So, your map claim was just approved and you're ready to start roleplaying. But maybe you're stuck on where to start? Or even how to write a decent RP post? Need some inspiration? Well, you've come to the right place. This guide will help you become a well-equipped roleplayer!

Before reading this guide, it is recommended that you brush yourself up on the rules and conduct of the roleplay. It will help you understand what you can and cannot do within the world of Arterra as well as how the time scale works.

Roleplayers may use a variety of acronyms or terms, some of which you may be unfamiliar with. To clarify, here are a few common ones and their meanings:

• RP - Shorthand for Roleplay

• RPer - Shorthand for Roleplayer, i.e. the participants

• IC - "In Character", essentially refers to anything that takes place or exists within the fictional world of the RP

• OOC - "Out of Character", anything not within the fictional world of the RP

• RMB - Shorthand for the Regional Message Board, the forum in Lightbound where the RP takes place
  

In Lightbound, we aim to tell stories about our nation. These can be of anything as mundane as a local election to something as catastrophic as an international conflict. It truly is up to you, which is the fun part! But if you're stuck on what to do, here are some suggestions.

Elections - Especially if you are brand new to the roleplay, posting about an election (if applicable to your system of government) is a great way to introduce the political system and culture of your nation to the other RPers and establish some basis for your country's lore. Choose between local or national elections, typically there is more to write about with national events, and type away. A report on the election's results, the candidates involved, or a story of the campaign trail are great places to start.

Crime - Everyone loves a good true crime story right? Well, in this case it's not going to be true, but it is still going to be crime! Reporting the stories of your country's law enforcement or its criminal gangs are another interesting choice for a roleplay post and is applicable to effectively all nations, regardless of system of government. Tell a story about a major drug bust, tell us about a gang feud in the capital city, report on a cold case that is being re-examined due to new evidence. There are plenty of routes to choose from within this category and it will shed light on how your nation's law enforcement works and what crime looks like in your unique country.

Terrorism & Insurgency - This category appears to be a favorite within the world of Arterra and I, Etarria, may be partially responsible for that. Does your nation face a threat from a dangerous guerrilla movement? Do extremists operate in your country and did one of them decide to carry out an attack? Is your nation in the midst of an internal conflict? If you are interested in military history or warfare, this is likely the route for you. Internal conflicts/political violence are intriguing stories to tell and provide numerous concepts for posts.

Economic Initiatives - Your nation's economy is obviously a vital part of its existence and stories must come out every day regarding it. It only makes sense then that your nation's government would want to support its health and development. Is your government going to subsidize an industry? Have economic incentives been granted to promote business in a certain region? Is your government wishing to promote tourism? All of these provide avenues towards roleplay posts.

Roleplay posts can be wrote in a number of ways, but it is recommended that they are at least a paragraph long, the more detail the better! Most nations will write them in one of two ways. The first is a journalistic format, in which a story of your nation is reported as a news article from one of your nation's newspapers. The second is a narrative format, in which a story of your nation is written as if it were a third person short story. Either way is acceptable and you can do a lot with both formats. The following are examples of both from our own roleplay.

Journalistic Format

• Terrorists Hijack Bank CEO's Yacht by Etarria

• Mayor of Rinava assassinated by Goanya

• Attack on Naval Headquarters Thwarted by Kalixia

• Nationwide Protests after National Court Ruling by Choppyhausen
  

Narrative Format

• Held at Gunpoint by Etarria

• The Presidium Convenes by Ostlantis

• The Dominoes Fall by Kalixia

• A Secret Conversation by Ostrovskiy
  

It wouldn't be a regional roleplay without interactions with other roleplayers. Roleplaying with others allows you to tell a story with the contributions of others and what nation doesn't engage in international diplomacy?

If you're interested in roleplaying with others, the first thing you should probably do is join the regional Discord server. Membership in the server allows you to access the roleplay-exclusive channels where you can share your posts and discuss worldbuilding and your nation with other players. Even if you do not intend to make a post with another player, it's a great place to bounce ideas and contribute to the development of Arterra's worldbuilding.

Once in the Discord, reach out to the nation that you wish to roleplay with, either tagging them in the #roleplay-discussion channel or sending them a direct message. You should probably include what you want to roleplay with them in the message. Then, discuss and figure out a plan for the post. This step is critical because you do not want to roleplay something that affects another nation without their consent.

After making the plan, execute it! Make sure whoever is making the post tags who it affects, both on the actual Regional Message Board post and in the #roleplay-posts channel on Discord. Roleplaying with others is how we create a collective history and a stronger roleplaying community, so get creative!

Here are some examples of nations roleplaying with other nations:

• Ostrovskiy-Hodregal Accords Signed by Ostrovskiy & American Generations

• Etarrian Terrorists Attack Ostlantean Oil Facility by Ostlantis & Etarria

• Kalixia, Sentinopolis, Commuhaven Announce Alliance by Kalixia, Sentinopolis, and Commuhaven

• Foreign Weapons Found in Terrorist Arms Dump by Eupranya & Etarria
  

With this, you should have all of the tools to start roleplaying. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to the roleplay's moderators or me, Etarria. You can reach me via telegram or at 1clandestinu on Discord. If I think of anything else that could help new RPers get acclimated, I will add it to this dispatch. So if you're short on ideas or need a refresher, feel free to check back here for new information.