New to roleplay? This glossary covers the most common terms and abbreviations you'll encounter in online RP communities. From IC and OOC to godmodding and metagaming, learn the language of collaborative storytelling.
A style of roleplay that emphasizes proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and narrative prose. Literate roleplayers typically write in third person past tense and focus on detailed descriptions of actions, thoughts, and dialogue. Posts are usually multiple paragraphs long.
Learn about literate roleplay communities →A middle ground between literate and casual roleplay. Semi-literate posts are typically one to three paragraphs, use proper grammar and spelling, but may not include the extensive detail found in literate or novella RP. A popular style for players who want quality writing without lengthy time commitments.
A roleplay format where participants take turns writing posts in a forum or message thread, rather than chatting in real-time. Players can take hours or days between posts, making it ideal for people with busy schedules. Also known as forum RP or asynchronous roleplay.
Explore play-by-post platforms →Content written from the perspective of your character. When you're IC, you're speaking, acting, and thinking as your character would, not as yourself. IC posts describe what your character does, says, thinks, and feels within the story.
Communication as yourself, the player, rather than your character. OOC is used for planning scenes, asking questions, discussing plot points, or just chatting with fellow players. Usually marked with brackets like (( )) or [[ ]] to distinguish it from IC content.
The person who runs and facilitates a roleplay or game. They control the world, NPCs, plot events, and often adjudicate rules. In collaborative storytelling, this role might be shared or rotated among players.
Any character in the story not controlled by a main player. NPCs are typically controlled by the GM or introduced temporarily by players to populate scenes. They can range from minor background characters to important recurring figures in the story.
The official, accepted events, lore, and facts within a roleplay universe. If something is canon, it happened and is part of the story's history. Communities often have detailed canon documents outlining their world's rules, history, and established facts.
A setting or scenario that differs from the original or main canon. AUs might change fundamental aspects of the world, timeline, or characters. For example, a modern AU of a fantasy setting, or a scenario where a key historical event happened differently.
A self-contained roleplay story meant to be completed in a single session or short series of posts. Oneshots have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and don't require ongoing commitment. Great for trying new characters or exploring specific scenarios.
A writing style where posts typically contain multiple paragraphs (usually 3-5+). Multi-para roleplayers value detailed descriptions, character introspection, and thorough scene-setting. Falls between semi-literate and novella on the length spectrum.
The most detailed and lengthy roleplay style, where posts can be thousands of words long. Novella roleplayers treat each post like a chapter of a book, with extensive descriptions, internal monologue, and literary techniques. Requires significant time investment but produces rich, immersive narratives.
Roleplay without mechanical rules or dice systems. In freeform RP, outcomes are determined through collaborative storytelling and player agreement rather than game mechanics. Focuses purely on narrative and character development.
Roleplay that incorporates dice rolls or other random elements to determine outcomes of actions, especially combat or skill checks. Can range from simple pass/fail rolls to complex systems like D&D. Adds unpredictability and fairness to challenging situations.
A document or form containing information about a roleplay character, including their name, appearance, personality, backstory, abilities, and other relevant details. Character sheets help other players understand your character and may need approval before you can start playing.
A real person (usually a celebrity or model) whose appearance is used to represent a roleplay character. Face claims help other players visualize your character and are common in modern and realistic settings. Some communities have rules about using or reserving face claims.
A character who is unrealistically perfect, overpowered, or lacking meaningful flaws. Mary Sues often have tragic backstories that don't affect them, excel at everything, and are loved by everyone. Generally considered poor character design and discouraged in most roleplay communities.
Writing actions that unfairly control the outcome of a situation, especially in combat. Examples include making your character dodge every attack, hit every time, or be immune to consequences. Also called godmoding or powerplaying. Considered a major etiquette violation.
When a player uses information their character wouldn't know to make decisions. For example, if you read another player's post about their character's secret plan, then have your character act on that knowledge without an IC reason. Breaks immersion and is generally prohibited.
Changing or rewriting something that was previously established as canon. Retcons might fix plot holes, undo unpopular developments, or adjust details that no longer fit the story. Usually requires agreement from involved parties or GM approval.
Now that you know the lingo, create your own roleplay community on WorldForger. All the tools you need to build immersive worlds and tell amazing stories.