Rules

These rules are here so we can all be on the same page and ensure everyone has an equally enjoyable experience on the server. If you are asked to modify behavior, please do so gracefully.

## General Rules

1. Obligatory "don't be a jerk" rule. Assume the best of your fellow players.
2. Put your actual name and pronouns into your nickname. Use the bot for characters.
3. This server is *not open to the public.* If you're going to make an invite, you need to inform us who you're inviting first, and let us know that you vouch for them.
4. *This is a low stakes, little-to-no obligation server.* Don't demand that people reply instantly and play at your leisure. See **Pinging Players** and **Post Order and Speed**
5. **Negotiation is encouraged!** If you're not sure whether something you want to do is okay, check with the person(s) you're RPing with in the #negotiations-and-plots channel. Better safe than sorry. Make sure **Hard Nos** have CWs and spoilers shields.
6. This server is queer, diverse, and accepting. No ifs ands or buts.
7. This is an 18+ roleplay server featuring the Greek Gods. NSFW content is welcome and encouraged, but *please use CWs for sensitive subjects and ask a mod to mark your channel accordingly.*
8. You may play as many NPCs as you wish as you wish or need. You may play OCs.
9. Read and follow the **scene and posting rules** below and the the **etiquette guidelines** page.

## Guidelines and Reminders

* **Mute channels** liberally and often to avoid notification burnout!
* It's encouraged to **check in with players about boundaries** before engaging in rough or sexual scenes.
* When reading a scene you are not involved in, please try and remember to check the pinned post- it should contain broad content warnings that can't be spoiler shielded throughout the scene. If new content appears, please update your pinned post accordingly. Thank you!
* Try and have conversations in the appropriate channels and threads.
* Be courteous, play-to-lift, and try to leave open space in open scenes - follow the **etiquette guidelines**.
* Please read and follow the **scene and posting rules** below. Here's a quick (not comprehensive) summary:
	+ **Large group scenes** should be kept accessible for other players - so try and give at ample time for other players to post and try to **avoid having significantly long posts** in those channels. 1-2 paragraphs.
	+ **Small scenes**, where everyone is on board for much **longer posts, are totally fine**! Just make sure you've correctly noted that in the scene kickoff post.
	+ If it makes sense to have a 'break out scene' or you'd like to back and forth with one specific character, feel free to ask for one.
	+ **Banter scenes** are for short, fast roleplay. **Text and action only**, ideally easy for others to jump into!
	+ **Scenes marked 'closed'** you're welcome to read, but **isn't accepting new characters.**
* When a scene wraps, please **write a short one sentence summary** of what happened and tag @mod and we'll update the scene summary lists on the wiki so people can stay up to date without needing to read every thread. (Here's a handy **template**)
* We'll be having periodic special events, and you are more than welcome to prioritize those over text roleplay or request them as we go if you have *Ideas*.

## Hard Nos

You are allowed to RP things on this list, but they require CWs and spoiler shields:

#### General

* Blatant Parental Favoritism
* Body Shaming / Disability Shaming / Fatphobia
* Explicit sexual harassment or assault
* Pregnancy
* Racism
* Transphobia / Acephobia

#### Violence & Gore

* Body horror
* Graphic animal abuse / slaughterhouses
* Graphic child abuse
* Graphic eye and hand trauma

#### Phobias

* Anthropomorphic food
* Spiders

#### Taboo & Kink

* DDLG or Caretaker / Little Content
* Familial terms in sexual contexts (Daddy/mommy/little girl/etc.)
* Incest (beyond God/God)
* Large Age Gaps (beyond God/Mortal)
* Teacher/student
* Virginity or Innocence Kink

## Character Creation

If you have any questions, reach out to us in #questions-and-answers!

Step 1. Think of a character you'd like to play

* Check #the-pantheon to see what roles are available. You can request characters from Greek mythology not on this list.

* We are at this juncture requesting **brand new players** pick a **non-central character as their first character**. This includes: The 12 core Olympians, Hades, Persephone, Hestia, and the parents of those characters. Oceanus, Cronos, Rhea, etc.

* **You may not have more than 3 characters** at this time. Second characters can be added after a player has had a few weeks of active scenes with their first.

* You may only have **1 character who is an Olympian/Pantheon god**. This is to allow new players to get a crack at those characters, and may be opened up as we go. (Note: Players who had two Olympian/Pantheon god characters before this rule was implemented have been allowed to keep them.)

Step 2. Request your character in #negotiations-and-plots

* Players who already have a role will get to weigh in on requests for characters closely related to theirs. IE: Poseidon's player gets to have a say on someone choosing Amphitrite or Triton.

Step 3. Post your character bio in your character channel.

* You can also create a wiki page if you'd like.

Step 4. Pick a place to start and jump on in!

* There are three eras currently available for play, and you can play in any or all three at once:
	+ **The Roaring 20s**: Post WWI America with prohibition in full swing
	+ **The Sun Court**: Late 1600s Versailles
	+ **The Titanomachy**: The Titan Cronos is in power and the Olympians are planning their rebellion

## Character Backstory/Setting Guidelines

Constraints are the friend of creativity, so feel free to play within the sandbox as you'd like! But to ensure everyone has an enjoyable time, please keep in mind the following world-building guidelines, the **relationships etiquette rules**, and the specific conceits of each setting.

### Mythological "canon"

When playing in the **Titanomachy**, or establishing backstory for memories regained during the **Sun Court** or the **Roaring 20s**, please **try to stick reasonably close to mythological canon** - especially when it comes to character personality and relationships. This is for three reasons:

1. It makes it **easier to maintain internal consistency** b/c you can use google to fill in gaps
2. It **enables player autonomy** because they don't have to worry about contradicting anything when bringing elements from myth into play
3. It **avoids** "I'm frustrated b/c an element of mythological canon I was interested in playing with got changed by another player" **bad feels**

**If you want to shift something from mythological canon** (beyond just "my character was around during the Titanomachy"), please post in #negotiations-and-plots and ping the mods so they (and your fellow players) can weigh in on if it's too much a deviation or not.

Please refer to the **Titanomachy section** of the Relationship etiquette rules for more specific guidelines.

### Characters' "Awakening"

Awakened characters:

* **Know they are gods**/immortals/etc.

* **Know their name** and each other as Gods and concepts, but do not remember much about their pasts (see **memories** below).

* Have general godly abilities; they are immortal, strong, beautiful (well, most of 'em...), etc.

* Can influence mortals - it is not difficult for them to integrate into mortal society or take positions of stardom or power if they want it.

OOC Info on how it works:

Note: The following is OOC info about how this works to assist in character development and RP, not common knowledge for the characters themselves.

The **gods go to sleep** when major religions change, when the world doesn't need them, or when they tire of an era. For the purposes of this RP, this means **your characters will always return to sleep between each era of play.** Why? Dunno, it's just a thing that happens. (You're welcome to have your character investigate this if you want, but there's not meta plot here that will give your character definitive answers).

**When a god awakens, they literally just appear in that era.** They aren't reborn into a mortal life and aren't inhabiting someone else's body. (They went to sleep, they didn't die or lose their corporeal form between eras, so take "waking" somewhat literally).

While they **didn't lead mortal lives prior to awakening**, they **are trapped in the mortal realm** and can't just magic themselves away to Olympus or Hades whenever things get hard (which ties them to the setting and the plot). As such, many gods have siphoned into mortal lives for fun/profit/etc.

The reasons *why* your character has awakened in a specific era of play is entirely up to you. Were they summoned specifically, like Apollo in the Sun Court? Was it because of a major world event is tied to their domain, like Ares and Athena during WWI? There is similarly no meta plot to be found here, have fun making it up.

### Memories

While some players may chose to *some* have memories return, this is not the expectation of the setting, and **no characters will ever remember *everything* about their life or circumstances in past eras.**

This is for two reasons:

1. **To allow the ability to build new relationships.** No character is locked into their mythological counterparts unless you want them to be. This can also change from Era to Era.
2. **To allow us to not need to know everything about mythology.** It all probably happened, but your character doesn't have the baggage if you don't want them to.

**Do not expect that other characters will remember yours** or pressure other players into doing so.

## Scene and Posting Rules

### Scene Types

* **Open scenes:** Scene should be kept easy for anyone to join at any time. Short-Med length posts only.

* **Closed scenes:** Not accepting new characters, but you're welcome to read. Channel name will say "closed" (if it doesn't, ping the mods).

* **Banter scenes:** For short, fast roleplay. Text and action only. Ideally easy for others to jump into.

If it makes sense to have a break-out scene or you'd like to have back and forth with one specific character, feel free to use any free generic room (like #room-1) or ask a mod to make a new channel.

### Number of Scenes

You may only be in **3 open scenes per era** at any given time. This limit is **per player**, not per character. This limit does not include banter channels or closed scenes, and events count as their own era.

If one of your 3 scenes is Slow, you may join a 4th Fast scene in an era (see **Post Order and Speed**).

Leave space for other characters to interact and engage and try to be mindful of how many scenes you're in with various players/characters at any one time.

### Post Length

* There are **no minimum post lengths** and post matching is not expected

* Keep posts in open/large group scenes in the **1-2 moderate paragraphs** range. It's poor etiquette to blast past this without good reason (like a major scene change that would require a lot of description)

* Please avoid long posts in fast-paced or banter channels

* Longer posts should be reserved for smaller break-out/closed scenes where all players have agreed to that format of play.

### Post Order and Speed

When **starting a new scene**, set the pace in your description as slow, standard, or fast. (see "Scene Start/End Templates") We will pin this post. In closed scenes, you can negotiate speed between yourselves and don't need to post it publicly.

* **Slow:** *Respect turn order strictly*, absolutely no pressure to respond.
* **Standard:** *Flexible* turn order, with the attempt to *rotate through players at least once or twice a week.*
* **Fast:** For more immediate scenes, *absence of more than a day* means skipping ahead in turn order is okay.

You can **use the sparkles emoji to denote you're stepping away** or leaving for the time being. "Banter" channels are always Fast by default.

### Scene Start/End Templates

For your copy/paste convenience

Scene start

```
Post Order & Speed: [slow / standard / fast ]
Post length: [banter / short only / long ok / etc.]
Timeline notes: This scene takes place after [scene A] and before [scene B]

[scene description placeholder]

```

Scene end

```
@mod [your scene summary here]
Channel can be [archived / opened]
## [Any notes about when this scene takes place relative to others in the story so far]
NEW SCENE

```