shallow-rp-blog

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i whipped up an idea involving a group of pariahs who left one of the havens in protest to the diversions (ten in total - in reference to the 1 of 10 getting in). in lieu of the previous person's question about breaking out, would this idea be plausible? if these people were adamant enough to leave, would they be met with force or let go after some stern talking to? i have a more detailed account of what i thought up under the sitwrp tag! thank you!

I actually read your idea & thought it was well-thought & very interesting! It depends on the occupation of the person. If they were a doctor or a scientist that Haven officials deemed necessary for survival, they'd try everything in their power to keep them around. Some Havens take it more seriously than others, and various persons would be threatened if all persuasions failed, but  essentially, no one is being 'forced' to remain in a Haven. Hope that answered your question. If not, feel free to send in another ask!

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Have you guys picked the extra staff? Just wanted to know in case we could still apply. Lovely idea for a board by the way!

The extra staff has been picked! Thank you to everyone who applied. Do not let this dishearten you, though - if it comes to pass that I feel one more person is needed, I'll be sure to be on the lookout. 

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update 003.

Hello frannns.

Here's my official statement on casters, children of casters, etc., because a very smart Anon made me realize I know nothing about biology and was using terms that made sense to me but not to other people. So forget what I said about recessive traits, etc. In this world, the only way a human can be a caster is if at least one of their parents is a caster. Having one caster and one mortal parent is rare, but cases have been documented. Casters are born from casters period, not two mortals. Hope that clears everything up, & thanks to the Anon that brought that to my attention!

I took a little hiatus for a couple of days because I don't like overwhelming myself, but I'm back & moving at full speed. I have actually chosen the new staff - I just have not told them they were chosen yet, haha. Thank you to everyone who applied! I'm not deleting any of the submissions either, because if it comes to pass that I feel we need one more person, I'll be sure to give you a ring. 

Things are definitely moving expediently - all that's left are silly little coding, canons, and one or two forum descriptions. We'll be opening soon!

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So, it was mentioned that the havens had guards to keep people from breaking in, but can they leave of their own free will? I know it would probably be extremely rare, but could someone leave their haven if that's what they wanted? Or would they be stopped? Would it depend on what position they held in the haven (doctors vs. entertainers)? Sorry about the barrage of questions! I'm just excited <3

Don't ever apologize for questions! We live for them. The Havens (guards, leaders, or otherwise) can never 'stop' someone from leaving, but they can always influence them - and they do. If your character is a doctor in a field that is invaluable to the sustaining of the Haven, things will be done to keep them around. Measures will be taken, be them good or bad. But tl;dr: anyone can bust out if they wish!

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is it possible for two mortal parents to have a caster child the way two blonde parents can have a red-haired child?

In order for a person to possess the craft, at least one of their parents has to have been a caster, though: "Caster magic is a recessive trait, so more often than not the offspring of a caster/mortal union will remain powerless."

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will we be doing face reserves prior to the site opening?

Most likely not. There are people who we assume will be joining this site who do not have a Tumblr, and it wouldn't be fair to them. That's pretty much our stance on it now - it could change, but it might not.

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idk if this has been asked already, but will there be a freestyle option for the applications? AND ALSO OMG I'M SO EXCITED I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT ALL OF THIS LOOKS SO AMAZING AND SO CREATIVE AND JUST OMG I THINK YOU'RE AMAZING FOR COMING UP WITH ALL OF THIS!

Yes! The application is actually kind of a blend - there's a portion for basic information such as name, age, blood type, etc., a freestyle section, & then a few prompt like questions. The best of all worlds! When it's all edited, I'll put a preview of it up for you all to see. 

You are a beautiful person. Thank you so much! <3

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is there a tentative time frame for when you expect the site to open?

I told an earlier "Anonymous" that in a perfect world I'd like to open closer to the last or second-to-last week of this month, but I'm in no rush. I want this site to be great, so we're taking time. Definitely not moving at a snail's space, but  a steady one.

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havens.

Hello hello~

I know I said a good while ago that I would get Haven information up, but things on my end are moving slower than usual. I don't want to rush anything in the fear that it won't meet mine (or your) expectations. Still, I feel like your are my children & that when I don't give you things you go hungry & I will most definitely not be a negligent father, so I'll be posting what I have so far now! This post will be edited with more information as it comes to me, but I'll let you know, so you don't have to constantly keep on checking.

Keep your eyes on the sitwrp tag! Some people have been coming up with BEAUTIFUL ideas for characters so far, & you don't want to miss out on that action.

The havens are safe-places created by mortals and casters alike.

The havens are safe-places created by mortals and casters alike. Shallow Is The Way is based in the United Kingdom - only three havens are playable (because the rest are either too far away or didn't survive the flood): Flash, located in the Peak District, as well as Peterhead North and Peterhead South, both right off the east coast of Scotland. Ben Nevis was the fourth and final UK Haven but it did not survive the Drowning - its ruins can still be made out. Before the devastation, a rigorous selection process meant only those deemed capable of surviving and rebuilding would be offered a spot in a Haven - or, those who could afford one. Family members abandoned each other, brothers killed brothers, and children left their mothers behind. After the flood any and all survivors flocked to these zones, seeking refuge and shelter. The safe-zones were stocked with food, medical supplies, instructions for survival, hydroelectric power sources (that after nearly twenty years are not at all reliable), and stable housing. As time has passed power outages have become common as generators begin to malfunction. Those put in charge (either by election or force) soon came to realize that overpopulation was becoming a problem. This was when people began to be cast away. The Havens only accept the best of the best - the physically fit, the most crafty, and the most intelligent. When one person dies another is permitted entrance, but not after they've gone through what is called a 

DIVERSION: The Diversions are the Havens only way of putting a cap on overpopulation - before their existence the only requirement of admittance was to be of ample health and virility. When rations took a plunge and inter-communal strife threatened to tear the precarious social balance of each Haven apart Peterhead North was the very first to implement their own version of the Diversions, with the other two Havens following suit after word reached them of its success. When word reaches interested Pariahs and Drifters that a specific Haven is to hold Diversions they flock to the respective outer gates, eager for a chance to become a Hale. As such a raffle system has been established to keep the process orderly. The ratio of participants is 10:1; in simpler terms, for every one death, ten people are allowed to compete for that newly opened space. Ten people, ten tickets, chosen at random. Diversions take place quarterly, and only after a resident of a Haven has died. Each Haven has a population quota they strive to hover around at all times. Diversions are split by gender - meaning if it is a female that dies, only females can participate in that Diversion, though the age of the participant is unimportant. Diversions are put in place to test the physicality, mental capability, and reaction level under stress of any person seeking to gain entrance into a Haven. Havens maintain that only the brightest and best can survive in their boundaries, because their original purpose was to serve as a starting ground for the resurrection of humanity. Depending on the Haven, Diversions can last from one day to three - at the end, the surviving participant is granted acceptance and invited as a newly initiated Hale. Indeed, the survival rate of a Diversion is extremely low - if nine out of ten of the participants have not died, an elected council of four will decide who has won the Diversion. If there are survivors they are turned away, but encouraged to enter in a Diversion again once there is a vacancy.

It is because of this that many families are split apart, parents oftentimes giving their children up in hopes of a better life for them. To Pariahs and Drifters, the Havens are begrudging Utopias. They've grown to be bitter towards their inhabitants, unappreciative of the fact that they were left on the outside to fend for themselves. Many break-ins have been attempted but none have been successful due to skilled protectors. Havens are the closest thing to 'civilizations' this new, faceless world has.

FLASH HAVEN is a mixed safe-zone, meaning it is inhabited by both casters and mortals.  PETERHEAD NORTH HAVEN Is a restrictive zone, because the only residents are casters, just as PETERHEAD SOUTH HAVEN is restricted to only mortals. BEN NEVIS was to be a mixed safe-zone.

FLASH HAVEN The entrance to Flash lies hidden amongst the white-washed, sandstone boulders of what used to be Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks; to an approaching boat (as a boat is the only way one can be granted admittance into the Haven) the long line of resolute stones seems like the end of the ocean, if not for the oval-like turns the barrier makes at its far east and west ends. Indeed, the stones surround Flash like a circular perimeter, held in place by dense mud and a heavy magic. Each and every day the treacherous waters threaten to slosh into the sort of basin these rocks form but it never does, if it be because of magic or sheer luck. If a boat is given the okay by one of the many men that patrol the stone bulwark they pull over to far west side, where a slight hole between the rocks has been filled with a heavily guarded hub. The wood and stone used to create the docking hub once belonged to the Staffordshire Schoolhouse, but when it sank its resources were excavated and put to good use.

Any visitor to Flash will remark about the uncanny construction of the Haven; upon entrance one will notice that the entire expanse, from one end of the wall to the other, is nothing but thick mud. Staffordshire was known for its moorlands before the flood, and after the onset of the ocean's water and overflowing lakes the abundant peat and unpalatable vegetation formed a dense sludge. Many of the old buildings have sunken completely into this heavy muck, the tops of their dilapidated roofs the only sign of the Flash of twelve years ago. What's more interesting, rather, is how the citizens of Flash have managed to overcome this seemingly uninhabitable mud; they built their entire sanctuary above it. Suspended almost thirty feet above the makeshift mucilage is Flash in all its glory, the new buildings all interconnected by platforms built from excavated scrap metal and sandstone.

Indeed, the sanctum can be made analogous to a bowl, for it is like a dome that floats in the ocean.

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timeline.

2034 Thailand is laid to waste by an unforgiving tsunami. The peninsula is declared uninhabitable, and all survivors are evacuated to various countries in Indonesia. Conservative scientists declare it as a natural and expected occurrence. Mitsu-Toyota, an automobile and aircraft conglomerate, introduces the Soujourner 737 to the global market - the first ever flying vehicle. A precedent is set for others in the business.  

2047 Irregular activity along the San Andreas Fault as a result of high levels of stress spur massive earthquakes all across the western United States seaboard. Whole cities and their infrastructures collapse in on themselves. California barely survives.  

2052 The longest drought ever recorded plagues the small country of Mali. The death toll climbs to nearly two thousand and the government is on the verge of collapse. The now defunct United Nations cannot supply the country with the necessary amount of rations - Mali becomes a desert. The Kennedy Space Elevator is launched, giving mankind the opportunity to vacation on the moon. Eclipse opens, the world’s first ever lunar resort.  

2055 Much of the continent of Africa has become a desert wasteland. Its population has consumed immigration, generating strife between citizens in various countries. A deep fissure opens up underneath the continent of Australia - subterranean ocean water begins to seep into the surrounding ocean.  

2056 The World Confederation of Scientists holds a conference with each hemispherical government to warn of rapidly melting polar ice caps, shifts in the tectonic makeup of continents, and unwarranted hot and cold pressure systems arising in each of the Tropics. The governments unanimously decide to shut down their research. The regions of North America, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East mobilize in secret and begin preparations for antediluvian sustainability. The world adopts a universal currency.  

2057 Richard Clagg, a generally unknown climatologist and caster, warns governments one last time of certain doom. He is dismissed. Richard Clagg turns to other casters, asking for them to come out of the shadows and aid the mortals. He is dismissed. The world adopts a standardized healthcare.  

2061 The Great Revelation. February A group of humanitarian casters conjure up a rain storm to sustain surviving pockets of indigenous people in Southern Africa wrought with drought. The magic quickly grows beyond their control - the country of South Africa is subsequently flooded out. Public hatred of the casters grow, and their involvement in this apocalypse is put under scrutiny.  April Anarchy. Governments are threatened with a loss of control - Asia’s economy collapses in on itself, and with it its people. May Thirty teenagers presumed to be casters or cohorts of casters are burned at the stake in St. Petersburg, Russia. August Citizens of the Western hemisphere aged thirty and above are strongly encouraged by their government  to document relevant events of their time, so as to retain portions of history. August 14th: The would be assassin of Prime Minister Elvis Gritts is assassinated. August 15th: Prime Minister Elvis Gritts is assassinated.  

2062 Apocalypse.  

2079 Present Day.

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for how long will you be looking for staff?

Probably until the end of today. 

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Oh okay! GL choosing and excellent site concept

Thank you so much!

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the drowning.

Try to imagine the earth before it gave birth to this watery wasteland.

Try to imagine the earth before it gave birth to this watery wasteland. When lush green was still the dominant color and humanity was at the precipice, thriving amongst an ecosystem fully capable of supporting exponential growth. The world was once a utopia. Nothing was precedent - there was no sickness, no hunger, no pain, only innovation in its rawest form. Modernization became synonymous with the standard of living; virtual highways were constructed to navigate hover cars. Hardware-intensive metropolises sprang from the mouths of nothing. A new world order had been adopted, as state governments were abolished and absorbed into hemispherical political bodies. Old country names were kept for convenience only. People grew complacent, ignorant, because the world had finally reached that which was assumed would never be attainable: perfection. Those entrusted with unraveling the secrets of the world lost focus, caught up in the streamline of success. From the year 2030 and onwards, environmental scientists employed at the worlds state-of-the-art research facilities began noticing startling patterns of climate change and seismic activity all throughout the four hemispheres. 

Amidst amazing technological advances, the world's physical makeup began altering itself at a rapid pace. It was preparing for the rapture. Cyclones appeared off the coasts of seaport cities and quickly became natural occurrences, suddenly just as commonplace as torrential April rain showers. It was all just 'nature's way of keeping up' they said, as droughts in areas of Africa became so severe that water had to be transported from bordering nation-states - soon the continent became a desert. Average yearly temperatures began rising at steady and alarming rates, a juxtaposition to the quickly receding glaciers and polar ice caps. Summers grew longer and more temperamental. The polar ice caps started receding. Earthquakes left deep fissures in the submarine seabed, releasing into the ocean abysmal, subterranean oceans that had prior been kept trapped in the Earth's mantle. There was no more ignoring this, no more politicians writing it off as an inconvenient truth. Our Earth was dying. The implications of this were obvious, but at the time avoidable, and so the World Federation of Scientists quickly brought together a task force of scientists from every nation in an attempt to alert the world government of impending doom. 

Blinded by time-defying achievements and modernizations in technology and national security, many of the more conservative governments turned a blind eye to the facts. Other, more liberal governments, though swayed, didn't see it as a priority -- there were much more pressing matters at hand, like the issue of instating a worldwide currency, or standardizing health care. In their minds, they were gods, and the world would stop for them. The territories that were once Canada and the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East were the only areas among the hemispherical powers that mobilized to action. For all others, in only a matter of moments, the world's last hope was silenced, left to only watch as the Earth sent signal after signal of a desecration. 

For those who knew that doom was coming, the necessary precautions were taken. International task forces were stationed at the highest points in the world, from Potosí in Bolivia to Scaffel Pike in England. They were men and women of the strongest caliber, experts in their fields. Heavily fortified constructs erected from time-defying mentals and equipped with the most efficient survival technologies of the age were put into place. Food was rationed and stationed; makeshift residences were constructed; medical supplies were stocked; training manuals were left for survivors. Temporary shelters were built in areas believed to be uninhabitable, from the tops of volcanoes to the peaks of mountains. Scientists of other nations that had not placed stock in the warnings of the WFS and their families were as well taking their own precautions, giving up altogether on the government and warning the masses. Responses were mixed. Some were disturbed by the urgency of these scientists and took part in their own means of survival, while others blatantly denounced the 'myths' of global warming and its effects. 

The world of craft was soon, too, coming to an end. Casters had seamlessly blended into modern society - some were school teachers, police officers, and the very same scientists that fought against time to save the world. They too were preparing for the End, ignoring the unfortunate truth that they had the benefit of craft on their side. Caster and climatologist Richard Clagg proposed administering craft to help better fortify the flood shelters, an idea that would've called for the exposure of their kind. He urged the caster population that secrecy did not supersede the survival of mankind; mortals were at a clear disadvantage and it was the casters ethical responsibility to assist. They could not leave mortals to drown; Darwinism had no place in this predicament; they had to save them all. Casters, not unaware of the centuries of persecution their kind had faced at the hands of mortals, balked at the idea - so Richard and others took matters into their own hands.

In 2061, seven North American casters made the solemn decision to abandon the will of their people and pull themselves into the light. This circle of seven, Richard Clagg among them, set fire to that which could never burn: the sky. Great streaks of flaming white singed the clouds a charcoal black. Giant, leaping flames stretched from the far corners of the East all the way to the West, and as the coil of fire spun and wove into the words of their final message, the world finally saw it: "YOUR. WORLD. IS. DYING. LET. US. SAVE. YOU." An exhaustive and heroic effort, but one that proved irreversible to the young casters - they were drained of their power and inevitably died. In doing so, Massachusetts was the birthplace of the Great Revelation. Casters all along the eastern seaboard moved by the commendable sacrifice of the "Ring of Fire" (as they became permanently etched into history as) slowly revealed the presence of their own magic. Their hearts would not settle until the world became aware that they were, it seemed, humanity's last hope for survival. The United Kingdom's then Prime Minister, Elvis Gritts, a caster himself, saluted the patriotism of his fellow brothers and sisters in craft by orchestrating the consumption of the Big Ben in a never-ending pool of darkness - a feat witnessed by thousands. The Revelation picked up around the world to the outcry of puritanical casters as others put their lives and the existence of their kind on the line, revealing the presence of magic to the mortal world. Their message was simple: Take our hands. The world is ending, and we are your only chance at survival." 

The world collapsed into civil uproar. Casters feared persecution, and they were not wrong. A large majority of mortals instantly cried foul, reciting their Holy Book and pointing to the message of Revelations. It had come too soon, too sudden, not at all progressively like some casters had hoped. Many mortals were astounded. Others were in disbelief. Murder and suicide rates rose to an all-time high during this tumultuous year as politicians tried to keep hold of the masses. President, royals, and Prime Ministers everywhere were now at full attention, ashamed for doubting the scientists and pleading with the citizens of the world to heed the casters warnings. Families were torn apart as governments dropped word of their selection process - inevitably, the world would not be able to fit into the few Havens that had been created. Only the brightest minds, the strongest of men and women, and the survivors of humanity would be granted asylum (and, of course, those who could afford it). Deals were struck, backs were stabbed, and people were left behind. Scientists were too busy trying to preserve the human existence to debunk the anomaly of magic, at this point grateful for any form of assistance. The outcome was inevitable, even with the casters greatest reassurance. Some mortals followed. Others hid in their churches, and even more ignored completely. Mortal scientists and casters alike collaborated amongst the chaos, pin-pointing specific places the International Task Forces had already safe-proofed as 'Havens' for mortal and caster co-existence. There the strongest of magic was at use, runes cast to safe-proof the areas from the impending flood. Only time would see how magic and technology came to work together. Politics made the survival attempt all the more difficult, as prejudiced casters spoke out against such intermingling and mortals preached for caster-free zones. 

When 2062 came, efforts had reached a standstill. Bickering was stronger than ever. Prejudices grew like grapevines. The polar ice caps were virtually gone, and islands all around the world had already submerged. The Earth permanently shook. And then it all ceased. Thailand was the first to go. The tidal wave was massive, colossal, completely obliterating the islands in one fierce crash. The sky was torn open and spewed forth a rain like the world had never seen before. Asia and Asia Minor were next. The continent of Africa shortly afterwards. The cries were blood-curdling. Homes were reduced to nothing -- mountains thousands of meters high disappeared underwater as if they weren't much taller than trees. Mankind had underestimated the sheer power of the water. Many of the strongholds didn't last. The bodies of people rained down from the sky, the water surges so fast and so strong. 

The destruction of the Earth lasted two hours. One hundred and twenty painful minutes. 

When the water had calmed, all that was left of 4.54 billion years of erosion, extinction, landmass formation, and evolution were a handful of mountain peaks and plateaus tall enough to scrape air. The world was lost. The world was over. 

To even use the words 'death toll' as an adequate description of the devastation would be borderline hysterical. The human population had been wiped out to the point of near extinction. Sea levels had risen thousands of feet and land animals and plant life were now a thing of the past, as the depths of the oceans became the face of this Earth. What was left of the previous world watched in pure shock behind the few barricades that manage to withstand the worst, unbelieving. Everything was finished. Humanity was being asked to start over again. Nothing about this brave new world was familiar to them and for months mankind sat, resolute, at a loss for where to start and how to rebuild. Bodies covered the oceans' surface, food for the sharks and whales that had risen with the water levels. The inhumanity of witnessing your loved one torn to pieces by the talon-like teeth of a Great White is much too difficult to describe. Many took their own lives, unable to handle the loss and the radical change. Others died from starvation, heat stroke, or internal injuries. It seemed like after what they'd just witnessed, the rest of them would die out eventually. 

What people forget is that the will of many sometimes lacks in comparison to the will of some. As a population, the world's people were broken. But there were few, caster and mortal alike, that saw the future as the only option. There was no reason clinging to a past that was no more. They accepted the fact that they were on their own, that there was no possibility of life on other continents - or what was left of them. Slowly they rebuilt. They mixed ingenuity and a whole lot of luck, and 2079 is where it has brought them. Those lucky enough to reside in Havens strong enough to last the flood fared much better than others - some lived life drifting, and others lived day to day, shunned by the Havens. Insufficient time to cope with the revelation of magic has left many mortals jaded, suspicious, and unappreciative; divides spout between people. Many areas became purely mortal or purely caster, very few places remaining areas of co-existence. Makeshift societies were formed; strict rules were regulated; strict rules were enforced. The world has now become separated not by land masses but by peoples' hearts alone. It has become a dangerous, unforgiving place.

[shallow-rp-blog]

Can you tell us who the new staff members are? And the originals for that matter, as I only know of Aspen.. haha

The new staff members have not been chosen yet. And so far, the current administrators are me (Aspen!) & Pam. This blog is linked to my personal one so Pam can't really get on & answer questions - & currently she's going through some personal things so she's been a little MIA. But she'll bounce back! & I'm literally always here. Always.

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update 002.

I am literally blown away by the amount of people interested in helping out with Shallow Is The Way. That means so much to me, honestly.  

I am also equally blown away by the number of new followers! All of you bbs reblogging our information are really putting the word out there and I am forever indebted!  

As a gift, in a few minutes I'll be posting a serious piece of information: the Drowning. It details life before the flood, what caused it, and its aftermath.  

PLEASE START USING THE SITWRP TAG. I understand Haven information is not up yet, but with the posting of the Drowning, I think you guys will have more than enough to start getting character ideas up! A few of you have started and I'm thankful, but nearly not enough of you are! I could even post prompts for some of you to go off, so we can get a better feel for your character.  

Don't forget - the four members who reblog our information the most get to pre-register & see the site in its entirety before everyone else does. Posts in the SITWRP tag count towards that.  

Love ya'll like you're my babies. Mwah!

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staff search.

We interrupt your current squeeing with the following broadcast: We want you. 

Shallow Is The Way is an upcoming modern fantasy dystopian roleplay set in a post-apocalyptic United Kingdom roughly a decade after a catastrophic flood has decimated mankind. In this new world, mortals are indebted to witches for their survival - a truth the majority has chosen to ignore. Survival belongs to the fittest, never the persistent. This site aims to create a world and give players a chance to react to it, as well as engendering a sense of community that has long since been lost in roleplays. And we want you.

Shallow Is The Way is looking for two, at the most three, additional staff members to become a part of our team. Before graphics prowess, coding ability, and the like, we are looking for dedication. This is a big task to take on, so if you know yourself to be flaky, we appreciate your time but please do not apply. What else we're looking for is innovation - creativity - a sense of HUMOR - and imagination. Someone who doesn't bat an eyelash when asked to write up a location description. Someone who can stay up late at night and swoon over handsome actors and fantasize about married life with them. Someone who likes to laugh! And someone who loves to write.

We would prefer someone either from the Eastern and or Mountain time zone, because one of us is already in the Pacific, but don't let that stop you from applying! We are requesting two because in a perfect world, one of you would help with aesthetic: you'd be able to assist with graphics, give comments on how the site looks/feels, etc. The other would help with moderation and member relations. Both would help with plot progression, story arcs, etc.

Each and every bit of help is needed, so please apply! Simply send an ask to SITW with your name, time zone, contact information, a quick summary about yourself & why you'd like to be a part of SITW, and what ideas you think you could bring to the table!

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