Code of Conduct

## Rule 1 - The GM is Always Right

When the GM is wrong, see rule #1. Now, I don’t claim to be right on every topic under the sun. I don’t know a whole lot about a great deal of things, and I don’t particularly mind having my judgement questioned in a one-on-one, constructive criticism-type scenario. However, for the purposes of this game, what I say goes. I have a responsibility to make this game fun, but it’s not my full-time job. If you want to question a call or discuss something with me, my door is always open. But again, no matter what, see Rule 1. At the end of the day, I reserve the right to make executive decisions, even if they’re unpopular.

## Executive Override and the Spirit of the Law

People sometimes have to push up against boundaries. It’s a natural instinct, and I understand it. I can’t codify every rule that will make this community a place that is fun and fair for everyone, so at times I will need to rely on my intuition and a bit of “I know it when I see it.” So, even if you’re not technically breaking a rule, if you’re playing dangerously close to it, you can still get in trouble with me. In this scenario, I likely will issue a stern “knock it the hell off.” This won’t be an invitation to a discussion about how you’re well within the letter of the rules laid down if I squint and cock my head a certain way. No, it’s a warning. A courtesy to give you the chance to reel back in from the cliff’s edge before I have to kick you over into the gaping chasm below.

## Build Each Other Up, Don’t Tear Each Other Down

Positivity is the name of the game. When you’re playing in a group, no one’s interested in how you could have done things better, or how your character is so much cooler than so-and-so’s character, or whatever.

Instead of taking that energy and devoting it towards self-aggrandizement, why not direct it outwards and spread some love? I like to be apart of communities that look for the cool, awesome things about other people’s characters, not for the ones that pick apart all the little flaws we as human beings sometimes expose. Spread love, not hate, and if you don’t have anything nice to say? You know the rest.

## Respect the Core Fantasy

“The Core Fantasy” is the basic concept that defines a character, NPC, or setting. For example, I would say the “Free Cities” setting has a core fantasy of “A heavily stratified, caste-based society built on interfactional conflict that is heavily codified, murder is the highest crime within the cities, regardless of circumstance.” Now, you can see how trying to make a character who’s a vicious murderer or just and out-and-out scofflaw would screw with that core fantasy, right? I’ve set up something that is true, and you would be basically saying, “no, that’s false.”

In the same way, if someone decides their character is an expert marksman with a bow (even though the player might not know the first thing about archery), it’s not acceptable to question that or throw shade on it. “Oh, you see, my archer’s better.” Or, the classic example of the jerk GM that tries to railroad a Paladin into “falling” from grace. In essence, don’t try to “take away”  or “break” what’s fun about the setting or what’s fun about someone else’s character. When you interact with another character, NPC, or the setting, understand that you’re opting-in to an existing fiction, and it’s your job to respect that. The tacit agreement you are making is:

“I agree that your character/setting/NPC is X, and I’m going to play my character as if X about your character is true.”

Buy-in to the setting and other characters is mandatory, not optional.

## Opt-in, not opt-out

Look, not everyone has to like each other. Not everybody’s character is going to be everyone else’s bag. That doesn’t mean that it’s a “bad” character or you’re playing wrong, but it does mean that people have to have an escape hatch.

Opt-in means that people are always given the chance to participate in a given scene or interaction, they are not forced to accept anything they’re not comfortable with. If a player sees a scene going sideways on them and to a place they’re not comfortable with, they are within their rights to OOCly say “Stop! I’d like to get off now!”

Furthermore, before it even gets that far, I will do my best to “flag” situations or scenes that might bring out heavy or loaded topics, just so people have a chance to know what they’re getting into before hand. Note that this won’t be used to bludgeon anyone into staying in a situation they’re not comfortable in. I won’t say, “Well, I SAID this awful thing might happen, and YOU said you wanted to play, so…”

No. Put your hand up. Stop the ride. We’re here to have fun.

I see my job as facilitating player-to-player interaction, but I will not force it. If there’s a certain character you don’t want to interact with, let me know and I’ll steer you away in-fiction as best I can. People have the right to set their boundaries and prioritize their own fun. After all, we’re all here to have a good time, and everyone should respect that.

## Two Yes’s, One No

Alright, let’s say you want to do something that involves another player. Maybe you want to team up with another character to stick it to a mutual enemy. Well, that other player has to buy-in to your plan and your action. If your action depends on another player-character’s involvement, than that player has the right to refuse or say “no.”

However, if your action could involve another player, but doesn’t necessarily need, to, for example: “I want to go stick it to this mutual enemy. Player B can come too if they want.” Well then, you’re welcome to go through with your plan whether or not Player B is interested.

Now, let’s go a little deeper here, since there will be player conflict in this game, as adjudicated by the Conflict Mechanics. So, obviously, you don’t need to clear spying on another PC with that PC’s player. That would kind of defeat the purpose of the exercise. However, there are lines drawn as to what you can and can’t do to PC’s.

* You may not murder, torture, rape, or commit any sexual violence against a PC. Period. If I hear so much as a whisper of a plot to do so, it’ll be you out of the game and your character at the bottom of the goddamn ocean, eyes being eaten by squids.
* You may not kidnap, detain, or permanently injure another character without their player’s express, unbiased consent. And, those conditions end when the affected player decides they end.
* Stealing from, spying on, delaying, or injuring another player are all fair game, as adjudicated by the Conflict Mechanics. By agreeing to play in this game and this setting, you also must buy-in to the possibility (and, even the likelihood) that these things may happen to your character without your express consent to the specific action.

Note that, for the purposes of player-owned NPCs, these protections and caveats apply to them as well. NPC’s in a player-owned house are treated as PC’s for the sake of this model.

For non-player-controlled NPC’s, the rules are a little different:

* You may not rape or commit sexual violence against an NPC. I don’t want to play that game.
* You can murder an NPC, but HOLY SHIT would it be a bad idea. Such a bad idea that it might very well make your character unplayable. Expect multiple warnings, “are you sure you want to do this?” moments, and a frank, OOC discussion as to what the consequences will be for your character before you make the decision.
* You may not torture an NPC. Again, this is a game I don’t want to play. You can use physical violence or intimidation to get information or cooperation out of an NPC, but if it crosses into torture, expect me to throw a veil and fast-forward.

* Everything else is fair game, but again...

These rules aren’t the be-all and end-all of what you’re allowed and not allowed to do. If I feel like these guidlines are abused or are ultimately to the detriment of the game, I reserve the right to invoke Rule #1.

## Don’t Be a Dick

Just don’t alright? It’s pretty easy. But here are some guidelines to get you started:

* Don’t be a racist, sexist, mysognist, transphobe, homophobe, generally-shit-ass person. And, if you decide to play a character that is, understand that people might not like them very much. Hell, I might not like them so much that I decide I don’t want them in my game.
* Don’t fuck with other people. This is a game, and we’re here to have fun. I expect people to put stakes into the game and invest themselves into it, so don’t screw with it. I won’t accept “but it’s just a game!” as an excuse for blatantly trying to fuck up someone else’s rotation.
* Don’t be a dick! Mother protect us, it ain’t hard.

But, as always, this is a grey area. If you feel someone’s being dickish, I would appreciate it if you’d come talk to me about it or let me know so I can do my best to handle the situation. Interpersonal conflict is messy, and I might not always nail it 100%, but I will always try to do right by anyone who feels victimized by someone else (or something else)  in this community.