Spirit has a very simple character creation system:
There is no other information to submit when creating a character; there is no public/private bio, and it is not possible to start the game with background links to other characters.
Characters in Spirit are defined by their Behaviours. Each character starts the game with one Behaviour, which you choose at character submission. Characters then gain Behaviours in play: during turnsheets and (optionally) through engaging with Experience threads on the forum.
At game start, players and characters will know very little about themselves and the world around them. However, starting characters are not completely blank slates - they understand the world and have frames of reference within which they can make sense of what they're experiencing. What they're 'missing' (by our standards) is any knowledge of history - their own or the world's. You can assume, for example, that your character knows what a democracy is, but has no memory of any specific governments, wars or events related to real democracies. You can also assume that your character knows, theoretically, what custard is, but cannot bring to mind what the smell or taste of custard might be like.
We would like the player experience of the game to focus around their character development, in addition to aspects of plot and wider setting knowledge which will appear over the course of the game. It is entirely valid to ask IC why you can't remember anything before the start of the game, but please don't try to metagame what you do and don't know - if you’re unsure whether your character should know about or understand certain concepts, please just ask us. We will add these to an OC forum FAQ as we go along. Overall, we want people to enjoy the experience of building up a character, a person, influenced by their experiences in the world.
All characters will be assigned a numerical identifier by the GMs upon approval, e.g. '132'. This will be your character's 'name' in terms of both an in-game email address (which in this case would be 132@spirit.chaosdeathfish.com) and for the purposes of other players identifying you in the forums during the game. It is not possible to hide or disguise this identifier when in conversation with another character (forums, email or direct communication in turnsheets).
It is, however, entirely possible for your character to decide to have a more traditional 'name' in addition to this identifier. Indeed, as characters grow, different names may feel appropriate, and characters can change names whenever they like. However, in order for this not to be horribly confusing, the forum convention we are adopting is as follows: you must always display your numerical identifier in your forum name, so that other players can tell who you are (and don't have to remember the 10 different names you've called yourself since last Tuesday). The expected format for this is to have your display name as e.g. “James (132)”.
Your character may also wish to present themselves to the world in a certain way. Note that at game start you have no concept of whether you even have a physical existence, let alone what you might look like. However, you can use the forum avatar functionality to present the way your character sees themself or wants to present themself.
Characters do not need to have defined genders. As your character, you are aware of the concept of differing genders and sets of pronouns and that they may be applied to an individual, but the only way to know someone's pronouns is to be told by that individual. The neutral they/them will suffice otherwise. Any pronouns you adopt are your own choice. There is no gender discrimination in setting, nor any perception that changing your pronouns is in any way more noteworthy than changing your name or your avatar appearance.