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Announce post #3177: 2021 Celani Call!

4/9/2021 at 19:02
Tiur, the Gnosis
Everyone
2021 Celani Call!

Aetolia is once more accepting applications for new Celani in the Pools of Creation. This is a volunteer position where you can help shape the world of Aetolia, with the potential to eventually take on a roleplay position of one our of Gods. There are many tasks expected of you as a Celani. Some of these are building entire areas, constructing and running events, engaging in roleplay, creating scripts for NPCs and plenty more!

If you feel you have what it takes to make the cut, then read on and follow the instructions for applying! Please note that this is a VOLUNTEER position, and during your time as a Celani you will be expected to give up your other characters.

We are taking three kinds of applicant this time around, a little differently phrased:
* Those who are interested in creating story depth and engagement, especially through items, roleplay, and events.
* Those interested in quests and coding.
* Those that feel they can handle the behind the scenes tasks that are tedious and difficult, but important to theme and flavor (like writing AB files/Skill messages)

Successful applicants for both roles tend to have the following skills:
- A love for Aetolia and a desire to enrich its world.
- Self-motivated.
- Maturity.
- Consistency.
- Creativity.
- Improvisational skills.
- Dependability. (underlined four or five times)
- The ability to handle critique and rejection. Many of the ideas you will propose will be rejected, whereas ones you see to completion will suffer the critique of your fellow Celani/Gods and, perhaps more terrifying, players.

Successful applicants for a RP/CONTENT role tend to have the following skills:
- Strong roleplaying ability.
- Impeccable writing skills.
- Ability to disconnect and RP for the game, not for gain
- Phrasing skills to make the mundane into mystical

In order to apply, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be 18 years or older IRL.
- You must have, at absolute minimum, at least 500 hours of playing time.
- Be willing to sign a NDA.

You must send your application to celani@aetolia.com and include the following:

1. Your real name.
2. Your real age.
3. What position you would apply for (yes, we're only asking for one..)
5. Your occupation (or course of study if a student)
6. Your character(s) in Aetolia.
7. Why should we make you a Celani, and perhaps eventually a God?
8. Why do you want to be a Celani?
9. Any special experience you have outside of Aetolia that you feel might be helpful in your position as a Celani.


Those applying for a RP/CONTENT role should also include:
10. Two room descriptions of at least 100+ words.
11. A brief outline for an RP event, roughly 100 to 200 words in length. This should be smaller in scope than an events post, more something that makes a single city have a fun few days and talk about inside their orgs.
12. A skill message in the game you find boring/terse, made interesting.

Those applying for a CODING role should also include:
10. A paragraph or two outlining your coding background, what your language proficiencies are, as well as any other skills you feel that you bring to the table (*nix admin / SQL etc.).

Applications will be open until the 14th of May. We have a limited number of positions to fill, so if you don't make it, don't be too disappointed! Hold onto your application and send it in next time we open applications.


TEMPERING EXPECTATIONS
- Please note that we take into account the game's environment as a whole. If you run multiple orgs we might not be able to afford losing you on the player side.
- We do not open God roles of the same tether as the person accepted, and if you play both tethers, then we take into account the tether that has had the most recent amount of playtime across your characters.
- Coders can expect it to take 3+ months to get actual Aetolia code access.
- Even RPLani have to code a little, to make quests. Don't be terrified by code, we'll teach you.
- The first task of a Celani to be promoted is to build an area in full, that includes quests and NPC content. Don't worry, we'll be there to help!
- The second task of a Celani to be promoted is to run an event, so be ready to roleplay!
- For both the volunteer's sanity, and bias protection, we require discord & skype groups to be left. Technically, you're representing Aetolia in some small degree and although we don't expect you to suddenly cut ties with your friends, we do need to remove the temptation of giving information that shouldn't be revealed. Once it's typed out to a whole group, you cannot take it back.
- There is a six month limit on getting promoted. By the end of sixth months, either your stuff is done and you are helping with a God role, or we'll have to free up the spot for someone else to try.

-T

Penned by my hand on Quensday, the 3rd of Lleian, in the year 494 MA.
RebraIesid

Comments

  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent
    edited April 2021
    Opposite Tether rule Bad. Frakly so is the "leave all social groups" one. We gotta stop isolating Celani and making things more of an Us vs Them wedge. If they break NDA just fire them.

  • TeaniTeani Shadow Mistress Sweden
    Let's be honest, most people who become Celani these days probably don't stop speaking to their friends anyway, because they are friends. However, it is important to make sure that they don't play favorites.



  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent
    It's a little silly to make people move out of their comfort zone and avoid tethers that they're familiar with when they ascend. If I became a Celani and had to provide content for primarily spirit, I wouldn't even know where to start because I don't know the themes as well nor the specific needs and wants of those people. And favoritism/bias isn't going to go away just cause someone is doing things for the opposite Tether. Like I imagine Celani Rhyot being like "finally, I can give Spirit their comeuppance!" 😂

    IesidMaira
  • Throwing in my $0.02 worth of habanero grade hot take:

    I am part of the "tether rule is dumb" party. Let's be honest, the rule doesn't do anything except keep good candidates away from the Pools because they don't want to step outside the themes they genuinely connect with and feel they can properly write. People still boohoo admin bias even with the rule and you guys don't even do anything with that feedback (if complaints here and on official Discord are to be believed)...

    We will never get people who make these roles shine if we aren't willing to accept candidates passionate about them. It would stand to reason that the people most passionate about those roles are the people who play normal characters in the boundaries of those themes already.

    Using myself as an example: were I to apply, there's literally only one role in all of Shadow that I would feel even remotely qualified to play in the first place. If someone else wants that role, what am I going to do besides twiddle my thumbs and do behind the scenes stuff? Meanwhile, my knowledge of game lore and familiarities with org themes means I feel much more comfortable in most any Spirit role. 

    TetchtaBenedictoSibatti
  • RhyotRhyot Bloodloch
    The opposite tether rule is meant to make people step out of their comfort zones and to interact with players they otherwise likely haven't interacted with or wouldn't interact with. For example, if I went Celani... as a character/player I would hardly ever interact with those of Duiran/Enorian because I'd rather completely fight against their orgs and them on an IC perspective. From an OOC perspective, I wouldn't really interact with them because why should I? That said, I do interact with a few spirit players (Looking at you @Kalena, @Kaiara, @Stine, @Iesid, @Rihrin and @Haven).

    Making them remove themselves from shared social groups stops them from being pressured because people of Aetolia Discord Server #1234 bombard them with so many open ended questions/demands into giving up information and destroying developing storylines by saying "this storyline is going to go here so you need to do this." Sure, that falls into the guilty before innocent mindset, but when you ask for players to become an RP god or something of the sort, you need to hold them to a higher standard. They might be your friends now and someone you can talk to about anything in the game, but if they go to Celani they can't really talk to you about in game stuff anymore.

    It's not an 'us vs them' mentality. They become your 'boss' in a sense and as your 'boss', they aren't necessarily allowed to be friends with you. Additionally "if they break NDA, just fire them" is a poorly loose statement due to the inherent fact that unless IRE tells their Celani to give them access to ALL their discords, it would be very difficult to track that. However, as @Teani mentioned, they aren't going just ghost the people they talk to online (wouldn't be surprised if some did, but not all will). However, the aforementioned control would never happen because that's an infringement upon privacy and that's illegal.


    And fun fact, back in 2015 when I had originally created my first Celani application, I had whole arcs thought of and personally developed for Templars to give them some flair and I have very little idea on their lore or anything that they do. I also had a few ideas and had written them out for my application for global events and Enorian. Don't come at me. :P


    Tetchta
  • I agree the tether rule is dumb but only because it only sort of exists? There are 3 volunteers past and present that makes it very clear the tether rule is open to interpretation. 
    Copperhead of the Third Spoke says to you, "Intelligence matrix in moniker Bulrok reveals above average results when compared alongside proximal presence."
    TetchtaSibattiIesidCallidoraGhatzhjia
  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent
    edited April 2021
    Why should you have to step out of your comfort zone? Being a Celani is already hard enough work as it is, making someone try to master lore and themes that they don't even know to bring an enhanced game experience to the world is just asking for subpar performance. I have like an entire year of Shadow Tether experience that would effectively be worth nothing as a Celani LOL.

    Also if people are trying to pressure you to give info that's a boundary that people should be capable of enforcing. Those people asking you to do drugs and give them secret behind-the-scenes information? They are NOT your friends.

    Isolating Celani from social circles is dumb, and if you can't trust them to keep their traps shut, don't bring them upstairs to begin with. These people aren't even being paid in credits, there's no reason they should upend their social lives for a free gig.

    edit: also lol Celani are not our bosses, and Boss vs Subject totally IS an us vs them dynamic, you literally described it, my dude. They're unpaid volunteers trying to essentially DM the game for us to make it more fun. They're not any more our boss than a Dungeon Master at a weekend game of D&D is your "boss."

    Iesid
  • LinLin Blackbird The Moonglade
    The tether rule is goofy because if I really hated Shadow and they made me play a Shadow god, I'm in a great place to make their orgs actively worse.
    TetchtaSibattiIesid
  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent
    Encouraging someone to be able to play any role? I totally get that. Mandating that they stay away from their area of expertise as an official policy? Absolutely silly and not good.

  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent
    edited April 2021
    I don't want to super belabor the point because your clarifications are very helpful, but regarding having people leave discords because of NDA breach potential--wouldn't that make it even easier to figure out who broke NDA, if you actually found out about it? I mean, Aetolian subcommunities leak like a seive. Usually the instant something controversial happens, screenshots rip through a community almost immediately, no matter how hermetically sealed people think their servers are. I'd imagine it's a lot easier to hide NDA breaches in DMs than it would be if, say, someone dropped a broken NDA bomb in a server even with a few people in it.

    Then again, maybe I underestimate just how isolated the upstairs people are from these networks that players are a part of.

    Thanks for clarifying the opposite tether limitations, that actually makes a lot of sense and makes that pill a lot less difficult to swallow.

  • RazmaelRazmael Administrator, Immortal
    Tetchta said:

    I don't want to super belabor the point because your clarifications are very helpful, but regarding having people leave discords because of NDA breach potential--wouldn't that make it even easier to figure out who broke NDA, if you actually found out about it? I mean, Aetolian subcommunities leak like a seive. Usually the instant something controversial happens, screenshots rip through a community almost immediately, no matter how hermetically sealed people think their servers are. I'd imagine it's a lot easier to hide NDA breaches in DMs than it would be if, say, someone dropped a broken NDA bomb in a server even with a few people in it.

    Then again, maybe I underestimate just how isolated the upstairs people are from these networks that players are a part of.

    Thanks for clarifying the opposite tether limitations, that actually makes a lot of sense and makes that pill a lot less difficult to swallow.

    I mean, most people are clever enough to not openly share secrets to entire communities. This sort of stuff almost entirely happens in DMs with trusted people already.
    Tetchta
  • ZeheiaZeheia Immortal
    Fun point about the comment regarding not knowing the lore, and tethers:

    I was a very active player for a very long time. I have over 3000 hours between my assorted mortal characters (not counting time as my previous celani and God, nor current upstairs stuff), but before the celani call which resulted in me becoming Zeheia, I had not really actively played Aetolia for around four years. I am in my mid-thirties and my memory is not what it once was - I honestly can only pick bits and pieces of lore and interactions that I can remember from all those mortal hours.

    The best part is that I came in knowing hardly any current players. I didn't come in with some big idea of what Spirit or Shadow were like. I picked my God character (yes, I know that's an open secret at this point) based on what side really needed some RP love. I'm still definitely not 100% on lore, and most of my understanding is skimmed from discussions or glancing through events posts.

    You don't need to be 100% on lore to be an effective God (don't tear me down here please!). You just need to be willing to learn and, more importantly, ready to make the game better for everybody, not just one side. I have had adorable interactions with Shadow as a Spirit God, and I have had amazing interactions with people on both sides.

    Yes, I need to ask questions. That isn't and shouldn't be a bad thing. Yes, sometimes I hear the sniping that goes around, and I don't have a vested interest in believing any of it. You might think I have my favourites to RP with - but I suspect they wouldn't be who you'd guess they are, and frankly, I try to at least touch in on everyone who shows an interest in my God sooner or later, because I literally don't know who will become my next favourite. And the one after that, and the one after that.

    I'm here because I love Aetolia - even with my extended breaks - and I love RPing as a divine personality, and I love making it magical, whether it be with a shiver down your spine, a smile on your face, or diabolical laughter on both sides.
    She/her but also responds to they/them thanks to chilling as Somebody or other.

    If in doubt, please refer to the Forum Rules! If in more doubt, please reach out to a moderator.

    Act as you would wish to be treated.

    "It costs you nothing to assume that we are acting in good faith."
    RhyotValorieTeani
  • BenedictoBenedicto Tentacles Errywhere!
    edited April 2021
    Zeheia said:

    You might think I have my favourites to RP with - but I suspect they wouldn't be who you'd guess they are

    image
    StineIesidValorieHavenZeheiaAolin
  • ZeheiaZeheia Immortal
    edited April 2021
    Benedicto said:

    Zeheia said:

    You might think I have my favourites to RP with - but I suspect they wouldn't be who you'd guess they are

    I said favourites plural! Oh my gosh don't put me on the spot!


    She/her but also responds to they/them thanks to chilling as Somebody or other.

    If in doubt, please refer to the Forum Rules! If in more doubt, please reach out to a moderator.

    Act as you would wish to be treated.

    "It costs you nothing to assume that we are acting in good faith."
    CzciennIesidTeaniBenedictoHavenAxiusAlela
  • edited April 2021
    Zeheia said:

    Benedicto said:

    Zeheia said:

    You might think I have my favourites to RP with - but I suspect they wouldn't be who you'd guess they are

    I said favourites plural! Oh my gosh don't put me on the spot!


    It's me, I'm the favorite.

    Edit: It's not me.
    (Web): Abhorash has joined your web.
    (Web): Abhorash says, "Nerds."
    (Web): Abhorash has left your web.



    Alela's Affirmations
    Zeheia
  • @Razmael If I can be honest, the problem is becoming fairly obvious with the cross tether thing. We don't have very many truly active gods. We have Gods who log on, maybe say a few things on OT, maybe toss a favor or two out, and then that's it. You're taking people out of the tether they rpd in, and I can understand where you're coming from with that, but you're asking people to, on a dime, entirely change the rp they are familiar with. You're taking people out of their strengths and putting them into unknown territory in some cases.

    Also, on the fact of it 'losing you customers'? I would say that a distinct lack of worldwide happenings is losing you customers. We haven't had an event that wasn't just a way to drop a new class or race (things people might have to pay rl money to get) in quite a long time. That might be fine for pkers and stuff, but a lot of your player base is rp focused! Id' be more willing to spend money on this game if I was seeing an active world, and I'm just not. I dropped the game for a while because the distinct lack of anything happening bored me.

    I guess I just think like, I understand WHY you have this policy, I just also think that there may be a better way to handle the concerns that allows for things to be more active on a global scale, though I suppose that's a thread all on its own.
    TetchtaArchelausNaosValorie
  • I really agree with everything @Rasani said about the lack of events and worldwide happenings. I've been playing since August, and in that time the only real event I've seen has been the Curse stuff, and that was cut short. (Also, are we ever gonna hear more from that Varach guy? I was kinda expecting more from that, but so far just silence.) As someone who plays the game for the story and RP, I'm starting to lose interest as there just doesn't seem to be any movement with worldwide events at all. I'm by no means a one of the big spenders, but I keep up a membership and spend more when they're cool promotions. I haven't renewed this month yet, and am thinking I might just put that towards a new switch game or something at this point.
    [Insert annoying gif here]
    RasaniNaosTetchta
  • TiurTiur Producer
    Okay, let's not get too off topic! If you'd like to come on up and help us liven the game up, please do! @Rasani is right that it would be its own thread.

    I just removed a few comments that weren't constructive to discussing applying to be a volunteer.
    TetchtaNaosBulrokXenia
  • Tiur said:

    Okay, let's not get too off topic! If you'd like to come on up and help us liven the game up, please do! @Rasani is right that it would be its own thread.

    I just removed a few comments that weren't constructive to discussing applying to be a volunteer.

    Okay, well, can we discuss then the fact that we have maybe two properly active Gods? Like I said, I understand the concern that LEADS to your policy, but it clearly isn't doing the game any good. Not to mention, full disclosure, when I applied for Celani, I was asked to set up an interview and then promptly never gotten back to after the NUMEROUS times I attempted to set UP said interview. We can even discuss that, frankly, lack of professionalism privately if you'd prefer.

    It's clear there's a problem with the system. Sometimes "how we've always done it" is the death toll of a system. I'm really rather fond of this game and I'd prefer to not see it die, but there's clearly a problem. We're a community, and we'd love to help fix it, but it's hard to do so when all we get in return is "you're wrong".
    TetchtaArchelaus
  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent


  • ZeheiaZeheia Immortal
    Tempers are clearly getting a bit out of control. I'm not Tiur, so I'm not making big decisions, but if people cannot calmly and politely discuss the topic without veiled threats and nastiness, I will lock it until Tiur is available to look again.
    She/her but also responds to they/them thanks to chilling as Somebody or other.

    If in doubt, please refer to the Forum Rules! If in more doubt, please reach out to a moderator.

    Act as you would wish to be treated.

    "It costs you nothing to assume that we are acting in good faith."
    Rhyot
  • Zeheia said:

    Tempers are clearly getting a bit out of control. I'm not Tiur, so I'm not making big decisions, but if people cannot calmly and politely discuss the topic without veiled threats and nastiness, I will lock it until Tiur is available to look again.

    You're right, I didn't intend to get things heated if that is in fact what popped stuff off.
  • I feel like discussing how the game is led is very much on-topic for a discussion about applying to volunteer, especially when that leadership has a significant impact on the productivity and enjoyment of volunteers. If there are actual issues that are just shoved under the rug without being resolved, it would only be a matter of time before these volunteers decide it's not an environment they want to work in and a lot of time and effort training them would be wasted.

    We all want this game to succeed, which is why critical posts get made.

    Just my 2c.
    IesidValorieArchelausRasaniTetchtaTeaniEvelynCallidora
  • TetchtaTetchta The Innocent
    edited April 2021
    I think it's a little goofy that we're putting more constraints on unpaid volunteers than a lot of companies put on their paid staff. I feel like if you're going to ask people to give you their labor for free, the pitch could be a lot better. Should be like a summer camp brochure "Play your favorite God! Eat marshmallows!"

    Not

    "Dump your entire social network for us on the off chance you might break NDA."

    RasaniAlelaAolinSaritaArchelaus
  • TiurTiur Producer
    I deleted a bunch. Those of you who feel like you got some good stabs in, good for you. If you do not have a legitimate question regarding volunteering, don't post. If you have a legitimate question and have no intention of volunteering, don't post.

    I leave this open in case there are good questions.

    We have enough applicants that I am not interested in debating our rules. The tether one is the main contention, and I feel like it's been talked to death.
    TetchtaCallidora
  • HavenHaven World Burner Flight School
    Celani call still open or you guys just about wrapping up?
    ¤ Si vis pacem, para bellum. ¤
    Someone powerful says, "We're going to have to delete you."
    havenbanner2
    ZeheiaRihrinBrax
  • TiurTiur Producer
    There's still time if someone wants to apply! I just mean that enough people find the current rules fine enough that I don't think we should change them atm.
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