-Character History-
Roleplay is, to an extent based upon real life. In real life, adults don't just pop into existence fully grown and knowing everything do they? No. Treat your character like an actual real person. Make up a history for it. It gives you more to work with when rping, and just helps the character assume a "real" feeling to it.
We are not saying you have to plan a character's first steps to it's first kiss, but just a general background. We suggest making a list of things, or writing a short story about your character.
Example of List:
1. Character was born a duchess
2. Her personality was always mischeivious, and perky.
3. She had one brother, who treated her like spun glass.
4. When she was sixteen, she fell in love. He didn't love her heart was broken. This turned her bitter towards men for a while.
5. When she was seventeen, she was sent on a tour of europe with her best friend, chaperone. Her best friend was killed in a robbery while they where out and about and she began to lust for revenge.
6. Sent a letter back soon after from a different identity, stating that there had been two bodies found, instead of one.
7. She began doing what she's currently doing now, hunting down any who shared the profession that caused her friend to die, and taking her revenge on them.
A list is not the best way, but it's a good way if your short on time. It gives you lots to work with, if you just build on the facts you have listed.
-Character Abilities-
This is linked in with character history. No one is born knowing how to use swords, or fire a gun. They must learn these things. It is not good roleplay at ALL, to make a god-like character. A god like character, all knowing, all seeing, all powerful. ect ect ect...
If your character is, say, 17..do you really think she/he will know everything there is to know about weapons? Or have the mental capabilities of an ages old wizard? Most likely not. Start out an rp with a few skills, and build on them. It gives you more opportunities to RP if your learning weapons fighting, spell-casting, and/or hand to hand fighting.
Magical items and equipment should be limited, for creating these powerful items are hard and therefore rare. Machines are very limited to non-existant. Those that do exists in Shimlar would be either steam-powered or clock-work.
However if you insist on bringing a character into the world with strong magical, mental and physical abilities...develope that into your character history. Maybe even rp memories of learning those skills/abilities. No one is perfect, and although people do use RP to escape from real-life sometimes, a perfect character can grow to be quite dull.
You may control a few NPC's, such as peasants or a group of high-way robbers coming after you, but you should not rp a character that could be considered legendary or one that is God-like. This reflects badly upon you. If you must insist on rping such a character, which is highly unrecommended, we ask that you contact a RP mod about it. Role playing yourself as a god-like character, or NPC'ing one is generally not well received.You will find yourself ignored, or perhaps even told off. Use your own judgement, but most of all, try to have fun