Welcome to Crestfallen. This group is a Modified Free-Form RPG (Role Playing Game) PBeM (Played By eMail), based on cross-genre, a darkly cyberpunk/horror deal with hints of modern gothic and techno flavor. Free-Form refers to a system lacking character "levels," stats, complex rules of play, timed postings, playing fees, and with a gameworld totally original, and a rules system designed to limit the player's creativity as little as possible. This group was created for the serious gamer, those frusterated with pbems that die out due to lack of player and/or GM interest or those lacking writing standards, frequent posting rates, believable character concepts, and strong plot direction.

You won't find any poorly construed character concepts here, or a lack of interest, or plot direction. A staff of two veteran Administrators (Gamemasters or GMs) are present 'round the clock to ensure Crestfallen maintains a high level of skill, interest, and standard, working to make your gaming experience as enjoyable as possible.

Experienced RPG PBeM'ers may quickly notice that Crestfallen is very unlike the restrictive systems many rpgs are based upon. Unlike AD&D style play, here there is no all-powerful DM (Dungeon Master), Storyteller, Director, whatever you prefer to call it. Administrator's (GMs) play a limited role, supervising threads, sending out their own personal posts to the mailing lists, approving character profiles, enforcing rules, and of course, answering any questions you, the player, may have. As far as a actually deciding what goes on in a story line, the Administrators themselves have only slightly more control than the average player, limited to influencing the story line with whatever character they control and their small army of NPCs, and leaving the player amble space to define their own personal writing style and character plot.

Story lines (threads) will be at least partially planned before the actual writing starts, but after that, direction is in the players' court. Crestfallen's primary email list (which functions off Topica.com email servers) will archive the players' writings as their characters develop CF's story.

Understand that ALL players will be welcomed into Crestfallen, both the novice PBeM'er and the advanced netaholic. Creativity, dedication, interest, and maturity are prime. New players will be expected to display a strong grasp of standard English grammar and spelling, with an overall aim toward an intermediate to advanced level of actual writing skill. Catch us off guard with something creative and original. Avoid stereotypes and one-sided personalities and aim for a well-rounded character. We've seen it all and done it all, probably more than once in fact. So again, BE CREATIVE. After all, that's the entire point of strict Free-Form�to NOT limit the imagination of the writer even in the slightest.

Humanity is a lie, garbing itself carefully within its meticulous half-truths and propaganda, preaching zealously of honesty, purity, and morality. But who is the real enemy? Human government rages, its politicians as cold and self-serving as ever those of past, its populace distant and out of touch with reality, caught up in the technological bliss of entertainment and false comforts. The vampyres linger, a shadowed reflection of humanity's own self-delusions, immediately falling into the human trend of war and deceit. And in the background the New Children wander in cryptic silence, souls permanently skewered by the whims of corporate aristocracy so often staining the soul of Delos mortality.

You create the character to your specifications, then enact that persona with numerous other characters controlled by members of Crestfallen in the terrain of Los Delos, Nevada and its outlying lands. The player determines how characters develop as they react to their surroundings. With luck, when you come away from CF you will have improved your skill as a writer and perhaps will have even made a few friends or two from around the world. You'll find many different approaches to writing among the faces of Crestfallen which you can use to help in building your own style as a writer.

And in closing, just so you know, as a member you'll be dealing with a little band of people unofficially called "the Staff," two or three individuals privileged with the glorious task of administrating this PBeM and doing all the grunt work. If after sorting through the material of this site you find yourself with a question still unanswered, or if you're just curious about a certain aspect of how the group works, complain to an Administrator and we'll be glad to help you out. With that said, happy writing and good luck.