Siege

As these are the rules, this is the area where we (the Staff) may come across as an ass so we don't have to in game. Please do not just glance over all of these, but spend time reading them. If you have any questions, ask. You have been warned.

The Rules.

RULE ONE: Have fun!

• Seriously, if you're not having fun, why are you here? More seriously, it is your responsibility to manage your own bleed and mental health. Staff is more than happy to provide the tools to do so, but please be aware of your limitations, your bleed, and your mental state and make sure to take care of yourself and your enjoyment. Take breaks as needed, run side fluff scenes if it helps, write literaries to safely explore your character's headspace.
  Likewise, if you are not enjoying the game, that's okay. A siege is a high stress environment with an adversarial focus that may not be fun for people looking for a slice-of-life getaway. If you feel the need to step back because it's just not your scene, there's nothing wrong with that, and we hope you can find another game to enjoy. Please don't try to break yourself trying to fit the game, or break the game trying to fit you. Do what it takes to have fun.

RULE TWO: Allow others to have fun.

• Also known as the corollary to Rule One. This is supposed to be a fun experience for more people than just yourself. Please maintain an environment that allows others to enjoy the same amount of fun that you would like to have. While conflict (both in and out of character) is an inevitability, please maintain a sense of civility. Deciding to torpedo an entire game just for a few laughs is not something conducive to the type of game we are running. While character integrity and motivations are very important, please do not use this as a shield to ruin other people's fun.
  Furthermore, arguing with staff? Not fun. We do this to provide you with a fun experience, and we reeeeeally don't get anything out of it. Staff has a straightforward policy to rules disputes. If a rules call is questioned, staff will make their decision. If you contest it, they will check the resources available (the forum and the book, in that order). If you contest their interpretation, they will make a staff decision. THAT IS FINAL. Continuing to argue the point will result in you being asked to leave the scene or game. The proper way to handle an issue with a scene is to trust your ST (see below) and discuss the issue after the scene.

RULE THREE: Don't Cheat.

• This will be kept simple to avoid any confusion. Cheating includes, but is not limited to: Metagaming, using abilities/powers not on your sheet, using counterfeit character sheets, lying to staff, and lying to other players about staff decisions.

RULE FOUR: Respect the progression of scenes.

• This is the killing blow for every game, really, and the trick to this is communication.
• Stalled scenes: While we advocate keeping scenes IC as much as possible, don't hesitate to post OOC notes to enable a scene's progression. Things like (( I'm going to bed and we can pick this up in the morning )) or (( I'm going out of town for the weekend, so please post around me )) will help a lot to avoid frustration, stalled scenes, etc. Our general policy is that 24 hours without notification justifies working around that character. If you haven't made contact with ST in a group scene asking us to wait, we're going to continue around you.
• Shotgunning: Unless exceptions are made through the above method, it is not okay to shotgun (i.e., post around) someone in a scene. The occasional quip response is fine outside of the posting order, but unless someone IC or OOC signifies it's alright, make sure the posting order goes A, B, C, A, B, C, not A, B, C, A, B, A, B, A, B, C.
• Bumping: If a scene has stalled, don't let it die, just poke the player! You can either post (( Bump )) in the thread, or PM the player with the bump. If a scene is bumped, please make an effort to attend to it. If you're out of ideas for the scene, feel free to communicate as much and you can fade on the scene. But there's nothing more frustrating than watching someone post in every scene but yours. That being said, similarly frustrating is receiving constant bumps and badgers about scenes. Try to confine it to once a day! And be understanding if players are busy. Check the comings & going!
• Pause: If a player or a Storyteller calls pause, that scene is paused. Do not continue posting in that scene. If you had text typed up, message it to yourself and save it. The scene will remain paused until a Celestine or the original player notes the pause has been lifted.

RULE FIVE: Trust the STs.

• Integrity is paramount in this game, and we will be striving to make sure that every call is fair and impartial. If you think a situation is unfair, bring it to the Staff's attention. Many times, we will rectify the situation as you are completely right. However, if we inform you that there is nothing unfair going on, please trust us in that. Many times we are partial to information that you are not. The atmosphere of suspense and drama requires at times that we not tell you everything. Please be assured that we aim to give you the same enjoyable gaming experience as everyone else. If you do not believe this, please refer to rule one. If you cannot follow both of these rules, please leave.

The Consequences.

Reactions to Violating the Rules:

• Warning. We understand that game can at times be a stressful and emotional environment. As such, if you break the rules we may just give you a warning. Staff will pause the scene and message you to give you time calm down from the situation and warn you to be more careful in your scenes.
• Desanctioning of your character. We may withdraw your character from play entirely if the offense is seen as an appropriate resolution of Rules Violations. If you have a character that does unnecessary things to ruin the fun of other players (not characters) we may ask you to create a different character as this breaks Rule Two.
• Asked to Leave. If the offense is grave enough, we may ask for you to leave the game until we as a unanimous staff issue you an invitation to return. Please note: This might not happen. However, it is also likely it may be a situation where you are allowed to return after five minutes after all parties have calmed down. Please contact the staff if you have questions about this.

Other Consequences:

• Rage Quitting. We all know what it is, call it what you will. Making a dramatic exit. Calling a rules call horrible and making a grand display in front of everyone. Yelling and insulting staff and storming off. The point is, we don't want it. Period. If you Rage-Quit, your account will be deactivated and you will not be allowed to return until you are extended an invitation from the Staff. You make the dramatic exit, stay off-stage until you are called back on.
• Dropping a character with no staff communication. Life happens. We understand that real life takes priority. But please keep in mind that this game is not just about you. If you want to bow out, we won't hold it against you. But please tell staff so we can work to the resolution of your stories and ties to other characters. Everyone deserves closure and it is unfair to deny other players theirs. If you feel like bailing and leaving both players and Staff frustrating with keeping continuity in your absence, please wait for an invitation from Staff before coming back to game. Not posting for an entire month without informing the staff will move your character to Inactive status and put it in the hands of the storytellers. (Please see Addendum below for additional info on Inactivity).
• Avoiding Character Consequences. While similar to the above situation, this one varies in that you show back up. Characters lose their appeal. That's understandable. Having a backup concept is a great idea too. The problem lies in players not willing to accept the consequences for the actions undertaken. If you come into game, kill an esteemed character or in some way 'Rock the Boat', and then want to create a new character to avoid dealing with the vengeance/justice coming your way, we will not allow your new character into play until you finish the story arc with your old character. We will endeavor to make it a meaningful ending for you, but we do require an ending. If you are uncomfortable with the repercussions for your actions, then you should not have taken them. Reap what you sow.

Inactivity

• If you are inactive for four weeks without notice, your PC is moved into inactivity, and staff has every right to sacrifice the PC to the Endron plot for narrative impact.
• If you are inactive for four weeks with notice, you will be asked to provide the IC reason for your absence, or yield the reason to me. Taking an official hiatus is encouraged.
• If you are inactive for two weeks without notice, staff will provide a reason for your character's absence, generally on an assignment provided by sept leadership. Upon your return, you may pick one of the three main plots (Endron, Reverie Ranch, Spirit Slumber) you were away working on. Lack of communication is considered consent for this course of action.
• If you are inactive for two weeks with notice, you will be asked to provide the IC reason for your absence, or yield the reason to me.
• If you need to take a hiatus (meaning an indefinite leave from the character, but you plan to return), please contact me and we can collaborate on a reason for your PC to be absent. The PC will not be moved to inactive, but an "On Hiatus" note will be added to your character until your return.
• Inactivity is gauged from the date of your last post/correspondence with staff on the forums.
• IC explanations for inactivity will be provided in the Public Knowledge forum.