Channel Rules

 

A Word About the Channel Rules

It's the intention of the folks who run this channel to have as few rules as possible while still maintaining a fun and interesting place to roleplay. However because there are always people who like to poke at the system or play rules lawyer, this section must exist and will be amended as needed.

 

Our channel is Rated R in terms of what we accept and what we don't in the roleplay action. This means a variety of violent and mature scenes may come into play. We draw the line at anything that involves open public sex, exploitation of children, rape of any kind and anything that would be constituted as an act against Nature (beastiality, etc.)

 

In general we want to run a channel that represents the gritty, violent and morally bankrupt place Sundown is, but that its a city fighting for a brighter dawn as well. It means that we'll explore some scary and some lewd things. If you're not of an adult age, we're going to ask that you go elsewhere. You will be asked if there's a question. 

 

 We welcome questions and comments in the OOC channel. If you've taken the time to read the website everybody is given through the channel topic and the bot when you first enter and still have questions for our ops, we'll be more than glad to help out as time and availability allow. Conversely, people who obviously don't read the website will be sent to read the website. :)

 

Be sure to also read this post on our forums before coming to play as well. It's a newcomer's primer on the channel and the kind of roleplay we encourage here. One of the unspoken rules here is to have fun and this may help you do that with us.

 

Channel Rules

1. Before entering this channel for any conceivable length of time understand that people who start  or cause drama in any way, shape or form will be banned without warning. This is an absolute zero tolerance policy. If you are displeased with something that's going on with the channel, or feel something can be done better the best way to do that is to message an op and share your opinion, that's what they're here for amongst other things. If somebody says something that offends you, wounds your inner child or makes you in some way uncomfortable, message the person and address the issue intelligently. This is a channel run by adults for a more mature, gritty kind of setting — we expect people who participate to act like adults and handle their issues with things responsibly.

 

2. IC/OOC Separation is a must. If you don't like something that's happening to your character, handle it IC. If you don't like something that's being said about your character, handle it IC. Just because a character might be having bad thoughts, opinions or inward reflections, does not mean they are sniping at you OOC. Character narration can be filled with different things, including thoughts, opinions and reflections, that may not be voiced but can set a mood for the character. In short, character confrontations happen, do not make it into an OOC fiasco, deal with it IC and play through it. That's what RP is supposed to be about; good and bad things that happen to characters. 

 

3. This is a semi-freeform gaming environment, meaning we accept all manner of character, class and race within certain limits. As this is a somewhat unique setting we like to call a medieval  steam-western, we offer a broad scope of magic-use and Old World technology to players (in terms of era of technology, we consider Civil War era to be the absolute ceiling). Anything more complicated than a blunderbuss or a flintlock pistol, simply will not work as far as weapons and anything more complex than a basic steam engine will likewise fail if not powered primarily by magic.

Computers, complex firearms or anything that relies on pure science without the assistance of magic simply will fail to operate. Furthermore, modern clothing such as denim jeans or t-shirts, or the like simply do not exist and should not be included as part of a character's description. We ask that you only bring in the sorts of characters that will fit in with the environment and allow you to enjoy your playtime with us.  

 

4. Character Approval: People who choose to play canon character race or canon classes (characters based on channel setting information) may do so without approval, but are expected to use the site information to accurately portray the character, or ask an op when in doubt. You are not required to play a canon class or race at all; so long as it fits with the setting, it is most welcome on our channel.

However we reserve the right to ask you to remove a character that we feel  do not belong in the setting. Examples of such characters include, but are not limited to: ridiculously over-powered deity/omnipotent characters, Strange Brew types of characters (example: a magically happy purple dragon/unicorn/succubus/Pokémon hybrid from Hello Kitty Island), characters that obviously do not fit into the genre are all likely candidates to getting the boot to the head as it were. Characters based on copyrighted material and/or established fiction are likewise not allowed in any way, shape or form. While we strongly believe in allowing freedom of play, we also wish to maintain continuity in our setting. 

 

5. Basic respect and common courtesy for your fellow players and the environment  is a must. That means both in the playing channel and in the OOC channel.  Take a few minutes to discuss things with your fellow player when engaging in confrontations and the like. Make sure you all can agree that something is going to happen.  

 

6.  As stated previously, this is a semi-freeform RP channel. This means no game system rules are accepted as law over another. Do not quote AD&D or White Wolf rules and lore like they're the gospel. It is your job as a player to adapt whatever game system rules you've decided to play by to fit in the environment you're playing in. In the end, if an Op tells you it doesn't work, it doesn't work. 

 

7. Be descriptive. This does not mean you have to have a ten paragraph litany every time you post, but please take the effort to at least give a little color to the character you are playing.  Continual one line posts that add nothing to the roleplay can detract from a scene just as easily as a ten paragraph post that says nothing.

This also assumes players will adhere to basic punctuation and grammar in their posts. While roleplaying is not writing a term paper, the ability to convey one's story clearly is critical to contributing and involving one's self in the roleplay. Players not adhering to this rule might be asked to address this issue and if no real change is made, asked to leave channel play.

8. Please keep the gaming in #whispering_raven focused on events in and around the tavern during high channel traffic times. We encourage players to build and expound upon the city of Sundown, but if the action moves away from the main channel, go ahead and make a side channel to game out whatever you like if the channel is busy. There is a map of the city of Sundown to give you an idea where things are and can be. During low traffic times, random location gaming in the main channel is fine.

 

9. When in doubt, ask an op. Final say comes from either Kithanis or Dathon but any op can give you some kind of reasonable response if your questions are not covered in the content of the web page. If you need an op for storyline questions or other related issues, please refer to the list below:

Kithanis — Channel Founder
KylePhoenix — Site Admin
Dathon — Head Op
Krithka — Op

Staff are player characters with a + next to their name. These players are not ops, but have decided to play characters that help in the running and maintaining of the tavern. They should not be bothered with questions for ops and considered just as any other player would be, save for having the authority to play their character's hired position.

Ameliah — Manager
Caden — Barkeep

 

Please remember to be courteous and polite to your ops and staff players. We're all here to have a good time and want you to enjoy your game time with us, so if there is an issue to bring to our attention, feel free to do so but realize any decision we make is for the channel as a whole and is the final word on all matters. We are not here to coddle or feed egos.

 

10. A Note About Vampires and Other Powerful Evil Creatures/Beings: Certain races/creatures/people are going to have an easier time of things than others. This is a fact of the environment and not the ops and other players picking on you. Sundown is a city that was once run by the only vampires that are native to the setting. Most of the players in this setting also seek to hunt and kill vampires of any kind because of the role vampires have played in turning the city up on end before being overthrown in a recent civil war, which can present a very active and interesting playing environment for a well-played vampire.

Playing a vampire or similarly powerful dark character not somehow affiliated with the vampires that run this city is also going to lead to problems that can be overcome through clever RP. Evil is possible. Evil however will be challenging and extremely rewarding if cleverly played. Vampires that are flagrantly open about their nature will not last long.

 

11. #WR_OOC is the OOC channel. The OOC channel exists for that purpose or to enjoy some idle conversation. Disagreements are fine but verbally assaulting other players in the OOC channel will not be tolerated. Ops reserve the right to kick and ban for as long as they see fit for such offenses. It should be noted there is a difference between friendly teasing, ribbing and banter and outright verbal harassment.   

 

12. In character fighting scenes are okay! Sundown is a somewhat  lawless place but please remember to respect your fellow players when doing fight scenes (see Rule #5). Fights can occur anytime and any place in Sundown, including right in the middle of the tavern. Characters will be expected to react accordingly.

 

13. Often action will take place in the channel in the form of a random encounter. These random encounters are meant to keep things interesting and to maintain the ongoing story element of the channel. Some random encounters will be non-violent, however given the unforgiving nature of the Sundown setting many will be violent.

 

With this in mind, the following sub-rules are in effect for random encounters:

 

a. Participation in a random encounter is not mandatory.

b. You cannot switch characters in the middle of a random encounter. The character you start with is the character you finish with.

c. If you choose to involve your character in a random encounter of a violent nature, you are by action giving consent to the possibility your character may die. 

d. One op starts the random encounter with this color of text. Once the encounter starts, those participating are expected to take turns posting. Once everybody has posted, the op may mute the channel to make sure extra actions are not taken, then post his or her narration to the results of everybody's action.

e. Players may take one action within a turn (within reason) that they post for. Attempting to do several things at once will result in the op choosing what actions occur and which ones do not.

f. Often events in random encounters are part of the channel storyline and can effect the direction of various plotlines. Players are encouraged to involve themselves in these plotlines!

 

14. Chat colors should be used with discretion. Please avoid bright and obnoxious colors in both text and in cutscripts as it tends to bother annoy other players intensely and distracts from overall play. Further, if you choose to use a cutscript, we prefer that you use one as plain as possible. The one we encourage mIRC users to utilize can be found here. Just because it's easy for you to see, doesn't mean it's not irritating for everybody else to read.

 

15. All decisions regarding the channel, including the outcome of channel roleplaying events, bans from the channel etc. made by the founder are final. Decisions made by channel ops can be disputed through the head op who will either resolve the issue or pass the issue onto the founder. If it's a dispute with a decision made by the head op, it should be brought directly to the channel founder. Most matters are discussed amongst the ops and a decision is often agreed upon in that manner.

That said, there is no hard and fast rule on what it takes to earn a ban. Not following these rules could earn a ban, causing discord amongst the player base could earn a ban,  constant complaining/cry babying about how the channel is run or showing a total lack of willingness to participate in the channel could earn a ban. Everything is decided on a case by case basis. This sounds stricter than it really is; we prefer not to ban folks, but there has to be a modicum of control given to an environment such as this to make sure overall harmony exists.