No, never played here before.
Briefly summarize your prior role-playing experience in a sentence or two:
I’ve played in various pen&paper groups over the last two decades and I’ve played on two roleplay-enforced UO shards back in the days (mostly from 2002 - 2011).
Why do you wish to play on Requiem, and what do you expect from the shard?
I’d like to have a persistent and enjoyable world again where I can play out the day-to-day story of an interesting character in an immersive fantasy world. After trying out a bunch of other games over the last year or so, I’ve come to believe that a roleplay-heavy UO server might still just be the best choice for that -- the option of in-depth trade systems and crafting in a persistent world allows to just play a member of a society that isn’t necessarily a hero. That’s, mainly, what I’m looking for
What will your character’s name be?:
Alarice
Please briefly describe the physical attributes of your character, including age, looks, height, weight and any notable features:
Alarice is a young woman in her mid twenties. She is of average height and has a rather unremarkable figure. Small scars and calluses on hands and arms indicate that she is used to extensive work, but she doesn’t appear particularly strong. Her brown hair is reasonably well tended to and falls just to about her slender shoulders. The most notable feature on first glance is the facial birthmark under her left eye, about the size of her palm.
At the time of arrival, she’ll have black hair dye in her hair and might wear nice looking clothes.
Briefly state your character’s intentions or motivations for entering the First Province:
Her motivation is twofold: firstly, she is secretly hoping she can find out what happened to her forcefully conscripted mother and to her little brother. Perhaps they were sent to provide for the forces at or around the quarantine zone. Secondly, there are tales of riches and fortunes hidden away in the quarantine zone. Sure, that’ll be dangerous and very uncertain, but it might also be a shortcut in a world otherwise set in its ways.
Briefly provide a pertinent detail or notable quality of your character’s history (this does not have to be exhaustive nor revealing of any information you wish to keep secret):
Alarice grew up in one of the less affluent parts of the nested weave of wharfs in Greatport as the illegal, illegitimate daughter of a civilian mother. After her younger brother was born (also illegally), both he and her mother were taken by the authorities and conscripted. Alarice was around 15 back then and doesn’t know what really happened to them. She only slipped through by having been physically absent when they were picked up. Allegedly, her mother claimed Alarice had recently drowned and searching the whole docks for some scrawny girl that might not have drowned just wasn’t the top priority.
Over the next ten years she managed to not only survive, but to establish herself in a little apartment, starting a “thriving” business of cheap clothing repairs and trade in obscure trinkets. After what can only be described as an unfortunate misunderstanding with some of her neighbors, she was accused of witchcraft. With that came the threat that scrutiny into her case, if it didn’t outright put her on a pyre, might lead to her being conscripted after all.
She packed what little she owned, snuck on a fancy ship, and got caught almost immediately upon entering a cabin. In a twisted turn of luck, the woman who caught her, Curtia Lucilana, faced an issue of her own: having been “generously sponsored and recommended by her uncle to support the faith’s efforts in the quarantine zone” might be one of the scariest prospects imaginable to an educated person. Especially when it was used to get rid of her. However, the world had just dropped a solution in her lap. A woman looking vaguely similar (with some black hair dye) who even also had a big birthmark on (the wrong side of) her face. Perfect! Well, good enough at least. A deal was struck: Alarice agreed to impersonate Curtia, who in turn wouldn't turn her over to the captain. She'd avoid being punished for being a stowaway and would even get the opportunity of a lifetime to become rich in the First Province! Meanwhile, the real Curtia was free to plot her revenge on one unsuspecting uncle.
Briefly write an in-character response to the following scenario:
Holding on tightly to the visa document with one hand and to her coin purse with the other, Alarice nervously awaited her turn. Everything felt so weird when wearing fancy gloves. Would the Legionnaires recognize her? The thought crossed her mind again and again and had to be chased out with force every single time. How unlikely that whoever was stationed here would somehow know of a civilian having given one too many births a decade ago in Greatport’s bowels.
Somehow the whole line in front of her disappeared in what seemed like an instant and the reluctant officiant waved her to step forward.
“I’m obviously Curtia Lucilana. And here are my documents.“ She handed over the document hastily, trying not to punch herself for stating who she “obviously” was, when she suddenly remembered the ring. Had Curtia given her a signature ring to prove her identity? Or had she given her instructions on how to lie when asked about it? Alarice’s mind was racing. She absentmindedly placed the coin purse on the table to quickly rummage through her backpack with both hands. Stupid gloves -- making tasks like this so much harder. Where was the ring? Then she remembered: right! She was supposed to claim it had been stolen, which was why she was being extra careful with her coin purse.
When she looked up, she noticed the officiant’s glance at the little purse on the table containing all her money and her heart sank.
