Storyline

You usually have to respect in-character moments, but strictness varies. Some servers require full in-character chat and a defined character. Others are looser: you can contribute by backing a group, joining events, and not interrupting scenes. Look for how they separate IC and OOC chat and how hard rules are enforced.

Strong servers feel guided, not fixed. Staff set the premise, stakes, and opportunities, but outcomes shift based on alliances, planning, and who shows up. When choices matter, you see persistent changes like unlocked areas, leadership swaps, altered rules, or permanent world edits that match what players did.

Most arcs mix them. PvE supplies threats and objectives, building creates locations that matter to the plot, and PvP is used for faction conflict. If you care about fairness or intensity, check whether fights are scheduled, how deaths are treated in-lore, and what the server does about loot loss and raiding.

Many servers post recaps on Discord, use books or lore rooms in spawn, or let NPCs and quests summarize what changed. Missing a few is fine if the server supports catch-up, but if everything hinges on live scenes, frequent absences can leave you disconnected.

Yes, if onboarding is solid. Good servers provide a short lore primer, an entry point into an active group, and tasks that feed into the current arc instead of forcing you to read months of backstory before you can play.