Between: FAQ
BETWEEN, WV — FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

THIS SEEMS FAMILIAR…
  • That’s not a question.
    It should sound familiar. Between is a continuation of Ruin via ~hollermod and ~ruinmod. Yes, I am the original creator — the lore mod. The story of Ruin, as with Between, was and is a story shaped by players, their choices, and their silences. Sadly, that story took a hard left, and its natural conclusion will be seen here.

    In short: I have to keep burning shit down because people cannot be adults, and I’ll burn this one down too if y’all can’t act right.
    • WHERE DOES THE GAME TAKE PLACE?
    Between is a fictional town located in West Virginia, USA. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and bordered by Maryland and Virginia at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, Between sits in the easternmost and lowest point of the state.

    The game takes place in the EST time zone.
    WHAT ABOUT RUIN?
    Although Between will be the main portion of the game, until 01.01.26 there will be characters that are living in Ruin. These characters are played by players from the previous game who have backgorund knowledge of the town and different stakes. Only previous players can have characters from Ruin.
    IS THE SUPERNATURAL PUBLIC?
    Humans — specifically those who grew up in town or who have lived here at least a decade — know something is happening. Some gifted humans are quietly folded into the supernatural side of life: cryptid encounters in the woods, the bruised sky above The Lantern House B&B, The Whistler’s call, or a glimmer leading them to a mushroom circle.

    In Between, the supernatural is an open secret among locals. People don’t announce what they are around newcomers or tourists; no one’s trying to make national news. There’s still secrecy. Guard yourself and your fellow creature with respect. Witches and Lycanthropes, especially, tend to be more private around humans.
    WHAT'S UP WITH THE SKY & WHAT'S A WHISTLER?
    The sky in Between isn’t quite right. It’s something of a glitch in itself. Every night, a bruise of light forms above the Lantern House—though during the day, nothing appears unusual. It resembles a small aurora borealis, and locals believe it may be a kind of portal. What passes through it, if anything, remains unknown.

    As for the Whistler, no one truly knows. Some say it’s just a disembodied whistle that drifts through town. Others believe it’s an entity—one that destroys anyone who dares to look toward the sound. It doesn’t appear every night, and it never manifests in quite the same place, though it most often occurs near the Lantern House—possibly tied to the sky’s bruise. No one is certain.

    Gameplay Note:
    Direct interaction with the Whistler will carry in-game consequences. Engaging with the sound without seeking its source may lead to unusual or intriguing narrative developments without resulting in loss of sanity or physical harm. For scene guidance, please Dropbox the mod for additional information.
    SHOULD MY CHARACTER KNOW ABOUT THE WATER SPIRIT???
    The water spirit mentioned in the game premise — maybe.

    If your character is a lycanthrope or a witch with ties to the Stillwater Pack, then yes — they would likely know about the water spirit. The spirit is said to reside in Abigail’s Creek and is believed to have taken on the form of a wolf made entirely of water during the second pact formed between the town (led by Abigail) and the Alpha of the Stillwater Pack at the time.

    The Stillwater wolves are known to preserve their history through oral tradition, passing it down clearly and intentionally. Witches, however, often preserve the same history in more cryptic ways — stories, symbolic warnings, or metaphor layered over fact. As a result, a lycan may know the tale as truth, while a witch might interpret it as a legend or cautionary story.

    It is up to you to decide how much of that truth your character understands and whether they recognize the water spirit as literal, symbolic, or something in between.
    ARE THERE CONTENT LIMITS?
  • All content should be placed under a cut and labeled with the correct warnings.
  • All content that affects other characters must be discussed OOC before any actions happen.
  • This is a mature-themed game. Adult topics — including but not limited to body horror, psychological torment, supernatural violence, and the exploration of sexuality — are allowed. Players are expected to know their own limits and opt out of arcs, scenes, or themes they cannot engage with safely.
    • HOW STRUCTURED IS THE PLOT?
    There is a living outline: a start, a middle, and an end.

  • The story unfolds based on player actions (and inactions).
  • Character development often weaves directly into the main narrative, shaping twists and consequences as the story progresses.
    • HOW DO SOCIALS WORK?
    There are three in-game social networks: Wispogram (like Instagram) and Crowspeak (like Twitter) and Threadveil (like Tumblr). Codes are available for these and scene headers in the player resource page.

    You can use social interactions for activity and to help drive plot. The Mod monitors these networks — and if posts aren’t correctly filtered, there may be in-game consequences later based on what information was left floating freely.

    There is only one tag for social media/network posts: #socials.

    An example of in-game consequences via Ruin:
    The Dealer was able to destroy wards and attack a specific family with the inforamtion gathered.
    CAN I PLAY A MORALLY GRAY CHARACTER?
    Absolutely. Play a villain if you’d like — just remember that you’re responsible for generating your own plot, and it shouldn’t derail the main narrative.

    If your charming sociopath has been dropping bodies in a local well, just know: their time may be running out.
    CAN I USE TOWN NPCs?
    If you want to create random townsfolk to have a random encounter with, go for it. If you want to use one of the official NPCs just get in touch with me (drop box or discord) to make sure the NPC reacts the correct way to the situation.

    If you have something you want to do, including blowing up part of the town, just talk to me. I work hard to find a middle ground with players so that they can have the scenes they would like to have while keeping everyone else in the loop.
    DO CHARACTERS HAVE TO BE FROM BETWEEN?
    No. Characters may come from out of town, out of state, or even out of the country.

    Part of the plot involves the uneasy arrival of Ruin refugees come January 2026.
    ARE ANY TYPES OF CHARACTERS DISCOURAGED?
    Yes.

  • Overpowered “Chosen Ones.”
  • Comic relief that undercuts tone.
  • Characters designed solely for romance without personal stakes. (We all love a good ship, but if you’re only here to ship — turn around.)
  • Edgelords without depth.
  • Organized crime rings (gangs, mobs). It’s been tried. It doesn’t work.
  • Adaptations or direct lifts from existing media. This is an original character game.
    • WHAT TYPE OF CHARACTERS ARE ENCOURAGED?
  • Fully realized, emotionally complex characters that feel lived-in rather than performative.
  • Diversity in ethnicity, culture, gender, and religion.
    • WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHARACTER IS ATTACKED BY A LYCAN?
  • You, as the player, decide whether they turn or not.
  • If they turn, they lose any previous magical abilities.
  • If they don’t, they live with the scars — and likely chronic pain — from the attack.
    • CAN MY CHARACTER DIE?
  • Yes. And they can come back. Death isn’t the worst thing that can happen here.
  • If you leave the game without notice or direction, your character may be used to advance the plot however the Mod sees fit.
    • CAN MY CHARACTER BE MULTI-SPECIES?
  • No.
    • CAN TWO OR MORE CHARACTERS HAVE THE SAME ABILITIES?
    Technically, yes — but no two characters should ever feel alike. Similar, maybe, but not identical.

    The Mod will help refine abilities during the pending application process. Every app is read carefully, and you may be asked for edits to ensure your character fits smoothly into the world.
    WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WITCH & GIFTED?
    Great question!

  • Witches draw from non-kinetic magic. Their power works outside, around, and through natural forces. Their magic bends — and sometimes rewrites — the natural order itself. A shadow witch wouldn't have umbrakinesis, they would wield umbramancy, the wording is a small difference but the meaning makes all the difference.

  • Gifted abilities are kinetic, tapping into or warping the natural order within their own bodies. They’re limited by radius, sight, and capacity. Their DNA is frayed and unstable. Gifted are living anomalies — powerful, yes, but not always steady.
    • DO I NEED TO HAVE DISCORD?
    Short answer: No.

    Longer answer: You have OOC Contacts so that players can contact you, it is up to you to keep up with those contacts as this is a cooperative game meaning you will need to interact with other players at some point.

    We do have a game server where plot and such will be discussed. Being part of this server will allow you to talk to players without adding individual players to your discord. Again, you are not required to have discord. You are not required to engage in the server chats. It is highly suggested, but not required. I will post in the OOC if anything happens in the server revolving around plot, requests, or links that all players should take note of.
    IS THERE A JOB LIST?
    No.

    Character occupations can be found on the cast page or within individual character biographies. Available positions are open to whatever role you’d like your character to fill at any of the businesses or locations listed under the Locations list on the Town Key page.

    At this time, it is preferred that characters work at an already established location rather than creating new ones. Exceptions for character-owned shops or spaces may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
    MY QUESTION WASN’T ANSWERED!
    That’s still not a question.

    Please make sure you’ve read all available information first. If you’ve done that and still can’t find what you need, direct your question to the Mod Drop Box. I’ll get back to you within the stated timeframe.

    If you’re wondering about something, odds are two other people are too. Ask. It may be something I missed — and I’ll add it to the FAQ or rules as needed.

    Player questions are always welcome and encouraged.