Grading Guide
From Mizahar Lore
This guide will detail, from start to finish, the steps needed to successfully grade a thread. Whether you're a new ST (Storytellers) or a PC (Player Characters) kindly looking to help out with grading, this guide will detail everything you need to know. We hold PCs and STs to the same standards when grading, to make sure every thread gets the grade it deserves, no matter who grades it.
SETTING UP
There are a few things you’ll need to do before you can launch into grading the thread:
- Pick a thread
- Check the CS
- Check the SS thread (if able)
- Open the necessary pages/documents
- Post grading placeholder
See the below sections for more information on each step.
Picking a Thread
This is a brief, but important step in the grading process. If you are a PC grader, you will be assigned a thread to grade by one of the city’s STs or must pick a thread from the Moderation and Grade Request Threads so long as you grade the first grades first and do not skip around grading those submitted later in the request threads. If you are an ST grader, please grade in the order that threads are submitted in your city’s grade request queue. If a request has been submitted to your office, please either move it to the correct queue, or grade it by date as though it were submitted to the queue. Please note, never grade your own personal threads or threads your PC is involved in. Please skip them and leave them for another grader or storyteller to take care of. In addition, if a ST has a note on a grade request that states to leave the request for the ST, please do so.
Either ST or PC, before you do anything, check the last post of the thread to make sure someone else has not started grading it already. If there is no grade or placeholder post for one, continue.
Please only grade ONE grade at a time. That includes leaving GRADING IN PROGRESS tags.
Check the CS
First, does it have a green check mark? If not, stop now, as no grade can be awarded. If you're a PC, PM the ST in charge of the city to let them know why this thread cannot be graded. If you're an ST, check the CS for issues and either add the check mark yourself or post an intervention detailing the problems, if another ST has not already done so. If you cannot read the tabs of a CS, for example if you’re on a mobile device or a browser that disallows it, stop now, as you cannot grade without knowing the full information of the CS. If the CS has a green check mark and you can successfully view it in its entirety, continue.
The second thing to check on the CS is the ledger. If a season-end has passed after they started, make sure their living expenses have been deducted. If it has not, politely PM the PC and ask them to make the change. Do not award any grades until this change has been made.
Before you start to grade, it is vital that you read the CS of the person or persons you are grading for. Make sure the CS is up to date. If it is not, you cannot grade, so send them a polite message that they can't be graded until their CS is corrected. If they can be graded for, please note:
All skills should be listed in alphabetical order. If they are divided in any way, the only way acceptable and eligible for grading is their skills divided by 'level' on their CS. Ie. Tabbed into Novice, Competent, Expert, or Master. Any other division requires they get a PM saying their threads aren't eligible for grading until such a change is made. If a thread is graded without this requested and given, then the grader is in danger of loosing their grader status.
What skills are they maxed on. You can't award these. If you award a PC experience in a skill they're maxed out on, both that PC and the ST checking your grade will know you haven't read their CS.
What weapons they use. Short bow, long bow, crossbow? Most PCs 'raise a bow' but don't exactly always say what sort of bow they are using for example. This goes for swords, daggers, anything.
What skill levels the PCs already have. The amount of detail a PC needs to put into their post in order to gain experience in that skill varies, dependent upon their existing skill level. If you don't read the CS, you won't know what skill level a person is at in terms of the skill they are using, so how in the world do you know what level they need to RP at? The point is to be challenging them to get points or to be awarding XP because they playing at their level. This also helps spot Godmodding, Powergaming, and those people playing above their levels.
Their ledger. Make sure if they've finished a thread where they've spent money, that the money is already deducted from their ledger. If not, don't withhold a grade, but remind them they need to do this in the notes of the grade award to get them to do it.
Check SS Thread
If you are a DS or higher, check the Storyteller Secrets thread for any information that may influence the thread. For example, if they have a family NPC in the thread, it must be marked in the SS thread as approved for use.
Open Necessary Pages Or Documents
Word/Notepad Document with Grading Template. Having a pre-loaded template to add your grade cut down the time you’d spend retyping your organizational structure. This template must include all PCs names that are receiving grades, separate areas for lores and XP, and additional areas for comments, penalties, and awards. Below are three examples of grading templates you may model your template off of.
PC CSs: Have each of these open in a new window/tab. Be sure you have read them before you start.
Master Skill List: Though you may award skills not on this list, it will give ideas of skills that can be awarded. Most, though not all, of the skills on the list have an explanation of exactly what the skill entails as well as an experience chart that details what actions a PC may take at each experience level. For example, Acrobatics goes into the areas that make up the skill, notes on race peculiarities, as well as a complete chart on how well a novice may perform, a competent, etc.
Examples Format's For Grade Posts
Simply cut the code from within the quotes and paste it within a post at the end of a graded thread and fill out the fields to award the grades.
[center][b]XP Award![/b][/center] [b][u]Name:[/u][/b]Character 1 [b][u]XP Award:[/u][/b] [list][*]Example 1 [*]Example 2[/list] [b][u]Lore:[/u][/b] [list][*]Example 1 [*]Example 2[/list] [b][u]Notes:[/u] These are comments.[/b] [b][u]Name:[/u][/b]Character 2 [b][u]XP Award:[/u][/b] [list][*]Example 1 [*]Example 2[/list] [b][u]Lore:[/u][/b] [list][*]Example 1 [*]Example 2[/list] [b][u]Notes:[/u] These are comments.[/b]
[center][size=115][spoiler=Character 1][table]Skills | Amount Example |1 Example | 2[/table] [table]Lore Lore 1 Lore2[/table][/spoiler] [spoiler=Character 2][table]Skills | Amount Example |1 Example | 2[/table] [table]Lore Lore 1 Lore2[/table][/spoiler] [b]Additional Comments:[/b] Comments here[/size][/center]
[center][size=150][b]Character 1[/b][/size] [columns=2][size=125][b]Experience[/b][/size] [table2=#3f2a58,#000000][b]Skill[/b] | [b]XP Earned[/b] Example | 1 Example | 2[/table2] [size=125][b]Lores[/b][/size] [table2=#3f2a58,#000000][b]•[/b] | [b]Lore Earned[/b] • | Example 1 • | Example 2[/table2][/columns] [spoiler=Items Aquired]+1 Example Item[/spoiler] [size=150][b]Character 2[/b][/size] [columns=2][size=125][b]Experience[/b][/size] [table2=#3f2a58,#000000][b]Skill[/b] | [b]XP Earned[/b] Example | 1 Example | 2[/table2] [size=125][b]Lores[/b][/size] [table2=#3f2a58,#000000][b]•[/b] | [b]Lore Earned[/b] • | Example 1 • | Example 2[/table2][/columns] [spoiler=Items Aquired]+1 Example Item[/spoiler] [size=150][b]Additional Comments[/b][/size] [indent][left][i]These are additional comments.[/i][/left][/indent][/center]
Post Grading Placeholder
To avoid people starting to grade the same thread, as soon as you deem the thread able to be graded, post a placeholder at the end of the thread indicating that you are grading it. The placeholder does not need to be extensive, and only needs to indicate that you are currently in the process of grading the thread. Post the placeholder only as you begin to grade the thread. Do not post it as a way of marking the thread as ‘yours’, only to leave it sit for days on end. Post it only as you are physically beginning to grade the thread.
Awarding XP and Lores
The two major awards during a grade are experience points (XP) and lores. A given action may earn XP, a lore, both, or neither, dependent on the action and how it was described. In short, actions where a PC practices the actual skill at the level they’re currently at, that gets XP. Lessons learned that cannot be expanded upon like a skill, such as a piece of information about a person, place, or action, that earns a lore describing the lesson learned.
AWARDING EXPERIENCE POINTS (XP)
What Actions Get XP?
First, we’ll discuss XP. As mentioned above, XP is awarded for actions using a specific skill, while within the confines of one’s skill level. However, XP can also be awarded for simply learning the skill, such as via an explanatory lesson or book. Not all skills can gain XP without physically doing them, however. See ‘Section 2.3: Things to Remember About XP’ for more on learning from books.
Making sure a PC is playing at their skill level is hugely important in deciding when to award XP. For example, a magician PC with Master-level reimancy may teach a Novice-level companion reimancy by doing some very basic exercises. The Novice may acquire XP in reimancy, but the Master may only get XP in a peripheral skill, such as teaching. While the exercises were a learning experience for the Novice, they would only be routine and dull for the Master.
When grading, be sure to keep in mind all skills that are in play at the moment, even the non-physical ones such as observation, tactics, and planning. Keeping the master skills list open in a tab is helpful in keeping these peripheral skills in mind.
Example XP Paragraphs
Below are a series of examples that illustrate the level of detail needed in an action to get experience points while at various skill levels. This is not to say that every action an Expert makes is perfect, nor does it say that a Novice can't make a lucky strike. Common sense must be used when determining if a PC is playing outside their skill level.
A Yukman is being fought in the below examples, as it is a target that may be killed as an illustration. No matter what the skill level, a PC may not outright kill another PC without their express permission, preferably stated in an OOC box in the thread for the grader to verify. When fighting another PC what hits land and what hits don't depend on both PC's skill levels in both offensive and defensive skills. For more information about PvP please view the Player vs. Player Guide.
Though the examples below focus on the use of a weapon, the ideas behind each apply to any skill type.
Bob pulled his dagger from his belt, just in case he needed it.
Though Bob has his dagger in his hand, he's not using it. The simple action of getting a weapon out and holding it out is not enough to earn experience, even as a Novice.
Bob clutched the dagger and swung it wildly, missing the Yukmen that ran past. One tripped over a fallen branch and Bob jumped forward, stabbing the blade into the neck of the prone creature.
This is an example of an action that would gain Novice-level experience. Though there's not much detail, Bob's clearly using his dagger. Note that the Yukman is clearly already incapacitated - Bob acknowledges that he's not skilled enough to take on a swiftly moving target.
Bob squared off with the stumbling Yukman, holding the blade flat in front of him. The Yukman took a step forward and Bob sprang towards his enemy, shoving the blade into the distorted chest. He found himself unable to pull the blade back out before the Yukman spasmed violently, wrenching the handle from Bob's fingers.
This is an example of a Competent-level action. Bob clearly knows what he's doing, as he specifies his stance and exactly what action he took with it. He lands a successful hit on his target, but is still not adept enough to be perfect at it.
Flipping the blade between his fingers, Bob bounced on the toes of his feet as the Yukman stumbled towards him. The chest cavity seemed to be overflowing with small stones, and he focused on the neck as his best chance at incapacitating the creature. He jumped to the side as it swung out for him, and put his full weight behind the swing that sliced nearly through the dirty, distorted neck. What passed for the Yukman's spine refused to break under the swing, and Bob barely managed to whip the dagger back out before the Yukman fell.
This is an example of Expert-level actions. As with Competent, exactly how the blade is being used is specified, with exact detail. He is successful in his attack here, though experiences minor difficulty in doing what he intended.
Running full tilt, Bob unsheathed his dagger with a small flourish as he approached the Yukman attempting to corner his comrade. The creature saw him and started to move back, but too late. Bob used a large stone to jump well above the Yukman, giving him height and a hair more leverage. Cradling the blade at his side until the last moment, he ignored the outstretched hands and plunged it forward and into the vulnerable eye of the uncomprehending monstrosity.
This was a Master-level action. Notice that he's not performing miracles with his blade, just a well executed attack. He knows exactly where to hit and how, and details it well within the confines of the narrative. He didn't say he did this because of that, and he did that because of this, but we still know the advantage of attacking from atop the stone, and that he went for the eye because it's vulnerable.
Bob twirled the dagger on his finger, leisurely picking out his target from the mass of stampeding Yukman. Eying one, he flipped the dagger on its end and flung it towards the herd. The largest - the one he'd been aiming for - fell with a devastated moan, Bob's dagger perfectly thrust through its eye.
Last and least, this is an example of godmodding. At any level, even Expert, this shot is simply too much. Throwing daggers and using them to stab are technically under the same skill, but just because Bob is an Expert at the dagger doesn't mean he knows how to turn it into a long-range weapon. Hitting a swiftly moving target among a group of them with a perfect, deadly shot is impossible short of divine intervention. Even if Bob is an Expert with the dagger, use your judgement as to what is actually, physically possible when you suspect godmodding.
Requested XP versus Actual XP
In the grade request, PCs can include what skills they were aiming for with their thread. While this is helpful as it gives you an idea on what to keep an eye out for, always bear in mind that just because a specific skill was requested, doesn’t mean it is actually in the thread. Be sure to read the entire thread carefully and only award the skills that are performed.
If a skill was requested, but not in the thread, it would be a nice thing to include in the Comments section of your grade why it wasn’t awarded. They may have performed below their skill level, or they may have been performing the skill incorrectly, or any number of reasons this case would occur. Letting the PC know what went wrong will help them adjust how they write in the future so they’ll be eligible for these points.
Things to Remember About XP
This section reviews the numerous rules and quirks to keep in mind when grading XP. While some of these you may already know, there are numerous quirks and special cases within skills, to the point where it is almost impossible to list all of them in the below section. We will, however, attempt to cover the most common mistakes, and you can use the below points with your own judgement if you come across anything not mentioned.
- No more than 5XP in any particular skill may be awarded. An infinite number of different skills may be awarded (provided they are all earned), but no more than 5 points can be awarded per thread, per skill. The sole exception to this is when the teacher has a Master level of skill in Teaching.
- Experience is awarded on a per-post basis, except in exceptional cases. If Bob has three posts in his solo, and he does a point-worthy dagger action in each, he is awarded a max of 3 points. However, if Bob writes a single post that is lengthy and very detailed, he may be awarded multiple points for that post. Awarding multiple points per post is rare, and should be used only be used in cases that clearly merit it.
- Ghosts may not earn experience outside of their 3 race skills: Possession, Soulmist Projection, and Materialization, unless they are possessing a body and are using that body to perform the action. This includes passive skills as well, such as Observation and Socialization.
- Ghosts and Pre-Valterrian Nuits cannot gain experience points when flashing back to their mortal life. Only lores.
- Experience may not be awarded to dream threads. On rare occasions, a few lores may be awarded.
- When awarding Wilderness Survival skill points for the first time, be sure to include lores of the actions the PC is performing.
- Skills can gain XP by being learned from a book or verbal lessons, but not all. Skills that are purely physical, such as weaponry and hunting, may gain lores from books/lessons, but must be physically performed in order to gain XP.
- Observation is one of the most commonly awarded skills, but should only be awarded when a PC actively notices something. Narration of the surrounding area does not count as observation, unless the PC is narrated looking at a specific thing. “Bob looked around,” is not an awardable sentence. “Bob looked out at the sunset,” is awardable.
- When using daggers, throwing daggers and using them to stab are considered the same skill.
- Entertainment skills such as singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments are graded in the same manner as any other skill. 1 point, per post, per awardable action.
- When the skill Tracking is awarded, the lore of “Tracking Target” should be awarded, where ‘Target’ is the object of tracking in the thread.
- Using a gnosis-granted ability does not earn experience points. For example, if a Rak’keli-marked individual uses their divine magic to heal someone, that act does not gain points in a healing-related skill. They may use knowledge of natural healing in conjunction with their gnosis mark, in which case these peripheral actions would earn them points.
Note: We do not award XP to ghosts and nuits who do threads prior to the Valterrian. The reason being is that Pre-Valterrian lore has not been established so any flashbacks these PCs might do will be in the realm of molding the world before the valterrian without proper development procedure.
Confusable Skills
There are several established skills that are very similar to one another, and so, can be confused when awarding grades. The below is by no means an exhaustive list, but it does go over the main skills that are commonly awarded/requested incorrectly.
Brawling v Unarmed Combat v Wrestling
Brawling involves the use of your environment around you in combatting your opponent. You may be armed while brawling someone, but for some reason are not using your weapon. Unarmed Combat is combat while unarmed, but using established moves such as punches and kicks to get the job done. Kelvics and other races with natural weapons such as claws and teeth will earn unarmed combat while fighting with these. Wrestling is an uncommonly used skill, but focuses more on the use of holds and grappling instead of blunt force.
Rhetoric v Socialization
Socialization is the act of conversing for the sake of carrying on a conversation. Rhetoric is when a PC is using talking to persuade or entertain. Socialization is just talking, Rhetoric is talking with a purpose.
Observation v Detection
Observation is awarded whenever a PC actively notices something in their environment. It is important to distinguish the difference between a writer narrating their surroundings, and having the PC notice it. The noticing is what gains Observation. Detection is different, in that a PC must be detecting something that is attempting in some manner to avoid detection. A quiet animal or stealthy PC, for example.
Botany v Herbalism v Medicine v Healing
Healing is the divine magic that immediately and instantly corrects any damage to tissue, bone, or removes invading disease. Medicine is the skill that allows a healer or doctor to augment a body's natural ability to heal by enhancing or aiding the body's own ability to correct itself through artificial means (ie. stitches, compresses, bone-setting, performing surgery, and the manufacturing of substances that are ingested or applied such as tinctures or teas). Herbalism is the practice of specifically using the properties of herbs and plants to heal ailments. Botany is the scientific and biological study of the plants which includes their properties, types, systems, and needs. Herbalism is the study or practice of the medicinal and therapeutic use of plants. So one needs botany to understand how to grow plants maintain healthy plants. One needs herbalism to utilize plants for medicine.
Horsemanship/Birdkeeping/Falconry v Animal Husbandry
Animal Husbandry deals with the general care of animals. The other skill sets that deal with specific animals such as Horsemanship and Falconry are awarded when the PC performs actions that are specific to that animal. For example, if a PC owns a falcon, giving the falcon a bath, as one would for any other pet bird, would be awarded Animal Husbandry. Doing specific training to increase the falcon’s hunting skills or training with any of the falconry equipment, would be awarded Falconry.
Hunting v Planning/Tracking/Weapon
Awarding Hunting versus all of the myriad skills that make up the act of it is a common issue that can affect any number of other broad-spectrum skills. The individual skills such as Tracking and Weapons are awarded like any other skill, as they’re used. Hunting is awarded when any action is performed in the pursuit of hunting, and is thusly commonly awarded in conjunction with whatever individual skill is being used at the time.
Seduction v Flirting
Any sort of flirting, kissing, sexual encounter or seduction all falls under the 'seduction' category of skills. There are no separate skills for Flirting, Kissing, etc. Please award accordingly.
Awarding Lores
As mentioned above, lores are awarded for points of knowledged gained that cannot be expanded upon. These points of knowledge, when acquired, need to be summarized in a few words. Here are a few examples:
- Starting a Fire Without Flint
- Janice: Hates Spiders
- Riverfall: Common Fauna
Learning something doesn’t have to be directly acknowledged in the PC’s post, such as “Bob made a point to remember that Janice didn’t like spiders.” If Janice tells Bob she hates them in her post, so long as Bob is listening, he’ll then learn the lore of “Janice: Hates Spiders”. As you can see in the list above, lores that are about a specific person or place may be categorized with “Person/Place:”. Not all lores need to be categorized this way; it is more of a stylistic preference.
Grading Magic
Grading magic is deserving of its own section for several reasons. In many cities, magic is rare to come across, leading to experienced STs or PCs who know a great deal about other things, but may grade magic incorrectly. Unlike any other skill, disciplines of magic carry with them the ever-present risk of overgiving. Additionally, because “magic” is is used in extensively in fiction outside of Mizahar, PCs must be aware of how Mizahar’s system of magic works, and take care to use magic correctly. However, this does not mean magic is rigid and can only be played one way. In fact, one could easily spend several paragraphs on how to grade each magic alone because magic in general is very flexible and open to creative expression. No two players use or explain magic the same way, so it always comes down to how much the grading ST or PC really knows about the magics themselves. The following steps should work in conjunction with the steps of grading. These are just the very specific requirements for grading magic:
- Open the magical lore in question. If you have not read this lore, or have not read it in a while, always read through the lore in its entirety at least once. Know the lore better than the person your grading.
- Does the player use the magic correctly? For example do they create res before casting an element, or do they simply cast fire from their fingertips? If no then do not award any XP. Remember that the only way to use magic is by first understanding the magic. You can tell when someone has skimmed over the lore, because they always leave out a detail or two that is specified in the lore (which should be fresh in your mind while doing this grade).
- How much detail does the player give in their description? Does the level of difficulty in the spell correspond with the players current skill level? If a player is an expert reimancer, throwing a fire ball is a simple task and thus not worth giving points for. Remember that with magic, like any skill, the more proficient you are the more complex and difficult your spells have to be to get points.
- In Novice magic, expect more failing than succeeding. Magicians who are already proficient at a different discipline may have an easier time picking up the basics, but this does not mean he or she can skip the trial and error stage.
- If the player is playing to his or her skill level, are they showing signs of overgiving in thread? When a player plays to their level they should show signs of overgiving in their thread, even if it is small. Things such as random muscle spasms, loss of concentration, leading all the way up to the worse forms of overgiving. See the below section on Overgiving for more information on assigning long-term overgiving effects in your grade.
- If a player plays above their level there HAS to be signs of overgiving. If there is not assign it to them. In magic, unlike most skills, you CAN play above what your skill level suggests you should. This is very dangerous and results in serious consequences to the player. An example of this would be for a novice player trying to cast an expert level spell. They could possibly do it, but to attempt would mean putting their lives in mortal peril. This is often where you see cases of madness, and exploding limbs, play a key role in the outcome of a thread.
- Magic is viewed differently by different people, and some people can have theories and opinions about it which are different from your own. That does not mean either of you are wrong, but it shows that magic is very open to perception. For one just starting out with grading a particular magic, It is highly recommended you talk to players who use the magic often and get their opinion on the entire process.
- For magic, ALWAYS remember there is a consequence for every action. When you play with magic you are playing with fire. Every thread has a chance of injury if the character is being foolish with their abilities. An Aurist that looks directly at the aura of a God could go blind, an alchemist who tries to perform his art with a broken circle may blow himself and his entire lab to smithereens. Magic is dangerous. Glorious, but dangerous.
- Finally magic should not be kept within a box. It should be open to interpretation, it should constantly be growing and evolving. IN threads you should not give the same amount of points for the same trick used over and over again. For instance if a novice casts their fireball for the first time with great detail then they might earn a 4 in thread. If they try the same thing, described almost to the T like the last thread, they should get much less points because they already know this spell. The most points should be given to players who work hard and try to be innovators with their magic, not those who who play the same tired tricks over and over again.
Beyond these very simple steps, you get into a gray area. For example, what do you do about players using their magic in new ways? The answer is that there is no simple answer. Each case with magic is different. When grading magic, be as flexible and adaptable as the arts themselves. Do not immediately dismiss a players ideas, and instead ask yourself logically "Could it work?" Remember that every magic can be explained through logic and reason. There are all kinds of theories out there, and so far no one can claim they are completely right. So with magic, if you don't know the answer always ask for help. Sometimes another ST will be able to better explain a concept in the lore to you, or they might give you an idea about how a player’s idea might work. If you don’t know, ask.
Magecrafted Items
Graders can grade Magecrafted items. However, once the thread is completed all Magecrafted items created in thread must be added to storyteller secrets threads. That means you as a Grader must PM a storyteller or Founder and have them add it to the player who crafted it Storyteller Secret threads. If it is gifted away, that recipient needs to have their SS thread noted as well.
Examples
Below is a series of examples of magic usage. Some are correct, some are not. See below each example for an explanation.
Bob focused on his upturned palms, willing the djed to pool there. It was a slow process, but in a few moments, he had enough gathered. A migraine began to form from the effort, but he forced himself to continue concentrating. Concentrating on the djed, he willed it into a ball of glowing green res. Taking a deep breath, he shoved his hands outward, willing the res to ignite and take flight. The fireball lit and blew an arms length away from him, and quickly extinguished in a sputter of smoke.
This is an example of Novice-level Reimancy. Note the difficulty in simply forming the spell, and how soon it extinguishes. Overgiving kicks in very early, but as mentioned above, can be worked through.
Clapping his hands, Bob produced a ball of lightning between them. Grinning at the Yukman now retreating, he thrust out his hands and willed the lightning to burrow into the back of the Yukman. It missed at first, but followed the creature around the corner until the strike could be made.
Multiple problems with this one. First, Bob makes no mention of calling either djed or res in his casting. Secondly, while res can be thrown beyond the area specified by the experience level in the lore, it cannot float that far unless the experience level allows it, and unless a separate branch of magic is involved to control it, the res cannot follow a target on its own.
Bob had spent years studying foxes. He knew their bone structure, musculature, and internal systems. Having just been initiated into the art of Morphing, his first act was to promptly morph into a fox.
While it’s great that Bob is so familiar with the form he is turning into, Novice and Competent-level Morphers cannot stray that much from their original mass.
While watching Jane from across the street, Bob focused in on her aura. He could tell she was thinking about him, wishing they were together.
While an aurist may be able to detect Jane’s longing or desire, even a Master wouldn’t be able to tell it was about him.
Channeling the djed to course through his body, Bob faced down the crudely armed Yukmen. Djed coiled in his legs as he prepared to spring forward, and with his first step, he sprang forward like a shot. As he rammed into to cluster of Yukmen, blades sliced through his flesh, and though Bob registered the pain through a haze of anger, he plowed through it. Djed flowed through his biceps to bring the two handed sword down with enough power to cleave the Yukman in front of him clean in half. A dagger rammed hilt-deep into his shoulder, and this time, even the flux could not hide the pain. Bob staggered back as the concentration on his Flux vanished.
This is Flux being used correctly, but only at Competent or above. Minor pain can be ignored, but this doesn’t mean the caster can just ignore major injuries. Additionally, only at Competent level or above can individual muscles be targeted, such as the biceps, instead of general body parts, such as the legs.
As a master Voider, Bob had no trouble throwing out his hands and summoning a sizable portal above the table. Manipulating the pull, he focused on the nails in the door behind him. On the other side, the Yukmen were beating mercilessly against the wood. When the nails were plucked from the door, Bob opened up the portal’s pull to draw in everything, and he watched in satisfaction as the latch, door, and finally, three Yukmen flew by him and into the Void.
Heart pounding, Bob careened through the door and slammed it behind him. Sucking in a breath, he gathered the focus to summon a portal. Narrowing his mind to the empty space above the table, a portal sparked, hiccuping in its growth as the Yukmen behind him collided with the wooden door. Feeding his djed to the dark space, Bob tried to maintain his heart rate even as monstrous hands beat on the door behind him. Once the portal was full size, he turned to look at the nails in the latched door. The slow pull of the portal behind him vanished and he saw the nails in the door begin to shiver. One by one, they popped out of the door to whiz into the darkness. Taking a step back, Bob waited until the door was sufficiently weakened before he opened up the pull to draw in everything before it. A single painting flew off the wall before the door gave a mighty lurch and flew off its unsecured hinges. The door vanished and the three Yukmen followed, and a moment later, Bob withdrew his djed from the portal and allowed it to close.
Here are two examples of master-level voiding. While the first may earn points, due to the complexity of the actions, the second is what will earn the big points throughout the thread. When magic is involved the points always come from the details more than the act. If you perform an act of magic well, and to the appropriate skill level, you may get a point. However, if you perform to skill level AND provide a detailed account of djed manipulation, emotions that course through your mind as you create your spell, and intricate details of incantations and hand signs THEN you will get into the real points. The points are always in the details.
Additional Things to Include in Your Grade
Though XP and Lores make up the bulk of the grade, there are a few very important additions that need to be included as they apply. Though these can be easy to skip over, they are just as important as XP.
Penalties & Awards
Given what happened in the thread, the PCs in question may have earned penalties and/or awards. Examples of awards are:
- Objects gained in the course of the thread (such as gifts or found items)
- Money (if given or earned)
Penalties are not considered punishments, but simply as things earned during the thread that the PC may consider in-character to be unpleasant. You may choose to include penalties and loot in the same section, though we recommend including at least Injuries in their own section.
- Injuries (include the duration of the injury)
- Overgiving effects
- Items lost or given away
- Money spent
Alternate organizations of the Penalties/Awards section include:
- Injuries/Ledger changes/Loot
- Injuries/Overgiving/Loot
- Injuries/Loot
Bear in mind that not all of these sections have to be present in your grade if there is nothing in them. If no PCs were injured, and no money or items changed hands, you may leave these sections out altogether.
Additional Comments
This is a section that may not seem essential, but is necessary for rounding off a good grade. This section can include any number of things, from comments on what happened, to notes on things missed. Some ideas are:
- A request that the PC who submitted the grade request delete the request from the queue, or edit it to say that the grade has been completed, if they are unable to fully delete.
- Things missed in the lore, such as about the city/race/skill. it is helpful to link to the relevant wiki article so the PC may familiarize themselves with sections they may have missed.
- Reasons why a requested skill wasn’t awarded.
- Problems with the post or writing style, particularly if the style is difficult to read. All posts in Mizahar must be in the third person past tense.
- Problems with post lengths. Typically this refers to posts that are too short (a decent post is 300-400 at a bare minimum), but may also to refer to posts that are unusually long and so, are cumbersome to read.
- ”Good job.” While criticisms are essential to any writer, positive messages are just as important. Everyone likes to hear what they’re doing right, and what directions they should endeavor to grow in as a writer.
Interventions
On occasion, you will come across a thread that includes pieces that are simply not okay. Perhaps they’re doing something against the lore, godmodding, writing in a god’s appearance into their thread, or doing something that will simply get them killed. There are innumerable actions that are not allowed - too many to list here. By knowing the lore, you’ll be able to spot them on your own. When you come across such an action, an ST must immediately post an intervention and grading of the thread is halted. If you are a PC, alert an ST to the situation.
No matter how much you have graded, even if it’s the entire thread, save that grade in your grading document and wait for the intervention to resolve.
For minor problems, such as ones that appear to be honest mistakes and can be resolved with a few post edits without altering the entirety of the thread, PM the PC in question. If they change what’s necessary, have them PM you when they’re done so you may continue with the grade.
For serious problems, such as ones where the PC clearly did not read the lore, or the entire basis of the thread is problematic, post an intervention explaining the problem. Recommend that they either alter all the affected posts to resolve the issue, or in very severe cases, completely rewrite the thread. If a complete rewrite is required, the thread must be submitted to the grading queue again.
Posting your grade
Once you’ve completed your grade and proofread it for mistakes, unless it needs approval from an ST for some reason, edit in the grade to your grading placeholder post. If several threads are getting graded in succession, do not withhold the grades in order to publish them all at once, as this is unfair to the people waiting for grades that have already been completed.
Last but not least, pat yourself on the back! Grading is part of what makes the world of Mizahar turn, and you’ve just personally contributed to the advancement of one or more people’s PCs. From the ST team, or the rest of it, if you’re an ST yourself, thank you.
Once Your Thread Is Graded
Remember, PCs out there, that once a Grader has graded your thread, then you need to go back to where you originally posted the request and REMOVE IT. The handy dandy little X button on the upper right will soft delete the post for you. You can also just EDIT the post and erase the contents and put something like 'Grade received.' or 'Grading Completed.' instead.
When To Contact An ST or Founder
- If anything needs to be added to a storyteller's secret thread, feel free to contact someone on staff to add it in.
- Magecrafted or Magical Items are created. This includes Maladicted or Animated Items as well.
- Unusual circumstances occurring in threads.
- CS's aren't checkmarked with green.
- Cheating or Misuse of game standards or ToS violations.
- Any questions at all.