Frequently Asked Questions about Umbagollah. 1.What is this site about? This site exists to give foreigners some idea of the history, society, and inhabitants of the imaginary country of Umbagollah. Some sections of the site are explained directly; others will give you an impression of a certain place or thing with quotes taken from Umbagollian books, interviews and letters. This is not a place to find cold factoids and statictics about Umbagollah, but rather an opportunity to engage with the country imaginitively, through dozens of tiny stories and different points of view. 2.What can I do here? You can learn about the country, talk to the inhabitants at the forum, roleplay and become an inhabitant yourself. The country has been built somewhat collaboratively, so if you think we need a new insect, plant or animal, feel free to introduce it on the forum. It's probably best to do this only after you have settled in and absorbed the atmosphere of the place. It would be sad if you wrote a beautiful description of a man-eating elephant, only to have it rejected on the grounds that Umbagollah isn't the place for elephants. (and that our 'large carnivorous animal' category is firmly, eternally, entirely occupied by the Hippopotomus) You can also write about your own experiences as an inhabitant in Umbagollah. See Naimah's piece about the Gum Jublet Puppetry College, for example. 3.What do 'Facts' 'People' and 'Places' mean? The 'Facts' page will guide you toward factual information about Umbagollah: information concerning subjects as diverse as music, sports and communication. 'People' contains some general information about the Umbagollian character and links to the Inhabitants' Page and Citizenship Form. 'Places' will tell you about the country's inhabited areas and natural wonders. You can also find out about some of the attractions of the main cities and towns. Gum Gooloo, for instance, has a Puppetry Collage and Museum, while Jail takes pride in its Musical Theatre and Pleasure Houses. 4.Where can I find updates? How often is the site updated? New pages and inhabitants are listed on the title page. I make some kind of change to the site at least once a week, depending on how busy I am. I don't list new links, cosmetic additions and webrings because I don't think of them as major changes. 5.Do I have to be an inhabitant to post at the forum? No. Anyone is welcome to post. 6. How do I register at the forum? Go to the forum and click the Ezboard logo in the top left-hand corner. You'll be transported to Ezboard's front page (www.ezboard.com.) Hit 'Create new account' in (again) the top left-hand corner. Ezboard will guide you from there. 7.What are the rules at the forum? Exercise your imagination. Don't waste our time with flames. This doesn't mean that you have to agree with everybody. It only means that you should handle your differences with some degree of style. Profanity is not banned, but please use it wisely. Some of our inhabitants are quite young. 8. How do I become an inhabitant? Fill in the form on the Citizenship page. If the form isn't working, introduce yourself on the forum. 9. Can I sign up more than once? Yes, but please tell me if you are doing it because you want to play more than one character, or if you are just changing your mind and swapping your old character for a new one. Otherwise I get confused. 10. What should I call myself? A typical Umbagollian name comes in the form of a 'real' name followed by a noun, eg, Mark Tabletop. Although the site is written in English, you are not limited to Anglo names. Names like Yuki, (Japanese) Mushtaq (Pakistani) and Yulydjerri (Yolngu) are fine. Keep in mind that it is offensive to use Yolngu, and some other tribes' names after the real life owner of the name has died. 11. If I am an inhabitant, what am I expected to do? Well, if you came and talked with us on the forum it would be nice. We would love you and say kind things about you behind your back. Otherwise you could just sign up and vanish thereby pissing me off and making me wonder why you joined in the first place. You can also add your own observations and stories to the site. 12. Does Umbagollah support populations of dragons, demons, elves, fairies, pixies or any other fae folk? No. We're all human except for the animals. 13. Are you a particular type of human? Do Umbagollians, for instance, look Caucasian? Not necessarily. Umbagollians come in any colour and size. Their genes are funny that way. 14. Can I role-play here? Yes. 15. What are the rules? See the Role Playing FAQ for rules and guidelines to get you started. 16. No magic? No fae? But this is a fantasy world, isn't it? I want to be magical! I want to be a fairy! That's why I call it 'an imaginary country,' not 'a fantasy country.' Magical fairies may be the norm in the high fantasy genre, but this site is not part of the high fantasy genre. 17. That's absurd and I hate you. Your mother wears combat boots and your father smells like elderberries. And Jesus loves you too, my child. 18. Does Umbagollah exist in this world? No. Like most imaginary countries Umbagollah exists in a world of its own. Most of the material on this site is copyrighted to The Governor. All exceptions are the copyright property of their credited creators.