User:BadCatMan/Manual of Style 2

The Manual of Style is a style guide for writing, formatting, and organizing articles on the Forgotten Realms Wiki (FRW). It's based on the standard wiki style used at Wikipedia and elsewhere and on practices developed by FRW editors to suit the Forgotten Realms setting and the wiki's policies and goals.

Purpose
While a style guide may seem pretentious or nitpicky and the guidelines unimportant, all good wikis have them. If editors follow the same style, their additions will meld seamlessly. A wiki without a consistent style is messy and inconsistent, making it hard to read and find information and discouraging adding more, while one with a consistent style appears neat and professional, raising its profile. A well-written, well-styled, and properly formatted article is more inviting and enjoyable to read. This guide encourages a consistent, high-quality article style that suits wiki policies.

But this is less a strict checklist and more a set of strong suggestions to improve an article. Pages may vary and editors have different approaches and habits, each with their pros and cons, and putting different ideas into practice is the best way to determine which is better. If you have an idea, feel free to try it out, so long as it doesn't break policies or conflict with the overall wiki style, and another editor may either change it or adopt it. Feel free to discuss ideas with other editors or in the Forum.

Basic Editing
This section gives some basic rules for writing and editing wikitext (also called wiki markup and wikicode) and suggestions for an improved editing experience.
 * Use the source editor
 * We strongly recommend all editors use the source editor, not the visual editor provided by FANDOM. The source editor displays the wiki source code, allowing a user to see directly how it works and fix problems easily, without creating other problems. It is the most effective way of learning wikicode and applying templates and other features. The visual editor, meanwhile, displays how the finished page may look, but obscures the code and can cause other problems. A user may try to correct the spelling in a link, but missing correcting the link itself. The visual editor can also add spaces and alter formatting or incorrectly apply templates without the user even trying.
 * Unfortunately, visual editing is the default on FANDOM, especially for users without accounts. To use the source editor, select 'Edit source' from the drop-down menu beside the 'Edit' button in the top-right page. If the visual editor is already open, select 'Source editing' from its drop-down menu in the top right. If you have a FANDOM account, go to Preferences, to the Editing tab, and set the 'Preferred editor' to 'Source editor'.


 * Preview and test before publishing
 * Whichever editor you use, always preview and test before publishing. In the source editor, click 'Show Preview' to make sure everything looks and works correctly before you click 'Save Changes'. Preview settings can also be set in Preferences, under the Editing tab. In the visual editor, preview is automatic, but not necessarily accurate. Click 'Show changes' at the bottom of the editor to see the added and altered wikitext to confirm it is correct. Furthermore, test any links you've made or altered to confirm they go to the intended page.

Page Name
The page name (presented in large font at the top of each page, used for links, searches, and categories) should generally be the proper name of the subject. However, there are a few things to consider so it is more easily recognized, searched for, linked to, and sorted in categories.
 * Most recent name
 * If the subject was renamed, use the latest known name. For example, Heliogabalus was renamed Helgabal, so it is detailed on the Helgabal page. Make sure any necessary redirects, such as Heliogabalus, are made.


 * Most common name
 * If the subject is much more commonly known by a different name than their proper name, then consider using the more common name. For example, Elminster, not Elminster Aumar, and mind flayer, not illithid. Again, redirects will still be needed under the full name, such as illithid and Elminster Aumar.


 * Common nouns in lower case
 * The names of common creatures, items, and most classes, spells, and magic items should be written in lower case, just as they would appear in a sentence in an article or the D&D sourcebooks, which favour lower-case names for classes, spells, and magic items. Proper nouns are capitalized as normal. For example, human, moon elf, longsword, enlarge or reduce person, and ioun stone, but Wong Fei's ioun stone and Congenio Ioun. Note that only the first letter of a page name is case-insensitive, so Human goes to the same page, but Enlarge or Reduce Person does not.


 * Skip "the"
 * Avoid the definite article "The" at the start of the page name, unless it is specifically part of the name in the source text. For example, the Scarlet Sheath tavern and the House of Good Spirits guildhall, but The Fish House and The Mysterious Harpers. However, if "the" is an essential part of the name and is needed make a page name sensible or not just a basic word, then it may be retained, for example, the Vast and the Hand.


 * Naming the unnamable
 * If no proper name is known, then you may invent one. Make this simple, descriptive, and in lower case, as it would appear in a sentence, so that it's not mistaken for a proper name. It can be based on descriptions or nicknames in the source or something to clarify it from others. For example, the second battle of Shadowdale, unnamed bandit leader, kittenlord, and one who waits. If a name is unknown and constructed, this should be explained in the article's Appendix. Do consider if an article for an unnamed topic even needs to be made, as it may not be notable enough.


 * Disambiguate similar names
 * When two or more pages would have the same name, disambiguation is the process of deciding how to distinguish them. First, check if one has a more complete or up-to-date name it could be known by instead. If not, give the name to the most well-known or most commonly linked-to page. The other page should be named with a brief description of what it is in brackets. For example, darkvision (the ability, and most common), Darkvision (novel) (the book), and darkvision (spell) (you get the idea).
 * If there are only two such pages, use a otheruses4 or distinguish template at the top of the page to clarify which is which and link between them. If there are three, use either two other uses or otheruses and create a disambiguation page like darkvision (disambiguation) to list the different page names and meanings, followed by the disambig notice.
 * Disambiguation may also be done for pages with similar, but not identical, names and even when pages have better names to go by. In this case, use the templates and make a disambiguation page, but do not rename the pages. For example, see Helm (disambiguation).
 * The disambiguating term should be short, specific, a basic noun, and in-universe. For example, Snake (ninja) rather than Snake (character) (an out-of-universe term) or Snake (Aru) (the place Snake is found, which may be unfamiliar or confusing). Some situations may necessarily break this rule, such as Athosar and Athosar (Loudwater), two identically named human clerics of Lathander distinguishable only by location.

Layout
The article layout covers how templates, text, and topics are arranged on a page for consistency and ease of finding information.
 * Infobox
 * At the top of the page (but below disambiguating and other top-of-the-page notices) is the infobox, a sidebar presenting basic information (e.g., a character's title, race, and home), statistics (a town's population or an item's value and weight), and some crunchy information (levels of characters, magic items, and spells), allowing the wiki to present important crunch while keeping it out of the main text. It also displays a page name (in title case, where important words are capitalized, and without need for disambiguation) and a key image at the top of the page.
 * Look through Category:Infoboxes for a suitable infobox; they are widely applicable but tailored to specific types of article. The most common are Person for non-player characters; Location for lands, realms, and settlements; Building for businesses, castles, and built structures; and Creature for races and monsters in general. Copy the template from the page and paste it at the top of your own, then start filling out the entries according to the infobox's instructions. They don't all need to be filled, and should only be filled when the information is known. References should always be included.


 * Lead
 * The lead (or lede) is the introductory sentence or paragraph of an article. It quickly tells a reader what the article is about to help them decide whether to keep reading. Try to interest the reader in it, but keep it short and to the point. It should give the basic who, what, where, when, how, and why of the topic.
 * An effective lead should give the name or names of the subject in bold and in standard sentence case. at the start of the sentence or as close to it as possible, together with any titles. If the topic has multiple names, they can all be bolded, but try to space them out for clarity, and a topic with no proper name may require a different phrasing. It should be followed by what it is, where it is found in the setting, and when it existed. Finally, it should give a brief explanation of its significance, if any. For long articles, the lead may even include a short summary. A lead should be written in complete and standard sentences and should be referenced as normal.
 * For example, let's look at Susztam Mar-Shinn:
 * Susztam Mar-Shinn was a drow illusionist and shadow adept. He was the Head Student of the Inverted Tower and a user of the Shadow Weave in Szith Morcane in the late 14 century.
 * First, it says who the article is about (usually the same as the page name). It is bolded for emphasis. Second, it says what he is: race, classes, and title/occupation. Third, it gives context: where he lives (both the building and settlement) and when he is in this role (the date range). Fourth, it gives why he's important, namely he's a practitioner of the Shadow Weave.
 * The when also subtly indicates the era and edition(s) of D&D and the Forgotten Realms the article pertains to. Saying "mid–14 century DR" covers 1 or early 2 editions; "mid-to-late 14 century DR" covers 1, 2, and 3 editions; "late 14 century DR" covers late 2 and 3 editions"; "late 15 century DR" covers 4 and 5 editions; while other centuries indicate historical characters and sources set in earlier times. As a rule of thumb, consider that "early" covers the first 33 years of a century, "mid-" the 33 to 66 years, and "late" the final 33 years.


 * Sections
 * Use section headings to break up walls of text and focus on specific aspects, such as Description, History, or Abilities. This makes it easier to arrange and find specific information. Each of the infobox templates and "Help:Writing an article about…" pages give a set of commonly used section headings. These should be consistent from page to page, but their order is flexible. For example, you may put History first to give context to later sections, or put History last, to avoid spoiling something. Subsections may also be included to break sections down further in long articles and new sections may be created for specific issues. Sections may also be avoided in very short articles. Use title case, not sentence case, in the section heading


 * Appendix
 * End the article with Appendix sections. These give real-world information and background, footnotes, sources, appearances, external links, images, and navigation templates. Again, the infobox templates and "Help:Writing an article about…" pages will give standard Appendix sections.


 * Categories
 * Include a full categories tree at the bottom of the page. These sort the article into categories according to what it is, where it is found, key descriptions and crunch, etc. so it can be found by searching a specific category. For example, include Category:Bakers on a page about a baker, cake maker, or pastry chef, and someone seeking bakers in the Realms can look there to find them. Note that this is distinct from Category:Cooks (general cooks and chefs) and Category:Bakeries (shops where bread, cakes, and pastries are made). Browse categories and look at similar pages and "Help:Writing an article about…" pages for to find possible categories, copy-paste them, and adapt as needed. Check to see if category pages exist or are needed before making new ones. New categories can be created when needed, but should be general enough to cover multiple possibilities and specific enough to be useful. For example, a 'Pastry chefs' category will be created when there enough pastry chefs on the wiki to warrant one.

Writing Style
All article text should have a high-quality encyclopedic style with a detached yet entertaining tone, using an in-universe and past-tense point-of-view for all in-universe subjects and an out-of-universe and past- and present-tense point-of-view for all real-world subjects.

In-universe Topics

 * In-universe point-of-view for in-universe topics
 * Everything that exists in the Forgotten Realms and other D&D settings should be written about from an in-universe point-of-view, that is, as if it was real and you and the wiki exist in Faerûn. This maintains immersion and focus and encourages a more fleshed-out article. For example, not "Ildilyntra Starym is a character in Elminster in Myth Drannor who…" but "Ildilyntra Starym was the former matriarch of the Starym clan of Cormanthyr" and not "Impiltur is a kingdom is the Forgotten Realms setting" but "Impiltur was a wealthy kingdom on the Easting Reach."


 * Past tense for in-universe articles
 * All in-universe articles must be written in past tense, as per our past-tense policy to handle the Realms' evolving and uncertain timeline. In short, this is a narrative tense as used in most novels (particularly Forgotten Realms novels) and it does not mean anything is destroyed. For example, "Elminster slayed the dragon and flew to Cormyr." and "Ravens Bluff was a city in the Vast."
 * Apply the normal rules of grammar and tense. For example, for events that took place for a period of time but ceased at some point, use the past perfect continuous tense, e.g., "Smuggling had been occurring but the city guard stopped it in 1375 DR." Do not use a conditional future tense with "would", as in "Elminster would slay the dragon and would fly to Cormyr." as this sounds strange, suggesting these things were planned but did not necessarily occur. Avoid this except where appropriate for discussion, e.g., "Elminster would have slayed the dragon, but it was immune to his magic." (conditional perfect tense, indicating intent but not completion) or "They would go on to defeat the witch." (past tense of will, indicating events in the relative future).
 * Past tense should also be used for real-world and general topics for consistency, e.g., "The rapier was a sword." and "Mathematics was a field of study."
 * Present tense may be used in chronologies on years pages, following conventions in sourcebooks and Wikipedia. For example, from −286 DR, "The Xothol arcane college is closed." and "Wulgreth of Netheril settles in the ruins of Karse." Present tense may be considered for real-world perspectives, such as when information is lacking or the writer is forced to suggest or speculate, e.g., "The outcome of this battle is unknown" or "This may be due to the Time of Troubles." but this should be used only when vital and qualified with a note.

Real-world Topics

 * Out-of-universe point-of-view for real-world topics
 * Naturally, real-world topics should be written about with an out-of-universe point-of-view, as normal. This includes articles about real people, books and other sources, and notes and backgrounds in the appendices of in-universe articles. (An exception is the Earth article, which is the fictional Earth of D&D and fourth-wall-breaking articles and fiction in the Forgotten Realms, not the real Earth we live on, we hope.)


 * Past and present tenses for out-of-universe articles
 * Past and present tenses should be used as normal for articles about real-world subjects, such as books, games, and real people, with present tense for sources still in existence and people who are still alive and past tense for things that still exist or were done in the past, and for people who have passed away. For example, "Ed Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms setting", "Ed Greenwood wrote Spellfire in 1988", and "Spellfire is a novel by Ed Greenwood published in 1988." while "Jim Holloway was an artist for many sourcebooks."

Spelling & Grammar
Write complete sentences with correct spelling, good grammar, and natural phrasing, while avoiding slang, abbreviations, obscure terms without explanation, and unfamiliar idioms. This keeps the text clear, comprehensible, and readable. Read your work back to yourself and consider if others will understand it, including those for whom English is not a first language.
 * US English spelling and grammar
 * Use US English spelling, grammar, and measurements throughout, because the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons & Dragons are owned and produced by American companies who use US English in their works. For example, "color" not "colour", "gray" not "grey", and "recognize" not "recognise", and the grammatical distinction between "that" and "which", and the use of feet and pounds rather than meters and kilograms. However, if a subject uses a non-standard US spelling or unit of measurement, then it should be retained, such as Grey Jungle.
 * Avoid common misspellings
 * Please use the following standard spellings:
 * "worshiper", "worshiping", "worshiped" (not "worshipper", "worshipping", "worshipped")


 * US and SI units of measurement
 * For convenience, the FRW provides SI metric conversions to measurements in US customary units. These appear in parentheses after the measurement, for example, "5 feet (1.5 meters)". The SI, SIrange, and SIAdj templates may be used to automatically convert these.

Tone

 * Encyclopedic tone
 * The tone of the writing should be encyclopedic, detached, and clear to all readers. Present information in a straightforward and honest way, and leave out personal opinions and excessive embellishments. It's not necessary to describe how evil a villain is, it's enough just to say that he eats puppies. Nevertheless, this is D&D, not Wikipedia, and it's fine to describe a villain as evil or a set of events in dramatic terms when appropriate.


 * Old-fashioned tone
 * As the Forgotten Realms is a world of pseudohistorical fantasy, avoid strictly modern terminology that would be jarring to the reader's immersion. Try to describe a concept rather than using a modern label. You may use older words and concepts that would be avoided in modern communication, provided the meaning is still clear. Of course, this does not mean a "ye olde" cod-medieval style should be adopted, unless appearing in quotes, or that a lot of unfamiliar in-universe terms should be used. It is also not a license to insert old derogatory terms, nor modern political or social terms.


 * Entertaining tone
 * Despite the above, the writing doesn't have to be dull. To entertain and reward the reader, you may include brief dramatic descriptions of events, clever and humorous turns of phrase, and witty remarks, provided they do not break the standard style. Avoid references to real-world topics, other fictional works, and memes, as these break immersion and are also lazy.


 * Avoid crunch
 * The FRW is a lore-focused wiki, while including a lot of the rules information of each D&D edition may be copyright infringing, so "crunch" should be avoided. Instead of mentioning a mechanical effect, describe what that would be in-universe. If giving the level, say if it is low, moderate, or high. That said, the FRW does list some basic crunch for comparison and organization purposes: with classes, levels, and alignments in infoboxes and +1 and similar ratings on magical items in text, but this is the limit.