Laws of the Land

To roleplay means to play the role of someone or something other than yourself. On Cat's Paw Island it is common for people to roleplay felines, often feline characters of that person's own creation.

Example: Raja prowled quietly through the forest, scenting for prey. The night air was quiet and calm, but she was alert for danger.



If you are new to roleplay and want to give it a try, here are some tips!

1. Get to know what you're roleplaying as. It's fairly straightforward. If you're roleplaying a wolf, you might howl to gather your pack. If you're roleplaying a tiger, you might roar to warn intruders that this is your territory.
2. Know your limits. Every character is different. One person may have a trait that you want, but if you intend to use it you should try to create a reason for having it.
3. Be original. If you really want to connect to your character, and if you really want it to make an impact in its world, make it different! Give it silly quirks and behaviors that are unique to you. People won't be happy if you take ideas that are not yours.
4. Stay in character. Be consistent. Don't say you're a bird one minute and then switch to a toad the next. It can be irritating and confusing to other roleplayers.
5. Be descriptive. Roleplayers want to immerse themselves in environments and communities that are not real. That's part of the adventure. Paint a picture with words of your character and its actions. It proves for a much more interactive story.
6. Use proper spelling and grammar. You don't need to be a professional typist to roleplay, but it's better if you use punctuation to the best of your ability. Chatspeak (using abbreviations and slang such as "u" instead of "you") can really break roleplayers' immersion.
7. Experiment with words. Try using new words, and don't be repetitive. Instead of starting every sentence with "the" or "she" or "him," start with a verb and figure out how to make an interesting description.
8. Pay attention. It's common courtesy to listen to people who talk to you in the real world, and the same applies online. When roleplaying with someone else, remember what they say and do. It may even wind up benefiting you.

Here is an example of roleplay that follows these tips:

Raja's leisurely nap was interrupted by the jagged sound of a twig snapping. She lifted her head up off the sun-warmed rock to peer cautiously into the undergrowth surrounding her tiny meadow. Her eyes narrowed as they landed upon the gray, light-dappled hide of a boar. As quietly as she could, Raja pushed herself to a crouching position, gaze fixed upon her unaware prey. Claws flexed, muscles bunched, and she charged.

Here is an example of roleplay that others may find distasteful:

raja ate and then ran and jumped in the stream b4 climbing back out. she looked around 4 her babies. they ran around trying 2 catch each other.

*When interacting with other people's characters, you should NOT attempt to control their actions or reactions. This is very frustrating to others, and it might land you on a few Ignore lists. Their characters are not your responsibility. If you attack, let them decide if they are going to be injured by it. When they attack in return, you should be the one to decide if you were hurt.



Some people like to use uncommon and even completely made-up words in their roleplay. Here are a few examples:

Orbs = Eyes
Pelt = Fur
Harks = Ears
Nape = Neck
Fae = Female
Brute = Male
Haunches = Hind quarters
Flanks = Sides of an animal
Hackles = Fur along the back

Remember that everyone has different tastes. You don't have to roleplay a specific way to be "right" so long as everyone involved understands you.

Rules:
1. Don't character steal. Use your own characters.
2. Keep graphic mating, birth, or death scenes out of public rooms. (Sexual content is never allowed with a person under the age of 18.)
3. Role play fighting is allowed, but you must be careful with your character's threatening dialog. Some people take roleplay threats very seriously and you can be banned for them.
4. If you are offended by the way someone is roleplaying, put that person on Ignore and tell an admin. Don't escalate the problem by putting your character or account at risk.
5. Do not attempt to control another person's character.
6. No godmodding. Play fair.
7. "Killer clans" are not allowed.



Lastly, keep in mind that Cat's Paw Island is NOT a site made for just Warrior Cats roleplay alone. It's just a chat site for feline enthusiasts and regular chatters of all ages, and feline-based roleplays for everyone.