Character Creation

1. Make sure your user name is the same as the character you intend to create. Please only use your character's first name. If they have a nickname you may use one of two options; use your character's first name for the account and include the nickname in the profile OR include the nickname in the account name in one of the following styles: "Firstname - Nickname OR Firstname Nickname". Please do not make your characters name a symbol, unless it is a character in the name.

2. Please make sure your profile is complete before posting your character in Approvals! This is very important as we will not accept characters unless the profile is filled out. To get there, click on “USER CP” in the top left-hand corner of the screen. Then go to “EDIT PROFILE.” This is also where you will edit your profile picture and signature.

100 words used in the appearance section.

150 words used in the personality section.

The history section of the profile is not required but is recommended.
3. Your character must be at least one year old, unless born on-site or unless a rogue pup pass has been purchased in our gem store. Characters on Ardent only grow to be ten years old, unless additional years have been purchased for them from the gem store (with a 13 year maximum).

4. Eye color may be anything except black, unless melanism has been purchased; similarly, red or pink eyes (as well as pink noses, but not both) are permitted with any coat color except when used with a mostly white or cream pelt, for these traits combined are strictly albinistic. If a character has any two albino traits (mostly white/cream pelt, red/pink eyes, pink noses/pawpads), albinism must be purchased regardless. Liver (brown) noses are permitted.

5. Coats can be any natural color and while they may have unique designs or odd markings, these must be purchased through our gem store. Please note you cannot add a marking or change a coat color after a character has been created, or add height.

6. Characters may speak any language you prefer them to speak, though the greater majority of Ardent characters speak English. Including a translation in the post of any characters who may speak a different language is highly recommended and makes threading with them easier.

7. Height for characters may not exceed 36 inches or go under 23 inches unless additional height or height reduction has been purchased through our gem store, or from using the dire wolf height reward. Height is inherited (discounted purchase price in gemstones; see Mating & birthing rules) from a parent if you are roleplaying a pup recently born on-site. Please note you can not buy additional height or height reduction for a character after it has been created.

8. There are three normal builds to choose from at character creation - Light, Medium and Heavy. Additionally there are two outlier builds - Emaciated and Obese - for wolves whose builds fall outside the norm, who are usually unhealthy and less physically capable than the Light and Heavy builds respectively. In general Light wolves are slender wolves that would be more agile and flexible and therefore better at evading blows than a muscular wolf of the same height, while a Heavy wolf would usually be a muscular wolf able to land stronger attacks. A Medium wolf would generally be balanced between the two.

10. Concerning natural mutations: although we do allow naturally occurring mutations (eg: missing limb, congenital blindness, chimeras, intersex, etc) we ask that they be played as realistically as possible. Additionally, intersex characters may only have one set of WORKING reproductive organs, which is to say they cannot father some litters and mother others. You must choose one or the other and stick with it from the time they are put up for approval.

11. Mutations that are not naturally occurring in wolves (such as woolly or curly fur or long fur as in afghan hounds) or features that are exaggerated beyond natural (such as unnaturally long ears or tail) do not fall under this rule and must be either caused by a dog ancestor if it is a dog trait (and a paid canine pass is used) or it falls under a minor fantasy trait that is reserved for donators only.

12.  Please note, new members can get one Gemstore item worth up to 400 gems to be used on their first character only.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO EXAMPLES OF GEMSTORE ITEMS

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE CHARACTER APPROVAL BOARD

Natural Colors

Purchasable Colors

Sizing Categories

Please note that weights tend to fluctuate with the seasons.
Anything over 36" or under 23" must be purchased.

Extra-small: 17 inches - 22 inches
Small: 23 inches - 28 inches
Medium: 29 inches - 34 inches
Large: 35 inches - 39 inches
Extra-Large: 40 inches - 42 inches
Dire wolf : 43 inches - 45 inches **

** Only available to those who have donated over $50 to the site, or have won a site contest in the past.

Build Categories

Emaciated*, Light, Medium, Heavy, Obese*

*Note that emaciated and obese are outlier builds, and these characters will be less healthy and physically capable.

Character Alignment

Lawful Good
Lawful good characters' main goal is to uphold integrity and justice. These types of characters will sacrifice everything else in order to keep the balance of law and order in check. Morality runs deeply through the veins of these characters, and they have strict guidelines as to how one should live and conduct themselves. A lawful good character will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the greater good is benefited.

Typical character traits of a lawful good character: Honest, compassionate, honorable, pacifistic, altruistic, hard-working, respectful, loyal, lawful.

Neutral Good
The basis of a neutral good character is being the best they can be. They strive to do good, but they don't necessarily fall to pieces if they mess up or make a small mistake. Neutral good characters strive for an equal balance of law freedom, and happiness. They only believe order is necessary if it promotes the greater good. They respect kindness and honesty in others, and do their best to reflect such qualities in themselves. They are only violent or cruel towards those they believe truly deserve it.

Typical character traits of a neutral good character: Honest, kind, merciful, gracious, strive to do what is good.

Chaotic Good
Chaotic good characters act as they please, though they tend to be kind and benevolent. They are individualistic by nature and focus primarily upon how to benefit themselves. Often considered selfish, they tend to dislike laws and authoritative figures that limit their own personal freedoms, highly valuing their independence.

Typical character traits of a chaotic good character: Selfish, self-serving, independent, tend to be benevolent, loyal to those they trust, suspicious of authority, free-spirited.

Lawful Neutral
Lawful neutral characters value laws and customs, but don't care much whether they are good laws or evil laws. They thrive on a well-ordered system of government and desire laws that keep everything in perfect balance. The well-being of the whole takes precedent over their own personal well-being. These characters are often responsible and very structured.

Typical character traits of a lawful neutral: Communal, blindly lawful, hard-working, rigid, reliable.

True Neutral
Neutral characters are not guided by a moral compass, nor by law and order. They neither pull for the dark or the light. Neutral characters live within the "status quo" and long for the world to remain balanced. Rather than doing what feels right, they simply do whatever feels to be a good idea. Neutral characters often do not wish evil upon others they don't know, but they won't be upset should they hear of some harm that has befallen the other. Neutral characters tend to avoid those that consider themselves lawful characters, as they do not feel strongly about good or evil.

Typical character traits of a neutral: Balanced, objective, neutral.

Chaotic Neutral
Chaotic neutral characters do whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it. Authoritative figures are not their favorite, as chaotic neutrals don't appreciate being told what to do. They are unreliable and unpredictable in nature. Order is not important to the chaotic neutral, and in fact they tend to prefer disorder as it leads to more personal freedom. They often value the chaos that the conflict of good and evil brings to the world and do not care which one prevails.

Typical character traits of a chaotic neutral: Free, Independent, unpredictable, selfish, unreliable, impulsive, chaotic, disorderly.

Lawful Evil
The lawful evil character cares very much for order and personal conduct, but not necessarily for the value of life or the preservation of good. Discipline is highly valued in this alignment, as the law (often their own) is the utmost authority. Loyalty is treasured among the lawful evil, and betrayal is the worst sin they can commit. A hunger for power is natural for the lawful evil, but is not totally overpowering, as they can also learn to serve others as well.

Typical character traits of a lawful evil: Orderly, methodical, loyal, disciplined, powerful, often dominant.

Neutral Evil
Neutral evil characters do whatever they feel they can 'pull off'. They are self-serving and seek only to benefit their own personal good. Laws and traditions mean little to the neutral evil character, and very rarely do they find themselves under any sort of structure. They do not mind working with others, or working alone, whatever gets the job done.

Typical character traits of a neutral evil: Independent, self-serving, selfish, free, unfeeling, cruel, destructive.

Chaotic Evil
The chaotic evil character does whatever his wicked mind desires. They tend to be arbitrarily violent and cruel. They are driven by their own selfish greed and see nothing wrong with getting what they want, and don't care what means they must go through to get it. Laws, customs, and any form of order are unnecessary to the chaotic evil character. They trust no one and they themselves cannot be trusted. Lastly, the chaotic evil loves to corrupt anyone and everyone they can get their hands on.

Typical character traits of a chaotic evil: Untrustworthy, malevolent, chaotic, lawless, cruel, ruthless.

Other Species Rules

On Ardent players may buy a pass in our gem-store to roleplay a species other than wolves. These other-species characters must abide by rules slightly different than what applies to wolf characters on-site.

1. Other-species which are not wolves may not join or create packs. However they can pledge allegiance to a pack if they desire to do so and may be considered a future ally in the case of a siege.

2. They may not successfully mate or litter unless they mate with a character of the same species. If other-species characters mate they abide by the same mating and birthing rules as a loner.

3. Other-Species may start any challenge type against a wolf character excluding Pack Challenges and Pack Claims.

4. Other-species characters may purchase any of the same passes a wolf species character may (except for pack-related items unless making or challenging for a mini-pack) including marking passes, height, unnatural colors, and companion passes. However, a small-sized other species character may only purchase a small companion, not a large companion.

Please ask a staff member if you have questions regarding Other-species characters

Canine Species

1. Canine-species which are not wolves are allowed to join packs if the canine is over 23" - at that height they may also create a pack.

2. If they choose to take a wolf mate and desire to make a litter with them, they will abide by the same mating and birthing rules as a loner and must purchase canine passes for the offspring.

3. Canine-species may start any challenge type against a wolf character. Again, they must be over 23" to challenge for a pack.

Mating & Litter Rules

1. On Ardent, a wolf does not reach sexual maturity until 2 years of age. However, a teen pregnancy pass can be purchased from the Gemstone store.

2. Female characters go into heat in the season which they were born beginning at 2 years of age. To breed outside their season a "Season Breeding Pass" may be purchased.

3. When characters reach 8 years of age or older they are considered infertile or unlikely to conceive. For characters of this age to breed an "Aged Breeding Pass" must be purchased from the Gemstone store.

4. For players to have a litter, both the mother and father must have 50 posts or more each, and must have completed a breeding thread. The breeding itself needs to be done, but the thread can be incomplete at the time of applying for the pups. Both the male and the female must have a fade post for the mating to be considered done.

5. Mothers whom belong to a pack may have up to three free pups; but a dice roll will determine the number of free pups in their litter. After this number is determined players are free to buy additional pups for their litter from the gem-store; with the maximum amount of pups in a litter being 5.

6. Mothers who are loners, or members of a band, may have up to two free pups; but a dice roll will determine the number of free pups in their litter. After this number is determined players are free to buy additional pups for their litter from the gem-store; with the maximum amount of pups in a litter being 3.

7. Male characters may have up to 4 litters in an in-character year. To exceed this restriction an "Extra Breeding Pass" may be purchased in the gem-store. Females may have up to 1 litter per in-character year.

8. If either parent of the litter has a rare trait that can be purchased in the gem-store, the item is 25% discounted for the pup’s player. If both parents have this trait then the item is 50% discounted from the store. These traits include extra height, albinism, abnormal color, odd colored markings etc. Does not include markings types or jewelry. Please note that when getting full body abnormal color it MUST come from the parents, same for odd colored marking. This means that if they parent(s) carry green colors, the pup cannot get a discount on purple coloration.

9. Birthing threads cannot be started before the due date (per Ardent time) and must be started within one OOC week of the date. If a birthing thread is not started within one week the litter is considered stillborn and the pups cannot be played.

10. Pup profiles must be completed and in acceptance on or before the pups' playable date, or they will no longer be playable or adoptable. That means two weeks after the due date, any pups not already in acceptance will be considered to have died or never to have existed (the parents' players will decide this depending on if they have been NPC'd up to that point or not).

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PUP APPLICATIONS

Concerning Litters with Multiple Fathers

1. Litters with more than one father will be exceedingly rare. As such, they must all be approved by staff before an app is posted. If it is not approved only one father may be specified for the litter and this cannot be changed later.

2. Individual pups must only have one father - both male wolves cannot father the same pup. A pup will not carry traits from more than one father and it must be specified OOC which wolf was the father for each pup even if it is unknown in character. If a pup is readopted later the father can not be changed.

3. If the mating do not occur within the same thread, all mating threads must have begun within one OOC week of the others for it to be allowed.

4. All potential fathers must meet the post and age requirements for mating to be considered in the staff's decision. They may not father pups if they do not meet requirements, regardless of the circumstances.

5. All players whose characters are involved must specifically agree to it for it to be allowed; otherwise, their character cannot be used.