order of preference. They post that form for a 'ticket.' Some flaffles will allow users to only post once for a single ticket, while others may let them post for a ticket each day. At the end of a designated period of time, the host of the Flaffle will roll among the ticketholders. The first user rolled gets first choice. The second user gets first choice, or in the event that it has been taken, they will get their second choice. Rolling will continue until all Azrein have been claimed.

Raffles:

In a Raffle, there is usually a single horse up for grabs. You are able to buy however many tickets you would like. These tickets are numbered, and when the raffle comes to an end, the Soulpainter will randomize a number using randomizer.org to choose the "winning ticket"!

Pricing: Varies with Azrein, depending on the level of edits. Usually between 1 - 15 crowns per ticket.


Dice Games:


In a dice game, usually a single horse is up for grabs. The Soulpainter will roll a die or several dice, and you will have to try to roll the same number they did! If you roll the same number, you get the Azrein!

Pricing: Free!

Roleplaying Contest [RP Contest]:

In RP contests, one or more Azrein will be up for grabs. There will be a specific RP Prompt that people trying to win the horse will reply to. After the deadline for the entries, the Soulpainter will judge the responses [either a single Soulpainter or up to four, for majority vote] and the people they feel have roleplayed the Azrein up for grabs best will get the Azrein.

Pricing: Varies by amount of edits


Auctions:

In an Auction, the highest bidder wins the Azrein. You can bid as much gold as you are willing to pay for the pet up for grabs. There is usually a set starting bid. Don't bid what you don't have, though!

Pricing: Starting Bid [Minimum Bid] varies by edits. Usually between 15o - 3oo.


Breeding:

When two owners breed their Azrein, the parents might have had more offspring than they want! Usually, the owners of these foals will give them out to people or host a game to win the babies. PARENTS MAY NOT CHARGE USERS FOR BREEDING FOALS.

Pricing: Free


Customs:

Customs are where you order an Azrein to your liking. Colorists will open their slots on a specific day each month or every other month.

Pricing: Varies by level of edits. Go HERE[url] for Crown Custom Pricing and HERE[url] for Real Life Custom Pricing.

Customs & Breeding

Customs

What are Customs?

Customs are Azrein that you design. You get to choose their gender, colors, mane and tail style, if they have wings or cloven hooves or anything you can imagine, really. We have ‘stock items,’ meaning that the ‘edits’ are pre-made. [For example, we have 5-1o different manes, bangs, and tails pre-made for the adult mare and stallion, as well as stock wings and accessories, such as hair feathers, bracelets, collars, necklaces, etc.]

However, you may also choose to have something entirely new created. Want your Azrein’s back legs be covered in shards of ice? Or maybe instead of hooves, you want your Azrein to have clawed feet or paws. Want a unique hairstyle for your Azrein? With customs, your imagination is the only limit.

Customs are broken down into four categories, based on the amount of edits you want. The Soulpainter who is doing your custom will let you know which category your Azrein falls under once your Custom form has been posted.

Unedited: Unedited Customs have no extra items on them. They have stock hairstyles, stock jewelry, and stock expressions. You choose the colors or body patterns. Up to

Minor: Minor Edited Customs may have unique items such as jewelry, small body edits [such as ram horns / unicorn horn], and a custom expression.

Moderate: Moderately Edited Customs may have custom hair [short and medium], small to medium custom wings, and larger jewelry and items. They can have more body edits than minor edited customs.

Heavy: Heavily Edited Customs may have custom hair, large wings, large items, and almost any body edit. Basically, anything goes here except for changing the Azrein’s body type.

Breeding

What Do You Mean By ‘Breeding’?

Basically, Azrein reproduce. Yep, just like real horses. However, males may breed with males, females with females, and males with females.

Your Azrein may choose to mate for life and be monogamous -- what we call ‘Lifemating’ -- or might just want a fling for some pretty foals. Either way, the Breeding between two Azrein will result in three to five foals.

Of course, both Azrein must be adults for at least three weeks before breeding. To be eligible to breed, the two potential parents must have a Pre-Breeding RP. Basically, how they met, how they are attracted, and whether or not they fall in love.

Each user may keep ONE foal per breeding -- the rest they must give away to other users. BREEDING FOALS ARE ALWAYS FREE. You might have to enter a game or an RP contest to get a foal from a breeding, but you will never have to pay for one.

Roleplaying



What it is, and how it’s relevant.

Herds of Azreth is Roleplay Required. This means that in order to participate in the events and the website itself, you MUST stay active. Basically, Roleplaying is playing as a different person --or in this case, as an Azrein.

At HoA, you may Roleplay as either an Azrein or something we call an OC: an “Original Character.” Original Characters are human characters that are Bonded to your Azrein, or perhaps a human who is looking for an Azrein to bond to.

We have something called an RP Quota each month. You must post three times a month for Azrein and once a month with your OC. This does not mean you have to post three times a month for EACH Azrein and once for EACH OC -- you need to post three times for your Azrein as a whole, and once for your OCs as a whole. You may post in either Private or Open Roleplays.

You may write diary entries in your Azrein's journal once a week. Stating what they did, where they went, about their background and the like. Each journal entry must be at least 3oo words long.

Your Azrein may Bond with humans, they may be indifferent, or they might hate them entirely -- it’s up to you.

"Good" Alignment are those Azrein and Humans that are fighting on King Azreth's side.

"Evil" Alignment are those Azrein fighting on the Six's side [no humans can be played.]

"Neutral" Alignment are those that are indifferent, instead choosing to be Wild Azrein. [no humans can be played unless Alignment changed to "Good"]

Roleplay Etiquette:

General:

Remember, you are here to have fun. If something quits becoming fun, take a step back, go read a book or do something else for half an hour. Always be patient, polite, and courteous, and be welcoming and helpful to newcomers to Roleplay and HoA.
Be sure to make your posts readable -- the grammar and spelling don’t always have to be correct, but write to the best of your ability; remember, spell check is your friend. Make sure that your posts are easy to see, and easy on the eyes by avoiding small fonts or too dark / too bright of a font color.
Remember that what someone says or does when they’re In Character is completely different from how they feel. Do not take offense by the actions of your RP Partner[s] while they are in character.

In-Character:
Be sure to follow the story updates not only in the world of Herds of Azreth, but also of the characters you interact with frequently to the best of your ability. Share the spotlight, and do not control other people’s characters unless you have discussed it beforehand with all parties involved in the roleplay.
If your character is eligible to use magick [you MUST meet the requirements and get staff approval before you may use magick], keep it to a believable level. Remember, magick has rules just like everything else, and a character that abuses magick is aggravating to everyone.


Out-Of-Character:
If you have an issue or get into a conflict with another member, please take it up with them via Private Messages [PMs]. If you cannot resolve the conflict, content the staff immediately before it escalates and feelings get hurt. All staff members’ names are in bold purple, so we’re easy to find.
Do not manipulate events so they work in your favor, and please don’t try to get your way through passive-aggressive behaviour such as guilt-trips, sulking, or drama.
Please don’t take Out of Character conflicts and issues into Roleplays. If you and another member are not on good terms, take a step back, breathe, and only pick up your Roleplay after everything has been resolved.

Ways to RP:

Alignment
Well, you can Roleplay as three different Alignments -- note that you can change your Azrein's alignment three times; as long as you RP the reason for why they've had a change of heart!

Good, Neutral, and Evil.
Good Azrein Bond with Humans, which means you can play your Avatar or Original Character alongside your horse.
Neutral Azrein choose not to get involved with the war going on. They choose not to Bond with humans.
Evil Azrein cannot Bond with Humans. They want nothing more than to sever all ties between Azrein and Man, even if it means killing off their kin.

Private / Open RP's
"Private" RP's means that the Roleplay is between specific people, and they don't want anyone else to join.
"Open" RP's means that anyone and everyone is welcome to join in!

In-Thread
We LOVE it when people Roleplay in the thread! In-Thread RPs are open to everyone. However, if you want your Azrein to apply to become an Equivir down the line, be sure to Log the RP in your Journal so you can use it for Stat Updates and Equivir Application.

RP Events
The RP-Events are designed specifically for people who would like their Azrein to have a chance at becoming an Equivir. These are adventure-type roleplays that a staff member runs, and require your Azrein to use their Stats.

Breeding
Breeding Roleplays are used for just that -- breeding. These RPs show the interaction and relationship the two Azrein who wish to breed have shared.

Equivir, Stats, and Herds


Equivir
Equivir are the Elite Azrein, our leaders, the wisest and most revered of all the Herds. Equivir roughly translates to "Hero of Horses."
For your Azrein to become an Equivir, all of your Azrein’s stats must be at 1oo%, they must have completed at least 2o Roleplays [either open or Private], they must have shown character growth and development, must have participated in at least 1o Stat Events, and they must have sired or birthed at least six foals [one to two breedings].

You must also have had a meeting with King Azreth himself, with your Azrein In-Character. King Azreth will speak with them in depth about why they wish to advance, what they can bring to their Herd, why they chose their Alignment, and so on. Following that, the King will meet with his Council, where all of them will discuss your Azrein, read through his or her RPs, and decide whether or not your Azrein has what it takes to become a revered leader amongst its peers.

Upon attaining the status of Equivir, your Azrein will get custom lineart and coloring. That’s right. Completely Custom. That means your Azrein will not look like any other. If something has happened in any of your Azrein’s roleplays that has altered its physical appearance [such as scarring, missing an ear or an eye, etc], then those changes will show on the new image of your Azrein. Their colors will become more defined, their patterns and shades more intricate, and some of the Equivir even grow custom wings, tails, and hooves, based on their previous RPs.

Your Azrein will be able to have four to six foals, instead of three to five. Finally, Equivir are able to participate in Metaplots. Meaning that you have the ability to alter what happens in the storyline through your Azrein.


Stats
In various RP events, your horses will be required to test their skills in certain tasks.
Higher stats are used to give your Azrein a better chance at winning. Also, your Stats must all be at 1oo% in order for your Azrein to apply to become an Equivir.
To give your Azrein Stats, you must roll six dice for them; one die per skill area. The number you roll will be your Azrein’s Base Stats, and from there, your Stats get upgraded. You may upgrade your Stats through three ways: Participating in Stat Events, Having Active RPs each month, and purchasing a Stat Boost potion [not yet available].



Herds
A herd is a group of Azrein [all of your own or Azrein of multiple users] who roam a specific territory together and share the same Alignment. The Azrein in your Herd MUST have the same Alignment -- meaning that Evil and Good Azrein cannot be in the same Herd. The only exception to this is if an Azrein of a Neutral Alignment chooses to convert to a different Alignment. [Remember, this can only be done THREE times, and there must be SOLID RP backing for the reasoning behind the change of heart and lifestyle.]
Herds are player-run, meaning that either you or another member of HoA’s community leads it. A Herd is for you to keep track of the more action-based side of RPing with other horses involved. A Herd holds your horses, and other player's horses that share the same Alignment. Stats, territories, alignment, herd-related RPs / RP Events, allies, enemies, and information all go in your Herd. Herds also help us keep track of the ebb and flow of the three Alignments, letting us adjust the Metaplot as necessary.

Conclusion


Hopefully, this Guide has helped you get a basic understanding of how Herds of Azreth works. If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask any member -- all of them are welcoming and friendly. You’re also encouraged to PM myself or any of the staff with questions you may have!
The staff member’s names on the forums are all in bold purple, so we’re quite easy to find and are always willing to help someone out!