Roleplay Glossary

Roleplay communities, whether on forums, Discord or AI chat, share a vocabulary that can be confusing the first time you see it. This glossary covers the terms you'll actually run into, grouped by what they're for, with a one-line example of each in use.

Basics: in and out of character

IC (In Character): anything your character says, does or thinks inside the story. Example: "I'll take the night watch," she says, already reaching for her bow.

OOC (Out Of Character): you, the writer, talking about the story rather than in it. Usually put in brackets. Example: (OOC: can we skip to the next morning?)

OC (Original Character): a character you invented yourself, not taken from an existing book, show or game. Every character on Minkplay is an OC. Example: "My OC is a retired thief who now runs a bakery."

Persona: the character you play in a roleplay, as opposed to the character you are talking to. Example: "My persona is a junior archivist who knows more than she lets on."

Muse: your creative energy or inspiration for a particular character or story. Example: "My muse for this storyline is gone, can we start something new?"

Scenario: the setup a roleplay starts from: who, where, and what is already happening. Example: "Scenario: you are stranded at a mountain manor during a blizzard."

Greeting / opener: the first message that kicks off a roleplay, usually written by the character. Example: She looks up from the ledger. "You're late, and you're bleeding on my carpet."

Formatting

Asterisks (*action*): the most common way to mark actions, gestures and description, as opposed to speech. Example: *He leans against the doorframe.* "Took you long enough."

Quotation marks: spoken dialogue. Some people skip quotes and use plain text for speech with asterisks for actions; either works if it's consistent.

Italics for thoughts: inner thoughts are often written in italics or between single asterisks, separate from actions. Example: Don't look at the door. Don't look at the door.

Paragraph / literate style: longer, prose-like replies of one or more full paragraphs.

Semi-literate: replies of a few sentences, mixing action and dialogue. The most common style in AI roleplay. See the same scene written in every style in roleplay writing styles.

One-liner: a single short line per reply. Fast, but gives your partner little to work with.

Story structure

Plot hook: a detail that invites a story: a mystery, a threat, a promise. Example: "The letter was signed with your mother's name, and she's been dead ten years."

Time skip: jumping forward to skip uneventful time. Example: Three days later, the caravan reaches the border.

Flashback: a scene set in the past, usually signalled clearly. Example: (Flashback, ten years earlier.) The academy gates were taller then.

Arc: a storyline with a beginning, development and resolution, often tied to how a character changes. Example: "This arc is about her learning to trust the crew."

Canon: the established facts of a story or world. In fan settings it means the original source; in your own roleplay it means "what we've already agreed happened".

AU (Alternate Universe): the same characters placed in a different setting. Example: "Coffee-shop AU: the vampire countess runs a café instead of a castle."

Worldbuilding: inventing the setting's rules, places, history and factions.

Lore: the backstory and history of a character or world. Example: "Her lore says the coven cursed her family three generations ago."

Cliffhanger: ending a scene on unresolved tension so the next reply has something urgent to answer.

Good and bad habits

Godmodding: making your character unbeatable or in control of everything, with no room for consequences. Example of godmodding: "I dodge every arrow and disarm all ten guards at once."

Powerplaying: deciding what another person's character does, thinks or feels. Example: "You fall in love with me instantly." (You can't decide that for them.)

Metagaming: using information your character couldn't know, because you as the writer know it. Example: Your character "suddenly suspects" the butler because you read his description.

Mary Sue / Gary Stu: a character with no real flaws, loved by everyone and good at everything. Hard to write interesting stories around.

Auto-hit: declaring your attack lands without giving the other side a chance to respond. Write "I swing at his shoulder" rather than "I cut his shoulder".

Railroading: forcing the story down one path regardless of what the other character does.

Bunny / plot bunny: an idea that won't leave you alone until you write it.

Romance and relationship terms

Slow burn: a romance that develops gradually over a long time, with tension carried across many scenes.

Enemies to lovers: characters who start in real opposition and gradually fall for each other. See the full enemies to lovers guide.

Ship / shipping: wanting two characters to end up together. Example: "I ship the general and the thief so hard."

OTP (One True Pairing): your favourite pairing of all.

Fluff: light, warm, low-stakes scenes. Cozy dates, banter, comfort.

Angst: emotionally painful scenes. Loss, guilt, longing, conflict.

Hurt/comfort: one character is hurt (physically or emotionally) and another looks after them.

Tension: the unresolved pull between characters, romantic or otherwise. The main engine of a safe-for-work romance.

Character types

Archetype: a recognisable character pattern, such as the mentor, the rival, or the reluctant hero.

Tsundere: a character who acts cold or prickly to hide that they care. See tsundere characters.

Kuudere: calm, reserved and hard to read on the surface, warm underneath.

Dandere: shy and quiet until they feel safe, then openly warm.

Yandere: affectionate to the point of obsession. On Minkplay this is kept safe-for-work: intense devotion, not harm.

Deredere: openly cheerful and affectionate from the start.

Senpai / kouhai: an older or more senior student or colleague / a younger or junior one.

Platform and AI-chat terms

Bot / character bot: an AI-driven character you chat with.

Regenerate / reroll: asking for a different version of the character's last reply, on platforms that support it.

Card / character sheet: the written definition of a character: name, personality, scenario, greeting. On Minkplay you fill these in when you create your own character.

Memory: what an AI character can still take into account from earlier in the conversation. Very long chats may lose early details, so repeat important ones naturally.

SFW / NSFW: safe-for-work / not safe-for-work. Minkplay is SFW only: romance and dark themes yes, explicit content no.

Put the terms to use

Knowing the vocabulary is half of it; the other half is the habits. The how to roleplay with AI guide shows these ideas in a real example exchange, from the first line to steering the plot.