Obtaining New Abilities/Items/Familiars

[Callan]

So I can't seem to find a definite/consistent answer in the FAQs etc. about the exact process of gaining new abilities/items/familiars.

It looks like for items, you do a battle/quest where you acquire the item in character in the thread, ask for it as a reward when getting it judged, and then the judge approves it pending RoG approval - hopefully I at least have this part right.

Do abilities follow the same process? I.e. do you have to request new abilities/upgrades to existing abilities at the end of a thread and have the judge approve them? Or do you just wait until you level up and post a character update with the new ability and get it approved by RoG? Do you need to include a link to the thread where you acquired/upgraded the ability?

One thing I read said there was an ability cap per level, but I couldn't find anything specific besides somewhere else mentioning it to be "about one new ability per level + modest upgrades to existing abilities." Is this the correct guideline? So say I already had 2x strength and speed, could I add in some fancy magic ability and increase the attributes to 3x?

I'm assuming familiars work pretty much the same as items. My main question is if you plan to have some NPC in a few of your quests, but the NPC is not under your character's control (e.g. he's just an ally or enemy, not a pet or some such), can you just put information regarding them in your character profile without asking for the familiar as a quest reward or anything?

Sorry if this is printed clearly somewhere and I'm just blind!

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Abilities and familiars can follow the same process. I recently quested for a bunch of new abilities myself and received them as part of my spoils (pending mod approval, of course).

[Aurelianus Drak'shal]

Unless I'm very much mistaken, it's two new abilities every level, as well as upgrading existing ones. And then when you hit level five, it becomes one new ability per level.

Also you don't necessarily need to earn abilities IC. Whenever you level up, you just post the updated character sheet and go through the approval process just like when you registered. You can just add in new abilities without needing to have written a thread earning it.

In regards to items, you can request them as spoils, or you can go to the Bazaar and buy them there.

As for your third point.. I'm not sure if I understand you there - I assume you don't mean 'familiar' in the same sense as the little critters and animals that mages always seem to have, but more like the Blade movies' take on familiars? If you're going to have a regularly occurring NPC in your threads you don't have to provide information on them in your profile, or anywhere else really, except in your threads. But, if the NPC will be in every thread with you (traveling companion, etc), then sure - add a little bit to your character sheet with a little info on him/her.

[Callan]

Thanks for the replies! You two answered everything.