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

Detailed contracts are highly recommended, however they are not mandatory. The only rule that must be included is how many posts the adopter must reach in order to have full rights to the adopt.

The reason a longer, detailed contract is suggested is to protect both the rights of the creator and the rights of the adopter. Creators can make a large, detailed contract or a short, simple one — it’s all preference.

• Once a contract is made and posted, it may not be altered after this point.
• If the contract must be altered, you must delete the current listing, post a new advertisement, and either bold or underline the alterations made. This is so previous parties that we interested will be able to easily see what has changed and can decide if they are still interested or not.

Breaking this rule will result in a warning or strike depending on the severity.

Common Clauses You Can Use!

• MANDATORY: Rights to the adoptable will belong to the Creator until the Adopter makes X amount of IC posts. This number can be whatever you want, commonly used ones are 60, 80, and 100.


• Should the adopter fall inactive or have low activity with the adoptable, the creator has the right to reclaim them to be re-adopted. Every player has a different definition of “low activity”, so it may be a good idea to set more specific guidelines. For example “adopter must post at least once every 2 weeks with adoptable, failure to do so will result in having the adoptable revoked."


• Do not apply for this adopt if you plan to immediately have them die, run away, kidnapped, have a full personality switch, or get amnesia. If you follow one of these paths in an inorganic manner or too soon, this adopt will be revoked from the player.


• Please communicate! Should you, the adopter, feel stuck, struggling 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.


• This adoptable may not be used anywhere, other than Vivarium, until the adopter has full rights.


• 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 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.