A contingency I have for that is, well, one of my more universal ones. After character creation takes place, I'll likely sort the characters, create separate squads and if need be create a central "IC" threat and maybe some sub-threads for each squad/group. Determine squads based on character compatibility, posting speed, posting preference, etc., and we should be able to sort through a majority of characters. You counter chaos with order. Additionally, a lot of people took part in this endeavor, I see it as rude to decline them. That said, if I create sub-groups and allow people to write up their own storylines for the groups, it also takes power away from me centrally. This delegation of power will allow for a more diverse storyline and plot development. I myself can even take part in someone else's group/squad, as can anyone. This system also makes it far easier to cope with absentees, as smaller groups rebound from the loss of a player and an interrupted posting schedule better as they often find someone or another that they're willing to "ghost" their character through a post or a few during a time they can't. If absentees take too long, we'll just make their character an NPC, and go one.

Sound reasonable?