COSTUMING GUIDELINES

Starfall Academy requires players to participate in an appropriate costume of their design. While staff encourages players to create their own, unique designs, they do ask that players adhere to specific guidelines, especially in their first year.

While many players will gravitate toward “Jedi”-inspired aesthetics, these are in no way required. Players are encouraged to create designs reflective of the type of character that they would like to play. Consider the species or homeworld of your character — how might this impact their overall look? Did they have a past career or interests that might affect what they wear? Be aware that if you continue to participate in successive Starfall Academy years, your character will grow in rank and will thus be asked to take on key garb components to demonstrate their experience.

Items of obvious real-world design — blue jeans, sneakers, garments with obvious real-world logos — are not to be visible.

The  SPECIES DATABASE includes a list of potential species a player can participate as. Players opting to play as a non-human species are required to adhere to all costuming requirements associated with that species (found within the database). Please note that participation as a non-human only affects roleplay, and will not impact the abilities and skills of the character.

First-year students are asked to wear neutral or muted colors as they will often not know their future sect. Browns, tans, grays, black and white fabrics are typically preferred, though dark and muted colors can also be permitted — so long as they do not obviously hint at participation in a particular sect.

Successive-year students are welcome to change their costumery at any time, and may then take on bolder colors that more directly hint at sect affiliation. A bright green tunic, of example, is not appropriate for a first year initiate, but is perfectly acceptable for a second-year Ouiori page.

Bright orange coloration should never be used, as it hints at an item considered OUT-OF-CHARACTER.

There are key garb components that carry specific meaning within the Guardian Order when displayed as a specific color. Obis, tabards, and robes all demonstrate a Guardian’s rank (page, knight, and master, respectively) when appropriately colored in the hue of an affiliated sect. Players may not bear these items in their sect color until they have earned the appropriate rank. They can, however, opt to wear an obi or tabard in non-sect colors at any time. As events progress, these items would merely need to be replaced by appropriately-colored ones.

Generally, full robes are reserved for masters regardless of sect affiliation and players should avoid them.

NOTE: Because Medicari “silver” is often interpreted visually as white or light gray, obis and tabards should generally avoid these colors unless a player is a Medicare of the appropriate rank.

Players are free to add thematic add-ons and accessories — such as armor components, cybernetics, tattoos, etc. — to their costuming at any point. Depending on the item, a player may wish to work it into their backstory.

Please note that additions such as these in no way affect the skills or abilities of the player’s character.

Additional weapons — even prop weapons — may not be carried or displayed by a character.

In the months prior to each Starfall Academy event, players will be asked to submit costume photos or concept sketches to staff for approval. If not approved, staff will be happy to offer suggestions and helpful hints for how to adjust costumes accordingly.

Arm bands are utilized by the Order of the Light to denote participation as a Guardian Novice. All novices are required to wear an armband in the color of their sect (Blue, Green, White/Gray/Silver, Purple, Yellow/Gold) on either arm. While left side is preferred, either arm is acceptable.

Arm bands can be made of any material, so long as they are at least two inches (~5cm) wide and clearly indicate the specified color.

First year students will receive a temporary arm band during their initiation ceremony, while returning students are asked to supply their own (or continue to use their temporary band). As part of the graduation to page, novices must shed their arm bands. They are not utilized thereafter.