Character feature

The official GemStone IV encyclopedia.
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Character features are how the character looks. It is the section of a character's LOOK description between its race line and its tattoos and piercings (or injury status if the character does not have either tattoos or piercings), shown in bold below.

You see Lord XXX YYY Faendryl the Archpriest.
He appears to be a Dark Elf.
He is taller than average.  He appears to be wizened with age.  He has piercing violet eyes and ashen skin.  He has short, straight silver hair swept back from the temples.  He has an angular face, a straight nose and broad shoulders.  He has a grizzled amber-eyed owl perched on his shoulder.
You can hardly recognize him covered in all that soot and ash!
He is in good shape.
He is wearing...

Feature Order

Character features appear in the following order:

She is <height> and has <body build>.  She appears to be <age description>.  She has <eye characteristic> <eye color> eyes and <complexion> skin.  She has <hair style>, <hair texture> <hair color> hair <hair quirk>.  She has [a/an] <face> face, [a/an] <nose> nose and [a/an] <distinguishing mark>.  <Unique>.

Height, Body Build and Age

The first sentence of a character description contains the height and optional body build descriptors. The age descriptor is in the second sentence.

Height is set in the character generator. Height can also be changed at the feature pavilions in every major town, also called the New Look Pavilion, and by merchants doing feature alterations.

Setting the body build field is currently only available at special events, such as Rumor Woods, or via very rare raffle wins.

Age is set in game using the AGE verb. Age can be reset using an Age Reset Potion sold in the Simucoin Store.

Example of standard, non-altered height and age:

She is average height.  She appears to be very young.

Example of height/body build with a feature alter:

He is thick limbed and towering in height.

Example of standard height with optional body build.

She is average height and has a delicately boned, waifish body.  She appears to be extremely young.

Eyes and Complexion

The third sentence of a character description contains the eyes and skin descriptors.

Example of standard, non-altered eyes/skin:

He has ale-brown eyes and alabaster skin.

Example of eyes/skin with a feature alter:

She has mismatched viridian and icy green eyes and flawless dark bronze skin.

The term feature alter in this sense is used loosely as both the eyes and skin were changed with eye and skin changing potions from Ebon Gate. Besides these potions, eyes and skin can be changed at the Feature Pavilion. Premium members can also access Shear Delight on Mist Harbor. Eye accents and colors are through the doorway in the hallway while skin complexion and colors are through the curtain. Some festivals and pay events will also have a themed feature shop.

Hair

The next sentence of a character description contains the hair descriptor. Hair can either not exist (bald headed) or have a color, style (the cut/length), texture (such as wavy) , and quirk (not all are required).

Example of standard, non-altered hair:

He has long, unruly black hair.

Example of standard, non-altered hair with a hairdo:

She has shoulder length, brunette hair worn in a bun.

Example of hair with a feature alter:

She has very long, loose golden hair with lighter streaks.

Example of the same hair with a hair altering item:

She has very long, loose golden hair drawn back from her face and bound in place by a refined veniom circlet set with a raindrop of vivid blue sapphire.

All aspects of hair can be changed at feature pavilions and Shear Delight on Mist Harbor through the arch. Merchants will also style hair and additional options may be available at feature shops at festivals.

Hair descriptions can also be replaced by a wig, which may mask the color, length, texture, and style.

Example of hair with a wig:

She has lustrous, wavy charcoal black hair woven into an intricate herringbone plait.

Face, Nose and Distinguishing Mark

The fifth sentence of a character description can consist of a facial characteristic (e.g. angular, dainty, oval, round), a nose and a distinguishing mark (anything from mouth/teeth characteristics to facial hair to ears). Posture and body shape can also be included as a distinguishing mark ("stooped shoulders" is a standard option, "ample hips" is available in Shear Delight). Scars may be a part of the distinguishing mark of a feature alteration. One does not have to have to have a descriptor for every single part.

Example of standard, non-altered half-krolvin face:

She has a fleshy face, a hooked nose and a sloping forehead.

Example of standard, non-altered elven face with no nose descriptor:

She has an angular face and small pointed ears.

Example the same face with an item that covers the face:

She has an ivory silk mask of delicately layered feathers partially covering her face and small pointed ears.

All aspects of the face can be changed at feature pavilions and Shear Delight on Mist Harbor through the curtain (west of complexions). Merchants will also change any of these features and additional options may be available at feature shops at festivals.

Unique Feature Field

The final sentence of a character description is reserved for a unique feature, or can be a field for items or makeup. In some cases, an item or makeup may override and replace a unique feature in that field, and other cases it may be appended to the end of the unique feature, depending on the length of the unique feature and the feature-altering item in question.

Feature example:

She has a faint key-shaped birthmark below her left eye.

Item example:

She has a grizzled amber-eyed owl perched on her shoulder.

Makeup example:

She has alternating ebon and plum lacquer brushed onto her long oval fingernails.

Wings

Only characters of the Aelotoi race have wings. These can be also altered like any other feature. Wings have an additional feature slot for wing quirks. Unlike most features, wings cannot be changed at the New Look Pavilion, however some festival events, such as Rumor Woods, can provide options for changing wings.

Example:

She has a pair of translucent silver-veined frosty blue wings.

Teras Ash

Main article: Teras ash

Characters spending any amount of time on Teras Isle will likely be covered in soot and ash.

You can hardly recognize her covered in all that soot and ash!

Ash can be cleared using RUB (character).

Feature Alteration

As mentioned in some of the examples above, merchants occasionally visit towns or festivals and perform alterations on any of the above sections. These services typically take a few minutes longer than changing a simple item like a container. See the ALTER verb for guidance on particular body parts.

See Also