Writing a Biography - Guide

You are only minutes away from creating your "Minecraft Frontiers" character!

The biography you post is your official character registration. It will be reviewed by our staff, linked to your minecraft account, and serve as your key to the realm of Minecraft Frontiers.

To make the most out of your experience, please take your time to read this guide carefully.



Why do you need a bio?
Minecraft Frontiers is all about delivering an immersive, believable experience. Every NPC you meet has a backstory. Every item was crafted by someone. Every gold coin spent ends up in someone elses purse. It is incredibly important that your character fits in to the world we are making.

We do not want you to hop in, kill a few mobs and hop out. We are dedicated to making you part of the simulated universe - and making a story for your character is part of the experience.

Can I fail, is this a test?
The more players we get into the server, the better for everyone. It is our goal to help you make the most out of your experience, not to keep you out. Do your best at putting this bio together. If it is not up to our standards, we will simply send a staff member to help you until it is just right.

How to do this?
This guide is a step by step process. We will provide you with all the information you need. From the information on our world (so you can make sure your story fits), to tips on how to structure of the biography. Simply read on and follow the steps - it's that simple.



Step 1. - The Story

Patraeia, sometimes also called the Mainland, is a prosperous land. It is the home to a great civilisation, one where you come from. People devote time to philosophy, science, complex trade and even set off on bold expeditions, charting the known world. Most happily praise one of the gods and worship them on a daily basis.

No other nation has attacked for decades. Several bandit tribes have tried over the years, but the powerful army of Patraeia quickly dispatched of any conflict. Who would have thought that the biggest enemy was the Mainland itself.

The political landscape of Patraeia is a delicate one. After the assasination of Emperor Claudius 8 years ago, a senate has been founded. To the people of Patraeia, who are used to a firm leadership from one person, this is a new concept. Power constantly shifts around, leaving the current Senate the most dangerous warzone.

Through all this, Senator Pertentus, one of the prominent figures, decided to use his connections and send out a colonial ship. With great wealth in mind, the ship set off to a mythical island of Insulera. The city of Elpida was founded five years ago, which is where our story begins.

Over the years, rumours have been circulating the Mainland, speaking of Elpida and its wealth. People speak of noble feasts, palaces made out of gold, endless supply of knowledge. Every few months a new ship leaves the Mainland, bringing new colonists over to Elpida.

Your character was born on the Mainland. You have managed to put together enough money to buy yourself a journey to Elpida, hoping to start a new life in this paradise. After a rough journey on sea, you finally arrive in Elpida ... your new life begins.


Step 2. - Your Background
Based on the story above, there are a few things we know about your character. They were born on the Mainland. For some reason they decided to start a new life in Elpida - was it the promise of wealth or something else? One thing is for sure, they managed to get enough money to pay for the journey, which is no cheap thing.

Take some time to think about what you want your character to be.

Your biography will need to consist of 1-2 paragraphs about your life on the Mainland. Where do you come from? What was your family like? Were you working somewhere?

The next part of your biography will be 1 paragraph about your decision to come to Elpida. What do you hope to find there? Why did you decide to make the journey?

Step 3. - The Restrictions
It is no fun to play a game with super heroes beating everyone up. Imagine spending time on our server, practising your swordsmanship skills, only to find out the new character that just arrived is "the best swordsman in the world". To prevent that, every character biography needs to follow these restrictions.

a) Your character cannot have any "super skills" - if you ask an experienced roleplayer, they will tell you playing ordinary characters is the most fun. We hope our universe will be fun enough to make any story about an ordinary character and extraordinary journey.

We kindly ask you, avoid presenting your character in a way that would make them instantly godlike. Your character may have been a blacksmith, perhaps even known for their talent - but avoid saying you are the best blacksmith in the world.
Similarly, you may be an athletic character, passionate about training with a sword. You may even be a successful soldier. But avoid beind a super strong human being that smashes everything to pieces. Try to find the "magic" in the everyday life.

b) No special races, no magic - our setting is heavily inspired by actual history. We are a blend of ancient Rome and Greece, with a hint of mystery. There are no special races, no Elves, no Dwarves, no Aliens with one eye.

There also aren't any mages in our world. There may be alchemysts, brewing potions with strange effects. There may be historians learning about the myths and legends. There may even be strange inventions that feel magical. But no character is allowed to wield any form of special magic.

Your character also can't be a mythical creature. They are a human.

c) Keep it believable - if in doubt, read up a little on how life was in ancient Greece.


Step 4. - Signature Item
Every character is allowed to have one signature item. You will not have this with you when you arrive, but we allow you to set it up in your story. Who knows, we might surprise you one day!

A signature item is any item that is highly relevant to your story. If you are a mecrenary from the army, you might have a favourite sword called "Ashley" that made you famous.

Or perhaps you are a Blacksmith who kept the first ever dagger they made. A politician who loved a rare bottle of wine more than any of his eight wives? We leave it completely up to you!


Step 5. - Writing the Bio
Open up a new thread in this forum and write your biography as a post.

You need to include the following:

• Your character's name.
• 1-2 paragraphs about your life on the Mainland.
• 1 paragraphs about your decision to go to Elpida
• 1-2 Signature Items (you may write a story on them as well if you want)
• Pick at least 1 god your character follows.

We leave the specific structure up to you. As long as you include all those things, feel free to add your personal spin to it. You may write more if you want. The points above are the minimum.


What's next?
We love reading all the stories our players come up with. Your biography is no exception! Soon after you post the thread, a member of staff will go over it. If it fits into our world well (and if you followed all the advice in this guide), it may be approved instantly.

If it needs a bit more work, we will comment on your thread with suggestions on how to improve your story. Once it meets our standard of quality, it will be approved.

Once approved, a member of staff will contact you in a private message, asking for your minecraft username. They will then link your story to your username, allowing us to use it ingame. You will be surprised what may happen!