getting started --- welcome to beyond here lies nothin'! if you will, allow us to inundate you with a heaping pile of rules, and the overall site plot. we'll try to make this as painless as possible

this just in --- here's where wonderful surprises like site events and the much-beloved activity checks go, as they are needed. there's also a possibility that we might add some fancy-schmancy features as time goes on, so keep an eye out. we'll be sure to fill you in here.

registration --- here's the auditions board. after one of our lovely admins assesses your completed application, it'll either be placed as "pending" and we will recommend some changes, denied, or, if it's accepted, will be moved to the census bureau. herein you can also find that handy, dandy application mentioned beforehand. good luck!

census bureau --- if you got accepted, here's where your awesome application went! the characters are sorted by category. be sure to check out the other characters here, too. they put as much hard work into their applications as you did and - hey - looking them over may inspire some plottiness.

the claims --- so, you've got your shiny new character - now's the time for claiming all those fancy necessities. for example, your celebrity face claim!

--- want to establish some relationships with your character? here's where you can do that! once you have all the kinks of your plot worked out, you may want to write it all up so you don't forget any of the juicy details and post it in our subplots forum contained within.

--- here's where you can post any character requests you may have! just make a thread quickly explaining your plot idea and specify any details about the character being requested.

--- when the necessities of life come to mind, what often tops the list (food, water, and shelter nonwithstanding) is that shiny little cell phone in your pocket. it's truly a wonder what they're capable of nowadays; some cells are being used less for talking than anything else. you can send pictures, texts, sometimes even find a lunch special if your phone's fancy enough. post up your cell phone page here, otherwse you may find yourself having to actually make contact with friends face-to-face! the horror!

--- instant messenger can be accessed on nearly any computer or device that channels the magic of the internet. bored out of your mind and looking to talk to someone without texting or sending mail by carrier pigeon? then here's the place to be!

--- here's the mail that never fails, it makes me wanna wag my tail, when it comes i wanna wail, "MAAAAIL!" okay, i'm done now. anyway, when you can't reach someone by text or instant messaging, want to make a mature, professional impression, or plan on typing out more than one sentence, it's probably best that you use your e-mail to send it.

--- if your character keeps a journal or any sort of notes that you feel are integral to share for character development purposes, this board is the place to do so!

--- got an event in your history that's so made-of-win that you're just dying to role play it out? well, first, don't die! and second, you can totally do it here! it's kind of like a flashbacks-'r-us.

--- is your muse a few years ahead of itself? don't worry, you can write about the future of your character(s) to your heart's delight - so long as you post in here. and a huge advantage? there's no delorean required.

--- everybody has dreams. if your character has a particularly important one that you feel you need to share, you can post it here!

--- so you're a young, hotshot whatever-you-are on your own (or maybe with a roommate or two - and who can blame you in this economy, really?) in a big city. well, if your income doesn't make affording too much space for your own good possible or perhaps you just want to live waist-deep in urban action, apartments sound about right for you. there's a wide range to choose from to suit your tastes as well as your budget.

--- remember how you could somehow manage to fit all of the crap that accumulated over the years into your bedroom? well, not gonna happen anymore. short story? it's as cramped as the legends say so, made even more so by the stranger you're sharing it with. but, hey, in college - as with america - freedom does not come without sacrifice. in your case, all you have to give up is personal space.

--- so maybe you've saved and can now afford your own little slice of the american dream. or maybe you and a bunch of roommates have pooled resources and decided to rent somewhere nice and quiet. or maybe your family's larger than two. no matter what the situation, though, here's where you can find your own little place to click your heels home to. some are actually within cities, but away from downtown, while others choose to escape the hustle and bustle and settle in the 'burbs.

--- what is perhaps one of the most well-known streets in new orleans is also one of the most crowded – thanks to it's location and recognition by many, it's a total tourist attraction. but, that's not to say that its got any less culture; the street is rich with it. cast-iron balconies, restaurants, bars, strip clubs, and other stores line the street. the street itself stretches across the entire french quarter.

--- the french quarter is one of the most iconic areas in all of new orleans – as well as one of the most historically rich. new orleans was actually built around the french quarter, which used to be the center of the city (then known as vieux carré, or “old square”). with cast-iron balconies, countless historical landmarks – in fact, the whole area itself is a historical landmark – and lots and lots of restaurants and bars, the french quarter is a great social hub of the city.

--- though it may appear slightly rundown upon first inspection (it is understandably so, though – the building has been around since 1750), preservation hall is actually one of the most famous jazz halls in the city. its prime location in the french quarter makes it easily accessible to patrons, and its nightly classic jazz music performances nightly give patrons actual incentive to attend shows. admission is pretty cheap too, so you won’t be breaking the bank to enjoy a night of jazz music in one of the cities most historic buildings.

--- along with bourbon street, canal street is one of the most well-known streets in all of new orleans. instead of running through the length of the french quarter like bourbon street does, however, canal street instead separates the central business district from the french quarter. it also acts as a center for the mass transit system of the city, which make sense because the street is so long – at one end is the mississippi riverfront, and at the other is mid-city.

--- it may look like just another giant ex-plantation in new orleans – and there are many of those – but the belrose manor is actually a hotel. it’s housed in an old plantation right outside of the city, and is a popular destination for many tourists who are looking for a place to stay that’s not a chain hotel in the french quarter. there’s just one thing…the belrose manor is haunted. of course, its guests know this upon arrival – the fact that it’s supposed to be “haunted!” is just apart of its allure – but they don’t seem to realize that the place is seriously haunted until they spend a night there. still, the hotel makes big bucks off of marketing the haunted theme, so they seem to stick with it. there is also a section of rooms dedicated for longterm residents who wish to make the manor their home for an extended period of time...if they dare.

--- this public park is home to many attractions, like the carousel gardens amusement park, the new orleans museum of modern art, and the new orleans botanical gardens. it was severely damaged by hurricane katrina in 2005, but the park is on the mend – the botanical garden, after suffering the lose of nearly all its plants, has reopened, and carousel gardens features many new rides.

--- smack dab in the middle of city park, the new orleans museum of art – or, noma – is one of the most historically rich places to visit in the already-historically rich city not because of the building that houses it (although, the building itself is pretty old) but because of what the museum itself houses. countless works reside in this museum, which tends to carry a large amount of french art because of the creole and cajun influences in new orleans.

--- the garden district is yet another historically rich area in the city of new orleans – in fact, like the french quarter, the entire area has been named a national historic landmark. this is a distinction made obvious by the district’s many old buildings and old victorian mansions that are apparent upon entering the neighborhood. it’s right outside of the french quarter, too, so it’s a pretty prime location for those who don’t want to live amidst the hustle and bustle of the lively french quarter.

--- with a twenty-six percent acceptance rate, tulane university is definitely amongst the more selective of private universities, but they have good reason to be – it’s a great school. with a gorgeous campus in uptown new orleans and a health science campus in the central business district outside of the french quarter, the school is rather large as well.

--- as can be derived from the name, this hospital and clinic is apart of tulane university's health sciences center. being affiliated with the school, it's a teaching hospital – students attending or students who have attended the school of medicine (which is adjacent to the hospital) will often times complete their clinical studies or their residency here.

--- like most other places in new orleans, the city’s newspaper has some pretty historic digs. housed in the same gorgeous office building since the 1930s, it’s stood its ground against countless hurricanes, including katrina. unfortunately, though, the lobby had to be gutted due to flooding – probably for the best. it has been restored beyond its original luster, with everything from the vaulted ceilings to the marble floors gleaming. the rest of the place isn’t nearly as glamorous. the reason you’ve probably never heard of a claustrophobic journalist is because here they’re packed in the office space floors like sardines. spaces have been lifted a wee bit due to jobs lost during the recession, but it still means most of the tireless reporters and interns still have to share desk space with some messy douchebag.

--- the saint louis catheral holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the whole country. located in the french quarter – next to jackson square, actually – it is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city thanks to the fact that it’s often used in televised newscasts as a background filler.

--- all three of this cemetery’s locations are unique in the sense that they feature completely above ground tombs rather than traditional graves (this is due to the water level in new orleans), making it slightly mirror the pére lachaise cemetery in paris, france. all three locations are pretty close to one another, with the third being slightly farther from the first and second.

--- although it appears to be just a normal, rundown laundromat right outside of the french quarter, this coin laundry store is actually a front for a magic shop in the back room. the shop sells pretty much anything to protect onself against the undead, and most of the stuff actually works. the place itself is still a functioning landromat though, so they do have actual customers who just want to do laundry.

--- the tiny stretch of the mississippi river that runs through new orleans is pretty iconic. people can travel by ferry to different parts of the city – the canal street ferry is one of them – or other nearby cities. the geographical location of new orleans next to the river is, by some, considered to be the reason that the city has been gradually sinking over the past century, but that doesn’t make the river any less of a tourist attraction – and it’s proximity to the french quarter (as in, right beside it) makes it easily accessible to those visiting the city.

--- this swamp isn’t much known for being a swamp – it’s more known for the monster that supposedly lives in it. according to legend, the creature, which resembles an ape and has webbed toes, yellow eyes, and gray hair, lives in the swamp. but the swampland itself, which is right outside of new orleans, is actually considered one of the cleanest in the country.

--- stomach getting all rumbly? lack the ability or desire to cook? well, have other people do it for you, silly! you're sure just to find what you're craving somewhere in here. and, fortunately, if you ate a little too much, new orleans has a lively club scene, so you could totally dance those calories off. that is, of course, assuming you get in.

--- new orleans is a rather large city, so there's a whole lotta "everywhere else" covered right here. just don't get lost!

--- a mere hour and a half away from new orleans, this city – the name of which roughly translates to "red stick" – bears the title of capital of the state of louisiana, and also boasts the ninth-largest port in the united states.

--- a center for high fashion, high rent, and high buildings, new york city might just have it all. be sure to take in a broadway show, experience some of the fine dining, and browse some of the amazing shops while you're here!

--- the capitol of the entertainment industry in the united states, los angeles is more known for "hollywood" than anything else. with fabulous weather, fabulous beaches, fabulous shopping, and fabulous residents, los angeles presents an easily believable illusion of perfection. just beware – it's easy to be dragged into the vortex of fame, and not so easy to claw your way out.

--- chi-town! situated on the expansive lake michigan, chicago is pretty much your only excuse for living in the midwest. after all, it must be a pretty awesome place to live if sufjan stevens wrote an entire song about the place, am i right? explore navy pier, rip off ferris bueller's day off and lean against the glass at the sears tower, whatever you want.

--- the world is a pretty large place, so there's a whole lotta "everywhere else" covered right here. just don't get lost!

--- need a break from rping? need a way to procrastinate life? here is the place you wanna be! you can post interesting things here, play games, meet other people in the introductions section, and more. you also post absences here.

--- we at the beyond here lies nothin' would like to think that this board is pretty self-explanatory.

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--- any threads that have been finished or abandoned will be moved here. if your thread has been moved here by accident or due to inactivity and you want to continue it, please pm the admin account to get it moved back to it's proper spot.