Etiquette

As we come from radically different roleplay backgrounds, here's some etiquette to try and tie our playstyles together and make sure everyone is on the same page. Please also keep in mind the Hard Nos that require CWs and spoiler shields, and the Scene and Posting Rules.
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==1. Relationships==
Please keep in mind the setting conceits for all eras and the Character And Story rules. If you are asked to adjust something you've established in play to fit these rules, please do so gracefully.
===1920s and Versailles===
Characters are distinctly forming new relationships. While they may fall into old patterns, we encourage you to build up from ground zero and see what shakes out: new friendships, enemies, allies.
*What does it mean to meet someone for the first time... a second time?
*How does old memory cropping up impact those new relationships?
While some players may chose to some have memories return, this is not the expectation of the setting. Do not expect that other characters will remember yours or pressure other players into doing so. Reminder: No one will ever remember everything.
===Titanomachy and AG (Ancient Greek, or mythological canon)===
When thinking of the Titanomachy version of your characters, think about the body of myth about them as not only a starting point but also an ending point. You can be anywhere on your character's timeline that feels right for you and for the setting, even in the midst of it. We want you to know that your characters can evolve and grow and create new relationships in this setting, as long as it is believable that your myth previously happened or as long as nothing changes so much that your myth can no longer happen as described.
As an example: When playing Superman during his childhood in Smallville, you could write Clark Kent wanting to be normal, not liking his superpowers, and being BFFs with Lex Luthor, but it has to be believable that when all is said and done, Clark Kent will become Superman and Lex Luthor will be his arch nemesis.
See Character And Story#Titanomachy for more information and specifics about this expectation.
✅ 	"Achilles was alive during the Titanomachy."
❌ 	"Achilles was married to Artemis during the Titanomachy."
==2. Worldbuilding Reminders==
See Character And Story and the era specific pages for more specifics.
*Characters do not stay awake between eras - consider each one a "reset"
*When characters awaken in a era, their memories of the past are blurred, tangled, or missing altogether
*It's up to you how much they remember, if anything. However, no one will ever remember everything about their past life or circumstances
*They do not have an established past or identity in the mortal realm when they awaken (think a vampire coming out of torpor, not reincarnation)
*Characters know they are Gods and they know to hide who they are from mortals
*Their name and powers are intact, and can sense each other, but they can no longer reach Olympus (or Hades).
==3. Character Autonomy==
When instigating an action towards another play, describe the start of the action, not the resolution. This is a small but extremely important distinction: it gives the other player room to resist, challenge, and ultimately determine what happens to their character.
✅ 	"Dionysus goes to pour the open wine-cask over Nemesis' head, mischief in his eyes."
❌ 	"Dionysus pours the open wine-cask over Nemesis' head, thoroughly soaking her."
Additionally, consent from another character's player is required before inventing anything involving another character (conversations, events, backstory elements, etc.) or establishing specifics about events from the mythological canon beyond the board bullet point events
For example: if your character is another's sibling in the mythological canon, it's fine to say that your characters are siblings in the Titanomachy or in a recovered memory about a story from mythology without prior consent. Similarly, if a myth says that your characters would go hunting together, that's fine to reference as well. However, do not establish that the relationship between your characters was antagonistic/close/distant/loving etc.
✅ 	"Hermes was my character's father."
❌ 	"Hermes was very involved in my character's upbringing, and they were exceptionally close." (unless this fact is in the myths)
===Unclaimed Characters===
Unclaimed characters from Greek mythology are off limits as NPCs to anyone but the Mod team - if you want to play them, please request them as a character.
If you need to reference an unclaimed character from Greek mythology because they intersect with your character's mythos, please adhere closely to textual mythological canon and keep it vague and "off screen".
This keeps things fair and avoids needing to retcon anything if someone were to pick them up (beyond the usual "Greek mythology is a hot mess" song and dance).
✅ 	"Hera cursed Heracles with the madness that caused him to kill his wife and children."
❌ 	"Just before she cursed him, Hera said said..."
==4. Tone==
Greek mythology is full of conflict, hubris, and consequences. The gods and heroes represent both the best and the worst that the world has to offer, and our ideal for the stories we weave together here is to acknowledge and explore the often gritty and tragic roots of these myths while also providing for moments of levity and warmth.
While there is room for all kinds of roleplay on this server, from serious to silly to sexy, please keep in mind the tone of the scene you are entering before joining. If you are going to instigate a major tone shift, please check in with the players present. If you're not sure, you can always ask in #negotiations-and-plots !
Tip: If you want a scene to have a specific tone, include that in the scene start blurb!
==5. Leave the Door Open==
When in an open scene, make an attempt to 'leave the door open' and include other players when they enter. Greet them, ask them a question, insult them, kiss them: help give them something to hang their entry on once they’ve posted in. If you would like the scene to become a closed scene, simply tag a mod in #server-suggestions and we'll make a break off room.
==6. Play to Lift and Pass the Spotlight==
Your character is not the main character. This is an ensemble game, where each character has goals and narrative arcs of their own! Give moments to other characters, let them have their time to shine. Take turns lifting up each other’s play and story- meaning sometimes choosing to lose or be outwitted, or being less good in a certain domain, or just taking a side-burner role in a scene to leave them space to sparkle and build their own story without making it ‘about you’.
== 7. Notifications==
When a scene is happening that references another player's character, or a plot that you'd discussed with them coming to fruition, it is polite and considerate to tag them in 
⁠#popcorn-and-commentary . This was a habit we all did initially and then lost- and it's a good one for encouraging hype and looping everybody in to what's happening! Please, when posting in ⁠#popcorn-and-commentary, always tag the scene you're referencing/gushing about/having feelings about the first time it's brought up. If it's in a thread, give tag the channel & give the thread name (tagged threads appear as #unkown to folks that aren't in the thread)
==8. Feedback==
This is a collaborative space, and we're all human, so please speak up when there's a problem, respect each other's boundaries, and accept critical feedback gracefully. This applies to both IC and OOC spaces. Please don't wait for something to become a Big Problem before you bring it up. We encourage you to speak to fellow players directly, but you are always welcome to ping a mod if you're uncomfortable doing so.
Please speak up directly in the channel or in #negotiation-and-plots and ask for what you need - whether that's a reduction in intensity or abandoning the subject altogether. You may provide, or other players may ask for, clarification. 
Your scene-mates want to make sure you’re comfortable and having fun!
In addition to respecting explicit requests for topic/tone shift, please also pay attention to more subtle social cues attempting to re-direct or stop a particular topic or scene trajectory and adjust your posts accordingly.
== 9. Differing Availabilities ==
Some players have more availability than others, and it will change based on what's going on in our real lives. As different play speeds progress, it can lead to people feeling 'left behind' or others feeling 'ghosted', and both feeling 'excluded' - where scenes or plots they were excited about are no longer on the table or unable to progress. Please attempt to discuss this with your fellow players if you notice it happening and try and be caring about each other's feelings. Please be open in your negotiations regarding scenes and plots. It's acceptable to add 'this is what was happening in the background' retroactively, if needed, or to adjust plots as needed.
== 10. Scene Reminders ==
It is alright to tag someone once in #negotiations-and-plots if you see them active in other areas after a day or two waiting on a scene. (This is a low key server, but we all lose posts occasionally.) 
After that, please give them at least an additional week before pinging them again. 
If there's no response, let it sit until they wander back of their own accord. We said low-stakes, low-commitment and we mean it.
==11. God Time==
God Time refers to the general 'time in the game does not progress in the same way real time does'. A week IRL is not a week in the 1920s, or SC, or TM, or an AU.
==== Why do we care? ====
First and foremost, it is essential for the casual nature of our server. We don't expect scenes to wrap up in hours, days, or even weeks. We don't want this server to feel like a responsibility or a commitment. To allow for players jumping in and out as they're available, and to keep it friendly to that kind of play, we cannot have strict timelines, especially not ones that mirror real time.
Which means we end up with "God Time", where things are wibbly wobbly timey wimey. God Time is confusing, and will often be inconsistent.
The important bit is that you have a general idea of your character's relative sequence of events (this scene first, this second, they've changed in xyz way), but that it not infringe on anyone else's play or general timeline.
Scenes should not be dictated by the needs of the timeline, the timeline should be altered to suit the needs of the scene. And if that means some things don’t make perfect sense, so be it. 
The timeline should never be a reason an avenue for role play gets cut off. We want to include everyone, of different play speeds and availability, which means being flexible on this, even if it doesn't make quite sense.
==12. Hiatus==
If you think you'll be absent for a couple weeks, but intend to come back, just message a mod and/or make a post. We'll hold your character and give you the “hiatus” role. We encourage you to find a way to gracefully duck out of or fade into the background of active scenes. If you're unable to, that's fine! Remaining players will simply skip you in the turn order or end the scene as most makes sense.
There is no pressure to relinquish a character at any point. If you decide to relinquish your character, please message a mod, as word-of-mouth is not something we will consider when freeing up characters.
==11. Re-Assigning Characters==
When a character is re-opened, reassignment method will be on a character-by-character basis. Some are in more high demand and will require more discussion, and some can just simply be reassigned by first-come-first-serve basis. 
Please always request the character by pinging @mod in #negotiations-and-plots (please don't DM us).
Reminder: You are limited to 3 characters - one Olympian (incl. Hades & Perseophone), one Pantheon god, and one Demigod/Titan/assorted character. This is to allow folks a chance to join and to get a crack at characters, and may be opened up as we go.
When a character is reassigned, we would like to generally assume the following:
* The character went to sleep for a bit, we don't know why. When they come back they can look different, might not remember anything they did, etc etc. You can work this out with connected players, if you want to have them remember any of the existing encounters or not. Generally, this isn't weird to the gods; it happens sometimes, gods are malleable and change from era to era.
* Existing characters still have their memories and growth, but the god they had them with (perhaps) is a different person now, and shouldn't be expected to remember. Try to roll with it unless involved players really want to explore the amnesia thing.
* Please be conscientious about not making new players feel obligated to "keep" old relationships, and if you're picking up a character, please be conscientious of not making existing players feel obligated to "keep" them either. We trust you all to be communicative about your wants and needs, and adjust accordingly if something just isn't working out. 
==12. The Mods==
The mods aren’t going to be around all the time, so if you need something feel free to ping us @mods, but be aware it may take us a day or two to get back to you. Feel free to remind us if we’ve missed something, if we haven’t updated #the-story-so-far, or what have you. You can also message us at any time if there is conflict, if a scene rubs you the wrong way, or you generally need support. We can’t read everything, so we’re relying on you to keep us looped in and keep each other safe and comfortable!