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Adoption

Are you looking to adopt a character or figure out how to put one up for adoption? You’ve come to the right place to learn about everything adoption related!


There are multiple types of adopts that members can post, though most have the same process and requirements. These include: litters, family, friends, enemies, companions, lovers, exes, and any other connection you can possibly think of! If you have someone connected to your character, and would like to see them in-game, adoption would be a good thing to consider.


Adoption Guidelines

The first thing you should be aware of is where to post and/or browse adoptables! The first place would be the character adoption page, the second would be in our discord under the #public-adopts channel. To get the most attention, it would be wise to post an advertisement on site and in our discord!


Now, let’s get to what you need for the whole process.


When listing an available adoption, it is important to supply what information you can. This can include things like: design, age, name, personality, who they’re connected to, and how they’re connected. However, you, as the adopt creator, can make them as detailed or as open ended as possible. Some may opt to make an in depth personality and fleshed out history, while others may just give a few basic traits with an unwritten past. It’s all preference, there is no right or wrong amount of information to advertise.


Application Type

When it comes to applying for an adoptable, the creater may choose what they require for an application. Some application preferences are listed below:

  • FCFS (first come first served), meaning the first to inquire will be given the adoptable by default.
  • Requesting the applicant to submit something specific. This can be one or more of the following: a writing sample, a mood-board, play list, aesthetic, ideas for future plots, or how they envision the character’s personality.
  • Requesting the applicant to send in whichever type of application they want to send in. Some may supply writing samples, others may use mood-boards, and so forth.

Deadline

Adopt creators have the choice of using a “deadline”, being when they are no longer accepting applications. This technically isn’t mandatory! There are three ways creators can assign a deadline for their adopts.

  • Creator may post “applications will close on [date goes here], so please send applications in before then.”
  • Creator may post “this adotable has no set deadline for applications and will only be closed when a suitable player is chosen.”
  • Creator may post “this adoptable will close when a player shows interest in playing them, FCFS.”

Contract Rules

When adopting out a character, the creator has the choice of either making their own contract or using a Vivarium-issued contract. In either contract, this ensures that both the creator of the character and the adoptee are protected, with clear guidelines on adoption policies.


Vivarium Adoption Contract

For creators who choose to use the Vivarium-issued contract, these are the general rules:

Post Limit

When adopting a character from another player, the character must reach 60 Posts on Vivarium to be considered yours.

Art

If the adoptee purchases art of the character that they have adopted, it is considered theirs. If the creator wishes to take back their adopted character, the art purchased by the adoptee is not inherently theirs, unless it is purchased back from them or the adoptee has explicitly stated otherwise.

If an adoptee wishes to keep the art they purchased of the adopt, it is common courtesy to get the art recolored by the original artist and not use the same design, unless it was the adoptee who created the design themselves.

Communication

Please communicate! Should you, the adoptee, feel stuck, struggle with muse, or need help in some way, reach out to the creator and communicate what’s going on. While some creators may ask for the adopt to be returned, others will do all in their power to help you out of your rut.

Communication is always a two-way street, and so the same is expected and encouraged from the adopter as well. If you feel like you want more threads with your adopted character or feel like the adopted character is not being written as often as you would like, reach out to the adoptee and see what's going on and how you both can work together!

When can a creator take back their adopt?

Adoptions follow the same rules as our inactivity timer! If a post is not made in three months and the character falls inactive, then the adopt may automatically be returned to the adopter unless stated otherwise by them. The adopter must notify the adoptee in this scenario.

  • If the adoptee wishes to give back the adopt prior to 3 months, they can. However, if they are struggling with low muse and post consistency, the creator of the adopt cannot take back the adopt until 3 months have passed and that character has fallen inactive.

  • It is encouraged that both the creator and the adoptee communicate, especially if or when a dip in activity is noticed.

Many creators do not wish to see their adopted character immediately die, run away, get kidnapped, have a full personality switch, or get immediate amnesia. Many adopters wish to interact with the adopted toon! If you follow one of these paths before the adopt reaches 60 posts and it was not mutually agreed upon with the original creator, the adopt can be revoked from the player by the adopter if they choose.

Until an adopt reaches 60 posts, the adopted character may not be used anywhere, other than Vivarium, until the adopter has full rights. If the adopted character is seen elsewhere and has not been approved by the creator, then the creator has the right to take back the character.

Vivarium will continue to prioritize clear communication between creators & adoptees in all matters pertaining to the ownership and art of adopted characters. For the fairness of all, any case regarding non-consensual reclamation will be monitored and led by the staff team, in addition to the creator & adoptee.

    Common Questions:

  • A parent or the original creator of the adopt has gone inactive or has left the site, now what? In these cases, we ask that situations like these are discussed beforehand between both parents, or original creator.

  • Do we need to ask the other parent permission to change the adoptee due to the puppy going inactive, and consult who can readopt them? It is common courtesy to reach out to the co-parent of an adopted character to hear their thoughts on who they think would be a good fit for readoption. However, if one parent has tried to communicate with the other and has received no response in 2 weeks, the remaining active parent can choose the next person for re-adoption themselves.

  • The adoptee of a character has gone inactive, now what? Once an adopted character falls inactive, the creator of the adopt should let the inactive character player know they are taking back the adopt, but permission is not needed to retrieve the adopted character at that point.

  • Do I get no say on whether an adopt/puppy is taken back? Adoptees who have reached the post limit to ownership are allowed to keep their adopt. However, the creator of the adopt cannot take back an active adopt until it falls inactive. If the character is active, the creator cannot take back the adopt.

  • Do creators have the ability at any point to revoke the character? Creators cannot take back the adopt unless the adopted character falls inactive (3 months without posting), and if they engage in a plot device such as kidnapping, death, or amnesia, if not agreed upon by the creator and adoptee prior to 60 posts/ownership. If an adopt is active and posting, even despite a parent or original creator leaving the site, the adopt can remain in play.

Make Your Own Contract

However, if you, the creator, choose not to use the Vivarium-issued adoption policy, that is a-okay! You can make your own! To upload a character for adoption, please upload your own contract Here on the Character Adoptions board on site. We ask that all character adopt contracts are first listed on site, to ensure they do not get lost, and then can be posted on the discord if you'd like!

Within your own adoption contract, Vivarium asks that you include these fields within your contract to keep the adoption process as streamlined, seamless, and straightforward as possible.

  • Number of posts until owned:
  • Length of absence before reclaimed:
  • Additional reclamation possibilities:
  • Dissuaded scenarios/plots (prior to ownership):
  • Can Adoptees use their own design? y/n
  • Art Clause (for art purchased or created, please pick one):
    • All art is given back to the creator in the event of reclaimation
    • The art is purchased by the creator if they want it back from the adoptee
    • Everyone keeps their own art, but the previous adoptee cannot use said art unless recolored
  • Can this adopt be used on other sites prior to ownership? y/n
  • Preferred Method of Communication:
  • Additional Notes:

Once a character is adopted, these terms are considered final. Before adoption or after a reclamation, a player can resubmit their adoption form with different terms.

The reason a longer, detailed contract is suggested is to protect both the rights of the creator and the rights of the adopter.

  • Once a contract is made and posted, it may not be altered after this point.
  • If the contract must be altered, you must create a new listing within the Character Adoption page.
  • Each character going up for adoption should have its own page, unless it is a litter.
  • Include any and all rules or requirements you would like players to be aware of. If they are NOT listed in the contract, they cannot be enforced by staff.

Litter Adopts

Litter adopts have the same rules as general adopts! The only real difference is they tend to have co-creators, being the parent players. We just request that parent players communicate with one another, to be certain they agree on all rules and requirements before the litter is posted for adoption.


Parents have up to 4 months to find a player for their litter. If the character does not find a player, they must exit the game (wander off, death, etc). They are welcomed back when finding an eligible player.


It is also encouraged that the parent players communicate on who will receive the character should no player be found, the character is returned, or is not re-adopted out. Please be aware that it is advised to caution a staff member that you are going to do this before reclaiming the adoption back.


Characters adopted from previous sites will default to the parents' original, self-made adoption rules.

    Common Questions:

  • A co-parent or the original designer of the children has gone inactive or has left the site, now what? In these cases, we ask that situations like these are discussed beforehand between both parents, or original creator. Specifically, it may helpful to agree that in the event one of the parents are no longer apart of the site, if the children designs can still be used or must be returned.

  • Do we need to ask the other parent permission to change the adoptee due to the puppy going inactive, and consult who can readopt them? It is common courtesy to reach out to the co-parent of an adopted character to hear their thoughts on who they think would be a good fit for readoption. However, if one parent has tried to communicate with the other and has received no response in 2 weeks, the remaining active parent can choose the next person for re-adoption themselves.

  • A co-parent player has gone mia right before we needed to choose who will play our kids! Now what? Similar to the above, it is common courtesty to reach out to your fellow co-parent and try to see what might be going on. However, if you have atttempted to communicate with them and have received no response in 2 weeks, then you can make the executive decision to choose the players for adoption.

  • The other co-parent, who was carrying the pups, has gone inactive right before they were meant to give birth. Can we still have the litter? A pregnant player must stay active and in-game to be able to have the litter.

  • The co-parent carrying the litter in game is still active, but the writer has been MIA and unable to be contacted, what do we do about the litter? The litter may be forfeit, as the carrying character must have a 'Give Birth' Application and Thread posted within the given time frame of their birth. However, you may also reach out to staff if you feel like there are other extenuating circumstances involved.