Rules

Welcome to Sihiri!  In order to use any site created by Sihiri's Staff, all players must obey the following rules.

## General rules

**You must be 18 to write here.** Although smut and cybering are NOT allowed, this site may contain adult language, violence, and adult situations.

**Do not display personal information anywhere on this site,** including in profiles. DO NOT post phone numbers, addresses, or any other personally-identifying information. This includes both your own information and information belonging to others.  For your safety, Staff will delete any posted personal information that we find and will, if necessary, remove you from the site.

**Respect Staff and your fellow players.**  Any request made by Staff is considered mandatory (not a suggestion).  We also take players' comments very seriously, including offencive comments meant as jokes.  Do not harass others or you will be banned.

## Using the site correctly

**All rooms are open to all (unless marked "Private").**  Private rooms must obey the same rules as public rooms: no smut, cybering, or extreme violence.

**Out-of-character (OOC) discussions must be kept to private messaging or the OOC board.**  Extensive OOC discussion will be considered spamming, even in private rooms. OOC fights are not permitted and, if they are not quickly resolved, may result in banning.

**Reports must be made using the "Reports" utility.** Any other complaints may not be considered valid.

**Multiple OOC accounts are not allowed.** You are only allowed **one** OOC account.  This helps us keep track of players and reduces conflict.  You may also create one IC account per character, and you may post for your characters through either their IC accounts or your OOC account.

**If you plan to be absent from the site, leave a notice on the OOC board.**  Otherwise your account may be archived or deleted and your image claims may be made available to other users.  Players must post IC at least once per month to be considered active.

## Language, violence, and sex

We are a 2/2/2 (PG-13) site, meaning:

* swearing is generally permitted (to a point),
* sexual content is permitted (but explicit narration is not allowed), and
* explicit violence is permitted (but extreme violence is not).

Therefore, all adult situations must be taken offsite. No exceptions.  Examples of adult situations include:

* **Sex.**  Descriptions of sexual acts are not allowed.  Instead of describing the act you must "fade to black" (time lapse to a point beyond the act).  You may describe kissing, hugging, and making out, and you may refer to sex in passing if your character does not elaborate.
* **Extreme violence.**  Explicit violence is allowed; extreme violence is not.  Descriptions which are extremely graphic or which show sexual overtones must be taken offsite.  Violence should be described only to tell a larger story, not for the sake of the violence itself.  This includes medical work, such as operations, treatments, or injections.
* **Rape.**  You may mention rape as part of a backstory or for purposes of plot.  You may not describe rape in detail.
* **Pedophilia.**  Any mention of pedophilia will result in a permanent ban.  This includes pedophilia of any kind.  If one party is an old spirit inhabiting a child's body, the act is still considered pedophilia (and likewise with a child's spirit in an old body).

## Characters

**Characters must be original.**  This site is not a fanbase.  Player characters can be inspired by media but cannot copy the original character found in that media.  Be creative and respect copyrights.  Characters must obey both the Character Rules and the Image Rules.

**You must post a profile before playing.** If you play before posting a profile, your play may be deleted. Profiles do *not* need to be approved by Staff before you can play, but if Staff finds a problem with your profile you may be required to retcon or rewrite. Exception: before playing dragons or deities, your profile must be approved by Staff.

**You must finish your Magic Stats list before writing combat (magic-users only).** We use modifiers to keep fights fair. If your character uses magic, whether they were born with the ability or not, you must publish their Magic Stats before writing combat.

**Characters must have weaknesses that balance their strengths.** Otherwise they will be considered overpowered (OP) and you will not be allowed to play them.

**The thirty-post rule:** in order to fill a position of power, you must have posted thirty times (under any of your accounts). This helps us assess whether you'll be fit for the job. Powerful positions include anyone on the "Important people" list (on the Wiki) and any potential rulers.

**You must ASK if it is all right to use OOC information in character (IC).** This applies to everyone, including telepathic and god-like characters.

## Images

**No graphic graphics.** This means no nudity, porn, extreme violence, etc. Staff reserves the right to remove any questionable images from the site, or to require their removal.

**Claim your images according to the rules:** If you find an actor, model, fictional character, etc. who looks like your character, *and if nobody has claimed them according to the Claims List,* you may use their pictures to represent your character. The actor/model/whatever is considered your character's "play-by." You can use drawings, anime, screenshots, etc. so long as you don't violate copyright laws.

**You must submit an Image Claim to secure sole rights to that play-by**. If you use a subject for years of dedicated play, but don't claim them, a newbie could walk in tomorrow and claim them with full rights.  You would then be barred from using the image.  Please be proactive: if you like a subject, claim them.

**Be specific.** "Clint Eastwood" is a different claim than "Clint Eastwood, blond," and "Johnny Depp" is a different claim than "Jack Sparrow." If someone has your subject, choose something to modify.  After three modifications the subject is considered "closed" -- no one else can use them, even modified.

**If you do not choose to use a play-by, provide a detailed description of your character.** You must provide this in their profile, but you should also include a description in your first or second post so that your fellow players understand what they're dealing with. Remember, they can't see what their characters are supposed to be seeing -- they must be told the visual details.

**Maximum image sizes:**

 Profile banner
 Profile inventory items
 Signature
 Avatar
 Pictures in post

## Style

**Write enough.** There is no minimum word count, but you must write at least one solid paragraph per post.

**Write in third person,** meaning "He went to the store" (versus "I went to the store"). You are narrating the life of a fictional character, not detailing an event in your own life.

**Write IC.** If you have an OOC question or comment, either private-message your writing buddy or leave a post on the OOC board.

## Fighting, guards, and destruction

**IC fights must follow the Sihiri Fight Guidelines**, except by mutual agreement.  The Fight Guidelines help prevent OOC disputes.  If there is an OOC dispute, contact Staff.  If players make harsh or disrespectful remarks during a dispute, Staff may impose a three-day "cooldown" (temporary ban).

Non-player-character (NPC) guards exist in this game to keep characters from entering restricted areas, to protect areas from destruction, and to protect important characters.  They are Staff's way of maintaining order.  Therefore, **guard actions are considered MANDATORY.**  This means if a guard restrains your character, your character is restrained.  Do not be the annoying newbie who fights the guards until other players call a mod.  Guards may only be NPCed by room/kingdom owners, by Staff, or by players who have the direct permission of room/kingdom owners or Staff.

**You may only destroy cities, kingdoms, or rooms under the following conditions:**
1) you have permission from the kingdom/room owner and from Staff,
2) you only attack when PC characters are present to defend the site, and
3) you bring enough power to reasonably destroy the site.

**God-modding and power-playing are strictly forbidden.** You cannot dictate what any other character does, including what hits they do or don't take.

## Offences

All players must read and abide by all of Sihiri's posted rules.  If a player breaks a rule, Staff may decide to issue a warning or ban the player (temporarily or permanently).  They may also remove any material from the site at any time.  All punishments are at the sole discretion of Staff.  Disputing punishments will cause a permanent ban.  Staff also retains the right to remove players from the site at their (Staff's) sole discretion.  Staff may remove any material from the site at any time, including material posted by other users.

The following offences will result in an automatic permanent ban:

**Disrespecting Staff or other players.**  Discussions are fine, disrespect is not. If you disrespect others you will be given one warning. We may ask you to leave the site for a while to cool down (informal temporary ban).  If you continue to disrespect, *you will be banned.*

**Habitual misbehaviour.**   If Staff warns you to change your behaviour and you do not, or if you continue a behaviour we've asked you to stop, *you will be banned.*  Examples include making inappropriate images, stalking or 'picking on' certain players, showing disrespect to others, using excessive foul language, etc.

**Gathering personal information on a player.** THIS IS STALKING. If you research someone's address or other personal information, if you look up their images or whereabouts using names and email, or if you perform any other personal information gathering, *you will be banned.* You will not be allowed back.

**Advertising of sites without permission, and linking to/advertising/posting porn.**  Unapproved advertisements will be removed and their posters will be banned. Linking to or advertising porn sites will get you banned.  Staff NEVER grants permission to post porn, including links to external sites.

**Pedophilia of any kind, including lollies.** Banned without question.

**Denigrating the site, spreading rumours, trolling, flaming, or otherwise disrupting the peace.**  We encourage a happy, integrated community and we all volunteer our time to keep the site running.  Rumour-mongering and backtalk are regarded very seriously.  Players who cause issues will be banned.

**Impersonating Staff.**  Being helpful is one thing, claiming to be Staff is another.  Do not attempt to handle situations that Staff should handle or to answer questions when you don't know the answers.  It is also not considered funny to confuse new players this way -- it's disrespectful to the hard-working Staff.   Players who impersonate Staff members will be banned.

**Habitual quitting and returning.**  Leaving and returning are very disruptive and should only be done when absolutely necessary.  If you consistently talk about quitting, or if you quit and return several times without a compelling reason, we will be happy to make the permanent choice for you.

## Disclaimer

These rules may be modified at any time, with or without warning or notification to users of this site, by any member of Staff.  By participating on the Sihiri forum you agree to abide by any and all rules posted by Sihiri Staff.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this entire page!  See you in Sihiri.