How the System Works

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The process of adoption (transfer of a character from one handler to another) works as follows:

1. Characters that are being put up for adoption will be named in the Adoption Zone as eligible (hey, you're here already!). Handlers may then post to submit "bids" for the character for up to a week afterwards. If no bids are made, the character is killed off in an inactive death. If there is only one bid, the character goes to the handler in question. If there are multiple bids, the handler which gets the character is determined by the priority list (see Adoption rule #3).

2. A character may become available for adoption only if they meet certain conditions. First, the character must have gone terminally inactive, and was not appealed or the appeal was denied. Second, the handler of said character must not have posted as "Away" or otherwise indicated they were not going to be able to post. Third, the character cannot have been previously adopted. Fourth, it cannot be too late into the game at the time of adoption (past the 1/3rd point).

3. As of 2/19/2023 the adoption process will be blind with the bids revealed at the end of the bidding time. Handlers making bids for a character will be ranked in a hierarchy determined by this list, with the character going to the handler of the highest tier:

- New handlers who didn't get a chance to take part, but have been actively participating in other areas of the site for at least a month (i.e. on the non-RPing boards or the chat).

- Returning members who did not submit any characters for the current version and would like to participate.

- New handlers who didn't get a chance to take part, and are brand-new to SOTF.

- Handlers who were in the game, but all of their characters are dead.

- Handlers who are currently in the game, with one character.

- As above, but with two characters.

- As above, but with three characters.

- Handlers who have received an activity warning during the current version, but who have no characters left.

4. Handlers are ineligible to adopt a character through this system if they have had a character go terminally inactive in the current or prior version, or if they have adopted a character in the version already. Additionally, handlers may be ineligible to adopt at staff discretion, decided on a case-by-case basis, if they have adopted a character in the past and treated them badly (using them as fodder, not attempting to play them properly, etc).

5. If a handler wishes to pass a character to their friend, this will be allowed in any circumstances other than if it would take the beneficiary over their personal character limit. To do this, both parties must PM a member of staff consenting to the character transfer. A handler may still receive a character handed off in this method if they have adopted a character previously in the current version. However, if they have adopted through this method, they are NOT allowed to then proceed to adopt another character through the official system.

6. If a character is adopted via hand-off to another handler during Pregame, the original handler and the recipient are not disqualified from adopting through the official system during the game proper.

7. Newly adopted characters will be ineligible to be Swapped or Heroed out for the space of three rolls, regardless of whether they are adopted through the official system or are handed off by another handler, and regardless of whether that handler gives permission. This is to prevent handlers from adopting characters solely to bolster their original characters' chances of surviving. You may still Swap or Hero to save newly adopted characters. After three rolls, adopted characters will be treated as any other characters, and may be Swapped or Heroed normally. Note that this rule applies even if you adopt back a character you originally created and handled.

8. Any character adopted after the 1/3rd point of the version, or any character adopted by a handler who has already adopted a character during the version, will not be considered as belonging to their new handler for the purposes of protection against double rolls. These characters will be considered unattached, and may be rolled regardless of whether one of their handler's other characters is rolled in a given set.

9. If a character is given up for adoption, whether through a hand-off from one handler to another or through inactivity, they become the sole property of their new handler, to do with as they please. If you have handed off a character to another handler, you forfeit all rights to post with that character, including in Memories from the Past and other game sections.