Look at you, poking around in places you don't need to be again. The harder you look, the more it will be kept from you. You know that, don't you? You can't want this.
《 STRAY 》
Stray is a roleplaying community based in Final Fantasy XIV. We host four venues on a rotating schedule, and host a larger campaign that anyone can join, referred to as our "ARPG", or "Art Roleplaying Game".
Our campaign and venues are all hosted by and connected to an overarching storyline connected to our Free Company, the Wyld. Any member of the community may join the campaign at any time; the campaign is largely hosted over Discord, while our venues are hosted ingame on Diabolos by the Free Company.Led from the shadows by a folklore figure known as
music by xccentriq / beau dawnstriderart by somekh / yora caarvelian
《 RULES 》
This page goes over the rules that govern the Wyld as a Free Company and its storytelling. If you are interested in the general community rules, we advise viewing them here.
OO1. GENERAL CONDUCT, TONE, AND "LORE COMPLIANCE"
Stray is a 21+ community. While our roleplay is generally founded in the established lore of Final Fantasy XIV, we have our own Style Guide that we require characters in the space to follow, outlining our expectations about tone, genre, scope, and suspension of disbelief.
OO2. POLITICS
Stray is a not a community that bans politics. Our writing is heavily political and relies on exploration of intersectional identities. The topics we write about cannot be interpreted in a vacuum apart from how we as readers and authors internalize biases about disability, race, gender, etc. Racism is not individual acts of meanness, it is a set of overarching systemic barriers. If you disagree with this, this is not the space for you.
OO3. SENSITIVE CONTENT
The Wyld's internal plots heavily involve conflicts centric to political identity, grief, disability, racism, domestic violence, abuse, self harm, trauma, suicide and suicidal ideation, substance use, and other heavy themes. These themes may at times be uncomfortable or difficult to process, as our approach is often rooted in or written parallel to lived experiences. Members are not required to participate in every event or plot.We do not advertise ourselves as "dark rp" (as this is often a dogwhistle for questionable content), but we do engage in writing heavy content matter, and we enjoy exploring difficult subjects with nuance.
OO4. AI GENERATED CONTENT
Fuck off.
OO5. MODDING
The majority of our writers play characters who are modded to varying degrees. We are not against mods, and some of our player characters are more heavily modded than others. Overall, we adhere as a community to our style guide, which may include character appearance. Characters in the space may have varied and fantastical appearances - however, we encourage players to tie these physical features into overarching character design philosophy and utilize mods to generate hooks. Our style guide addresses characters holistically, which may at times include making suggestions about visual design direction, both when modded and in vanilla.
OO6. STRUCTURE
We do not require in-character members of the company to join the FC out of character / in the game itself. You are more than welcome to come and be a part of our storylines and community without joining the FC or being on Diabolos at all! Rather, the majority of the company's staff are not in the FC, and the majority of the FC members are likewise not in-character hires.
OO7. RULE ENFORCEMENT AND WORKSHOPPING
Overall, roleplay is highly subjective in terms of scope, genre, style, and tone. Our style guide aims to be comprehensive, but cannot account for every circumstance. On joining Stray, new members will see a large amount of discussion about our roleplaying style, often including open conversations about workshopping characters. Our Game Master team and our server members aim not for adhering to hard rules, but tying together character building holistically into compelling concepts that help foster more roleplay between server members. Workshopping always aims to move concepts forward, instead of creating barriers to involvement.
... WHY AM I HERE?
The Wyld is concerned with the business of doing right. The business that... at the end of it all, no matter what a person's background is, or where they've come from, they'll make the correct choice now. We are concerned with doing good - making change in the world that will mend it, more than it will harm it. If there is a chance to put something into the world other than hurt, then it should be taken. If there is a chance to build, rather than destroy, it should be taken.The star has ample work for hands that are ready to take it. Adventuring is what most would call it. Honest work - though we try not to limit our operations to a single world region. It takes a lot of manpower. If you think you can handle the responsibility... we have an assessment, to tell us where your strengths are best utilized.
A little faith would go a long way, you know. We've yet to be a poor judge of character.
DIVISIONS
Those in the Wyld's employ can be recognized by the hoarhound medallion they bear, though they often belong to particular divisions. A member of the company can be part of multiple divisions at once.
The Wyld's elaborate charade is maintained by the heads of its divisions, and the differing amount of knowledge each division is entitled to. These divisions split responsibilities and divide the labor, and when duty calls, they keep one another in line. Mind... these divisions are only assigned to formal hires. Others who join as freelancers may perform the duties of other divisions if they are asked to, but rarely will learn the true purpose of the company, or be privy to its secrets.
LEADERSHIP
These are the leaders of the Wyld; those who know everything there is to know, and who are trusted with the discretion to make difficult decisions. Those in the Wyld's employ are expected to listen to their orders - though not without question.
Yora Caarvelian
outrider / sentinel
Nothing she ever does makes proper sense. Not really.
Beau Dawnstrider
outrider / sentinel
Always there to offer a hand in aid to those in need. She'll never say no... even if she sometimes should.
Onyx Ikhaara
outrider / logistics
Your favorite (and only) HR department lead.
Vieu Greystone
logistics lead
One of the most earnest guys around. Ask to take him fishing, sometime.
Saori Obinata
envoy lead
How did she even get here? Seriously... who invited this bitch?
Faewynn Glossgleam
envoy lead
One of the best bards you've ever heard of.
Apollo Devereaux
sentinel / envoy
There's something unnerving about her. Too reserved.
Sivir Springfoot
logistics lead
You've never seen her outside her workshop. You're not even sure she's real, honestly.
LOGISTICS
Acquisition, transportation, maintenance, and support.
LOGISTICS is comprised of our prior departments for suppliers and administrative work. Logistics covers everything internal and everything to do with our operational management: the acquisition of and transport of persons and goods, financials and budgeting, recordkeeping, legal matters, cleaning, cooking, reception... everything to do with goods and staff is under the eye of Logistics.Once involved deeper in the Wyld's operations, Logistics is responsible not only for finding safety, but creating it. This includes the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of safe houses, transportation for those being relocated, forgery of records and documentation, and the establishment of resources. Even at the surface level, Logistics requires discretion to operate with. Acting recklessly might lead threats back to the company.
OUTRIDER
Scouting, asset recovery, and survivor escort.
OUTRIDERS are what the company formerly referred to as "Retrieval". These individuals work closely with all of the other divisions in order to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Outriders are analytical, careful, and they care. Once other divisions identify the location for a job, Outriders are responsible for scouting and discerning key details ahead of time without intervening. Then, once Sentinels pass through and clear out any threats, Outriders are responsible for following on their coattails to find survivors and pull them out.Outriders must be able to work in a limited time frame and leave little trace of themselves. Not every survivor will be willing to come with, and most will be afraid. Outriders are a comforting presence. Healers, helpers, and kind souls who can put their fears second, and act kindly under pressure. It's under their wing that survivors can be guided elsewhere, and relocated or rehabilitated once they reach safety.
ENVOY
Intelligence, negotiation, and strategy formation.
ENVOY. These are what the company formerly called its Brokers and Liaisons. Envoys act as representatives to other organizations and associations, earning intelligence and making connections through whatever means necessary. The Wyld builds associations not only with other adventuring guilds to secure contracts and work, but also with criminal networks that have little or less tolerance for traffickers. Not every criminal is without a moral compass entirely. That can be taken advantage of.Envoys are good at making connections, as well. These are analytical, intelligence-minded individuals. When other divisions gather knowledge and need a way forward, it's the company's envoys who often step forward with new leads, new ideas, and new paths to take. They're ideators, thinkers, and collaborators.
SENTINEL
Bounties, guard work, and physically intensive labor.
SENTINELS are, put simply, the Wyld's muscle. They aren't dissimilar to the common adventurer: taking bounties to apprehend and slay criminals, monsters, beasts, and more. Sentinels point their blade where it's needed, and don't know how to stay down when they're knocked off their feet. When there's a fight that needs finished, it's the Sentinels who offer their steel first.Sentinels provide crucial collaboration with the other divisions as well: guarding Logistics during materials acquisition missions, accompanying Envoys to social events to ensure nothing befalls them, and even training other company members to defend themselves. When the company is short manpower, it's Sentinels who step in and help with physical labor, as well. Their strength is a constant, reliable pillar.
FREELANCER
A stepping stone.
FREELANCERS haven't quite got what it takes to sign on for a permanent position with the Wyld. Its leaders are notoriously picky with who they do and don't offer full time employment. But, like any adventuring guild, there's something of an open door policy in place. Freelancers aren't on the payroll consistently, but arrive to take on contracts and lend a hand when they're needed, answering to whichever division lead tells them to act first.Sometimes, prospective new employees spend some time as Freelancers first before being permitted to know what the truth of the company is. This sometimes involves being tested by the company's leadership. After all, letting someone in who may not think through every possible option is a liability they can't quite risk. Not in this line of work.
SO WHAT DO I KNOW...?
Not every piece of information about the Wyld is publicly accessible; a good amount of it is kept under lock and key, and enforced through means both mundane and magical. If the wrong information reaches ears that shouldn't hear it, lives are at stake. So... what can your character know to get involved?
ADVENTURING GUILD — The Wyld is like any other adventuring guild established after the Calamity: created to take on odd jobs to slay monsters, fight bandits, and lend a helping hand to keep the newly displaced busy and out of trouble. The Wyld is based out of Ishgard, after its proprietors assisted with their restoration efforts.
VENUE RUNNERS— The Wyld has its hands in a lot of pies. Its managers seem to run a number of varied venues. A fighting ring, a lesbian bar, and a... support group for runaway Garleans? Quite an eclectic spread. It could be worth asking about, sometime.
ODD LEADERSHIP — The Wyld's leaders, Beau and Yora Caarvelian-Dawnstrider, are a unique pair, to say the least. One seems to be an adventurer of fair fame, loved by all... and the other a former Garlean Pilus Prior, later Alaudae, and later Bozjan Resistance member. They're no stranger to turning heads.
SORT OF A MESS?— To the average outsider, the company seems like a mess. Constant infighting, constant stress, constantly at one another's throats... you kind of have to wonder if they even really like each other, when you see them interacting with each other at venue openings. But, despite how it looks from the outside, it seems like most of them wouldn't be anywhere else. What's with that?
WHAT ABOUT CRUOR?
We hear the question often: "Can my character know about Cruor, or can they have been taken in under the witness protection program?" In the spirit of our style guide and aligning with that, the answer is typically going to be "no", but there may be some ways to engage with these.
CRUOR — Cruor is a folklore figure, and one that is known by almost no one bar victims of trafficking. Put simply, Cruor is about as real as Santa Claus. They are a myth around a millennia in age, shared only through oral history... and no one who has ever been "disappeared" by them has come back to tell the tale, with zero exceptions. Cruor's interventions come only to those who will not be saved by any other, and who have nowhere else to go except to disappear completely. Cruor is a concept created by hopefuls who saw other victims vanish among them, and crafted a folk figure to rationalize that their friends had gone somewhere better - that they'd been saved. It may be possible for some characters to have heard it once or twice, if they have been extensively trafficked, but the odds of believing it to be anything other than a fantasy are incredibly low. Very few people have reason to believe it's anything real.
WITNESS PROTECTION— In line with the above: the Wyld and Cruor mostly take those who have no other options. While it is not impossible, it is improbable that any character who was recovered by the company is a functional person capable of re-integrating into society at all. Individuals who have been taken by the Wyld are likely too traumatized to ever be on the level of a character that would be hired by them later, or who would even be capable of existing in social situations without help. While it can happen, and it has once before, it is highly unlikely that a character has any history on the victim side of the equation without having been approached by Stray's Game Masters after existing in the space already and having strong thematic appeal.
ARPG
Game Masters:
Somekh (Yora Caarvelian)
xccentriq (Beau Dawnstrider)
firebreathfishslap (Saori Obinata)
KreKael (Jayce Torncoat)
Hercynia (Onyx Ikhaara)
Wyrmhall (Arthur Blaylock)
Stray's campaign, or ARPG, is our substitution for a Free Company plotline. We previously had tried to run our intended storyline with the traditional format of applications and in-character interviews, but found that unsustainable. Instead, we gamified our roleplay and set up our ARPG system in its place. The ARPG is run by six Game Masters who direct the story and moderate roleplay in Stray. Our Game Masters ensure the style guide is applied, that player participation doesn't go unrecognized, and further the overarching plot.The ARPG is open to participate in at any time, by any guest in the space. We only ask that players complete a series of three roleplays first called Appeals establishing their character's motivations and contrivances. These are the Appeals to Coin, Commitment, and Training. Once a character's Appeals have been completed with any writer who is already in the ARPG, then the character may complete prompts. Our prompts follow a cycle of high intensity story (called Crucibles), followed by lower intensity interim plots that serve as wind-down and lead-up for each respective arc (called Errands).Crucibles last 2 to 3 months, while each Errand lasts 3 to 4 weeks.
