User Conduct Bylaws

## Overview

These Infractions apply to all members of the server, regardless of rank or seniority, up to and including mods and the server owner. There are also greater expectations placed on staff conduct, which is duly noted where necessary. Banning will occur after repeated Infractions without exception or appeal.

By agreeing to the Player Code of Conduct, community members also accept the terms of these bylaws. All incidences of bylaw violation will be adjudicated by the Lead ST in consensus with the ST staff.

## Conflict Mediation

Sometimes, an OOC conflict need not escalate to the level of needing arbitration per these bylaws. In this instance, mediation by an available ST in the #mediation channel is appropriate. Players are expected to respect ST requests to modify behavior and continue sensitive subject discussions in private if both parties are amenable to such an arrangement. If this is not the case, the matter is closed.

If there is a potential need for ST oversight, the #mediation channel is available for moderated discussion between individuals.

## Infractions

### Minor Infractions

* Accidental violations of Player Code of Conduct.

Examples
Misgendering someone after initial correction (with edit to amend), posting of triggering content without spoiler (if content is then removed/spoilered upon request, otherwise this is a Major Infraction)
* Slurs and Pejoratives, first offense (accidental):

Slur
For the purposes of this community, a slur is explicitly defined as a verbal attack on a marginalized group as defined by international law. See the below section on Hate Speech.
Pejorative
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pejorative
Nota bene
Some terms are regarded as slurs by some parts of a given community and not others. Please be respectful of requests from fellow players on this matter Some slurs and pejoratives are automatic Major Infractions.
### Major Infractions

* Flagrant or repentant violations of the Player Code of Conduct.

Examples
Refusing to use correct pronouns/correct pronoun misuse in posts for a player or character after repeated admonition, defensiveness about being asked to practice basic human decency, verbal abuse of community members, using pejorative language after being asked to refrain, etc.
* Hate speech

Hate speech
Verbal or non-verbal communication that involves hostility directed towards particular social groups, most often on the grounds of race and ethnicity (racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, etc), gender (sexism, misogyny), sexual orientation (homophobia, transphobia), age (ageism), disability (ableism), etc. (see discrimination; racial discrimination; gender discrimination; LGBTI rights; age discrimination).
Nota bene
This is a legal definition of the term and thus not subject to debate as to what constitutes a protected class.
Exceptions to the Two Strike rule:

* Some pejoratives are widely known to be inflammatory without exception. Use of them is an automatic permaban, no appeals.
* Broken Stair Policy: Predatory behavior is not tolerated on this server or in this game.

## Channel specific

ooc-gossip
Be respectful good citizens of New Albion per the Player Agreement
self-care-jail
for-those-memes-and-shitlord-moments
Don't actually be a shitlord. Inflammatory meme posting will be treated as a Major Infraction of the Second Incident level. ST Euryale does not have a sense of humor about a lot of things, but especially not pejorative/inflammatory content that is intended to harm.
game-announcements
Stay up to date, this is an important means of the staff communicating changes to the game to the playerbase. Ignorance of an announcement on this channel will not be a valid defense.
## Consequences

### Minor Offences

* First Incident: Reminder of the rules.
* Second Incident:
	+ Lurker: Possible dismissal.
	+ Player: Temporary revocation of access to the field of play for duration of disciplinary proceeding. Player is placed on probation, to be served for one month or until sustained improved behavior is observed.
	+ Staff: Demotion + temporary revocation of access to the field of play as above. Staff may petition to rejoin the team after one month of sustained improved behavior.
* Third Offence: Kicked from the server and a note made linked to the player's account. Readmission on a case-by-case basis.

### Major Infractions

* First Incident:
	+ Lurker: Kicked from the server and a note made linked to the player's account.
	+ Player: Removed from field of play for a time period of no less than one week, to be served at the end of the disciplinary proceeding. Two months minimum probation,
	+ Staff: ST Euryale will deal with these personally, with penalties including no less than two weeks of revocation from field of play and automatic demotion, including removal of all IC authority, and automatic three months probation or three months of sustained improved behavior. No readmission.
* Second Incident: Immediate, permanent server ban. No appeals. A report of the incident will be made to leadership in other RP communities if broken stair violations occur.

## Disciplinary Procedure

### Reporting an Infraction

If a violation of the Player Code of Conduct and/or Bylaws has occurred or mediation is needed:

1. Tag ST Euryale
2. Tag @mods and @ST-Team Roles. A member of the staff will immediately impose a moratorium on conversation surrounding the situation and follow the protocols as stated in the bylaws, making use of the #mediation and #detention channels and the, @penalty box, @mediation, and @detention roles as needed.
3. If the conflict involves a staff member, tag @mods only. ST Chaemera or ST Euryale will address the situation as immediately as time permits.

Nota bene
Once Disciplinary Procedure has been invoked, the matter is closed. Individuals continuing to engage the situation will be assigned the @penalty box role and accrue additional Minor Infraction, Second Incident consequences as needed to address the situation.
### Mediation Resolution

1. Parties requesting mediation will be assigned the @penalty box role
2. The topic under mediation will be placed under a moratorium.
3. Mediating ST will speak with each party individually and confer with staff regarding best practices once evidence has been gathered.
4. Mediating ST will assign the parties requesting mediation the @mediation role to discuss an equitable resolution to the situation.
5. Escalation to Infraction as needed.
6. Mediation should be resolved as efficiently as time and the situation permit, most mediations taking no more than 24 hours, including cooling-off periods.

### Infraction Resolution

1. Violation (alleged) is noted and logged, per Reporting an Infraction.
2. Parties involved are given 24 hours to find their tempers
3. Lead ST will review the incident with the involved parties and confer with staff as to the nature and severity of the incident.
4. Consequences will be meted out as per the above once a decision has been made, usually within 36 hours of the incident.

Exception
Infractions that trigger an immediate dismissal and ban.
### Resolution Tools

#### Disciplinary Channels

mediation
Channel for moderated conflict resolution. Visible only to members who need to see the channel in the moment, Staff, and Admins. Channel is reset after an Incident Log is made.
detention
Channel for disciplinary procedures. Channel is reset after a Disciplinary Action Log is made.
detention-voice
Voice Channel for disciplinary procedures.
#### Disciplinary Roles

@penalty box
This role acts as a "time out" in heated situations. It restricts access to the server excluding the #rules-and-policy channel. This role is to be used to allow individuals a chance to regain their tempers. This role may also be used as part of disciplinary proceedings.
@mediation
Role used to access the #mediation channel in the category: OOC Mechanics. Removed at end of conflict resolution.
@detention
Role restricting access to the server at large. Members with this role can only access this #detention, #detention-voice, and #rules-and-policy channels in the Category: OOC Mechanics. Role removed at the end of the disciplinary hearing.