A Newbies Guide to the Galaxy - LOC - NO POSTING

[starry--knight]

Welcome Traveler to Lochren <3

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The world of Lochren is a very complex place, home to LOC and the many other life forms that resides upon it. It can be an intimidating view at first, the world is filled with battles, elements, ranks, armors, prides, plants, prey and more. However the LOC world doesn't have to be intimidating and if it is to you, this guide is here to get your foot in the door and on your way to building a successful, potentially lion winning form!

Please note that this guide will constantly be adding, changing and evolving with info to better help you with the LOC world! If you have any suggestions to better serve you and your form endeavors, don't hesitate to get in contact!


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Lets get started!


Step 1: Get to know the basics about LOC.


Lions of the Cosmos are an elite group of powerful creatures who's soul purpose is to defend the peace throughout the universe. They come in many different colors, with different manes, marks and abilities. Each lion wields an element and this element aids them during battles off and on planet. These lions do not need to feed for they are surrounded by a mystical dust that satisfies their hunger. They also are forbidden to keep or come in contact with human objects- and though they may travel to earth they may not bring such objects back with them to their home planet.


Click this link to view the different species types, prey animals, lifespan and breeding info here!

This is essentially the most broken down and basic synopsis that started the LOC world way back in 2013. It was the foundation that led to a myriad of events, traits and lore that was later introduced since it all began.

[starry--knight]

Step 2: Basics of a Form

When competing for a LOC, even if you have no other forms going against yours - you need to emphasize that you understand the world and the rules within it otherwise no one could win the competition! Like I said before, there is a lot to cover, but the best winning forms are the ones that have a good understanding of the Lions and the current events being fought/ done. This starts at the very beginning of your form which I consider to be the MOST important step to get right before moving on! Doing this portion wrong regardless of the quality of the rest of your form could cost you.



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Username:
Name:
Gender:
Element:
Rank:



This part is always at the top of the form skeleton provided during a competition! It seems like some pretty basic and simple stuff, things I am sure you have seen before. However, this can also be a big slip up if you are not careful: be sure to pay attention to what fields are already filled out for you. Sometimes it will be Gender, or perhaps an element they wield like so:



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Username:
Name:
Gender: Male
Element: Time
Rank:



When you see it pre-filled, do not change these things as they are set parts of the competition. Additionally if you find that the form skeleton is empty from any info, please check the design you are competing for and make sure that they have a Male Prides Mane, Warrior Mane or No Mane.



Ethereal here has a Pride mane so you would put "Male" into the corresponding spot. You can always double check these things by viewing the species traits HERE

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Name - Another big step for the beginning of your form is the name you choose for your possibly future lion. Picking the name should be the basis of your ground work and should have some good thought behind it. Does the name perhaps describe a big trait of this characters personality? Or maybe it alludes to something locked in their history. Regardless of the reasoning behind it, be sure to let the judges know in your form as to why this character is named this or perhaps just defining what the word means and nothing more.

The more you can add to the history and personality through your name choice can make your form more appealing and start your presentation of you character off on the right foot.


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Element - The element of a Lion can build to the lions character as well. This can be a bit more of a complex step because it requires a little bit of reading and some more imagination. How can you build a character off of an element you ask?

Perhaps you have a hate elemental - hate as an element is both controlled by the lion and controls them. It is a constant battle of strength raging inside their mind and body. Their element can effect their mood, their behavior and their actions. This can be used to build the personality and history later on and emphasizing this inner struggle could add great amounts to your form if done right.

The biggest advice is that if you have an idea on how an element can be used and it is not listed HERE then please contact Myself to discuss the ideas you had in mind!



Dual Elements - Though uncommon, dual elements do make an appearance in the LOC realm. If ever competing for a dual element loc you have the potential to get even more creative and think of how these two elements would work together in a battle scenario. How would they compliment each other? If you had fire and air, maybe your lion can create a tornado of sorts that is set ablaze, causing the fires heat to rise exceptionally and create more damage. The possibilities are endless but do keep in mind that the laws of physics in our world do play a pretty big factor in theirs. If it isn't something you could conceive happening on Earth, Lochren would be no different.




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Rank- The rank you choose for your lion is a big one! It will determine who they will become and shape some fantastic stories around their position. Though some ranks are open to most average lions, there are many ranks that are determined by physical traits. All of the current ranks for the Pride can be found HERE there is also a physical trait example found HERE. If ever unsure about a rank and the availability of this rank, you can always contact Myself to discuss!

[starry--knight]

Step 3: Digging Deeper

Now that you have the basics done, you can move on to the "meat" of your form. This is the area where you can dazzle the judges with your understanding of Lore, Form Development, and Depth. These three things are what separates a good form from a great one. The point of this portion of your form is to take the small bits from the top like name, element and rank and weave these little distinctions into the fabric of your final draft. The foundation has been laid thus far, but lets get into the finest details surrounding your idea for this character.



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Personality:
History:



The next section of the form skeleton will have these two pieces, Personality and History. These two areas are the spots to pay the most heed. Pay attention to the traits and attributes you assign to them, and make sure that you avoid creating character contradictions in the process.

Ex: Contradictions -


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Personality: Ethereal is a very quiet guy
History: Ethereal just couldn't stop talking, he was the life of the council.



This of course is a very simple example but can appear in your form if you are not careful! Always be sure to reflect the proper character attributes shown in personality in the history section and vice versa. These areas should compliment each other!


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Personality - The personality you write for your character is the core list that you branch from when going towards the history and extras portion of your form. The Personality should go into the inner workings of the mind and mannerisms of your lion you are applying for. They should reveal their response to the world around them, explain why they hide certain aspects of themselves or flaunt others. Contradictions can exist in a personality, we as human beings tend to show a broad spectrum of behavior. However the point in your form is to explain and give hindsight to these contradictions. If you character is shy in a crowd but outgoing around close loved ones elaborate on why that is or how they manage to fluctuate from one to another.

Regardless of how you plan to tackle these things, always keep in mind that the personality you build can be malleable. You may have a set idea in mind for the lion as you begin to apply, but later find that some portions of your form don't seem to mesh together or go in the direction you now intend. This is a normal part of the process of development and means that you have gotten beyond the superficial parts of the form and are grasping the character as it evolves. Don't be afraid to change traits in the personality as you go, or return to the previous portions of your form to change and edit towards your new vision. Form building is a long and time consuming process, things will undoubtedly change at some point in your form creation process, especially here in the personality.

If you find you are at a loss of where to start with the personality, I recommend looking at this LIST of 600+ personality traits. From here you can develop on words that pop out to you and delve into the details on how they are pertinent to your lion.


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History - The History portion of your form is your chance to give some further explanation behind why your lion behaves the way they do. It should add on to what the personality has already built and give it more context. Everyone is shaped by the things they experience, your character should be no different. Take this chance to really reflect on how their past manifests into the very fabric of their daily life and how it affects their choices. Maybe because of past relationship hurts they become a loner - lost to the fear of being hurt again so they are never willing to try and reconnect with another?

Ask yourself what is known about this character? Do they have parents who already exist on Lochren or are they figments made just for the sake of your form? Do they have siblings who they confide in, or were they all alone for the majority of their childhood. Did they have a mentor or an ally? An adversary or a hero who saved them for a terrible act. Just like you have a story that shaped who you became and who you are, so too should you look at the integral parts of this lions past and their coming future and how all these pieces intertwine.

[starry--knight]

Step 4: Extras

Sometimes in competitions, especially for Event lions, an Extras section will be added to your form skeleton and at your disposal. Though it is tempting to continue to add to your form with the extras portion, be sure that the MAIN portion of your form is complete and put together before moving on to the extras realm. Additionally, do not be tempted to match the length of form size or extras your competition may be putting together. Focus on your form, specifically on what DEVELOPS your character, don't add sections just to add them. If they don't add to the development or put your understanding of lore into question, you shouldn't add it!


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Relationships - Relationships are always a good addition to your form, but be careful not to add any that do not affect the character you are creating in a significant way. For example, you want to add relationships that help shape your lion. Did they determine how your lion views a certain pride or group? Did they provide comfort or insight that allowed your lion to trust again? Were they an adversary that warped their psyche? If you are adding relationships just for the sake of adding them, they will not benefit you, but if they allow for an even deeper look into your character then this is an extra that is worth having!


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Allegiance - In a time of war on the planet of Lochren, allegiances are often formed in the fires of battle and loss. A lions allegiance can speak volumes to the morals or values they hold and can unlock another key part of what makes your character unique. Here you can elaborate on their choice to join, betray or align themselves to a specific group and exactly why this choice is important to them. Maybe your lion views the pride as foolish and the rebels as the real heros? Why is that? Is the prides traditions out of date, did they turn your lion away in a time of need? Give this possible extra some deep thought!


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Stories - Stories added to a form are a collection of all you have done so far - but now allowing your lion to interact in the world in a more vibrant and picturesque way. You can pull the judges in to get a feel of your lion in the context of Lochren as a whole and envision them as a potential member of the community. This section can allow you to elaborate on a certain event of your lions history, to display certain characteristics like "he is a very eloquent and proper speaker". The story section allows you to physically show how they talk, how they respond and like stated earlier, take all that you have created and put it into one finely tuned present with a bow to tie it off.


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Other Extra Ideas (Not always a benefit to form if traits don't add to character development)


Fears, Aspirations, Physicality, Armor (if applicable) , Art, Music Themesong or Playlist

[starry--knight]

Examples

Below are some examples of what a winning form looks like in the realm of LOC. These forms specifically embody the steps you have read throughout this thread. Each and every one of them exhibit an understanding of Lore, Form Development, and Character Depth.


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LOC winning forms

Haldir - Form Created by starry--knight

Tadao - Form Created by NARANDA

Soraya - Form Created by Oblivion-Wing01

Metsastys - Form Created by Rohan.

Enid - Form Created by SukarettoYanagi


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