Server Guidelines.

  Everyone deserves to be heard and have a satisfying story arc. It is a fundamental need that people have to be heard, and it is one of our founding principles. The server and size of the game is too large to take in the full content. And the 24 hour format can make the fear of missing out make time on the server feel urgent. The reason we use a real time long rest is to help build in a mechanic to help players rest. Your voice still matters even when you miss things. Be Respectful to everyone. Hate language will not be tolerated. Include your pronouns (examples could include He/Him, She/Her, They/Them) in your nickname after your character’s name. Hateful language will not be tolerated. We want to be inclusive to all our players and make them feel welcome. Any language that is disrespectful towards anyone based on their skin color, sexuality, etc etc will not be tolerated.   In conflicts between players (not to be confused with the conflict between player characters which can be a part of story arc, and shouldn’t be taken personally) do your best to be kind, courteous and helpful. This style of gaming is very dependent on interpersonal relations, and a sour note will resonate throughout the server. We recognize that many are going through tough times here. It is better to see our game as a haven from the real world, to be a place where you can deal with your anxieties and frustrations in a healthy, mutually consensual way. Hate language will not be tolerated. Griefing (if at all) should only be at a shenanigan level (DM or Mod discretion has final say on what “Shenanigans” are.)   The game is not designed to handle pranks/ shenanigans/ griefing behavior between players. But we also recognize the value of laughter in the game. Whether or not a mod or dm can step in to help a player who is finding themselves at the butt of a joke is situational. It depends a lot on whether you can laugh at yourself in the moment. If you don’t want to laugh at yourself, and someone else is, let us know.   No PVP without DM present/ and all parties consent. This includes any action which takes agency from another character using the mechanics of D&D5e. This includes attacking, spellcasting, stealing, persuading, intimidating ect. DM’s reserve the right in some cases such as called insight checks or deception rolls to impose information reveals based on rp. Keep track of all inventory items.   Our event, like most games, is largely run on the honor system. Intentionally breaking that honor system may result in complete loss of inventory items or being banned from the server. Always be honest with your DMs and mods. Beyond just your inventory, there is an honor system between player actions and DM intent. If we have made a mistake and left an exploitable loophole, please tell us so that we can rectify it. Additionally, if you suspect that the DM’s may have made a mistake bring it to us in private through direct message. Don’t point out the mistake for others to exploit. Be honest with your DMs. Deception is a fun and critical part of player interactions. But, intentionally deceiving your DM goes directly against the heart of the game and will be met with proportional penalties up to, but not limited to: in game debuffs, player removal of the game, and/or the group.   Cliques. Making a tight knit circle of friends is normal and healthy. However, when infighting between groups of friends happens on the server, it can hurt everyone including those who have to adjudicate the dispute. It may take some time before your dms know you well enough to know how to make your characters shine and get some spotlight. Do your best not to be upset by the fun that other people are having. We will do our best to accommodate and help make the kinds of fun you want to have happen too. The best way to accomplish this is to ask for it. Nothing is guaranteed but we can usually do our best to try to help accommodate or find a helpful compromise. If and when problems arise, we will address them.   The social contract. We consider the game to be 75% freeplay and character driven. The other 25% belongs to your DMs to tell the story that we spent a year writing. Please do your best to keep out of character chat to the out of character channel. Additionally, there can be times when we will step in to riff and improv on the things that catch our attention. There will be plenty of time to do what we call “Invitationals.” Invitationals are enacted when a player or a DM wants to follow through on an improv story line. They can be requested by anyone, but are fulfilled only as time and DM interest allows. It’s what my character would do. We love to role play. It is what we are all here to do. However, this is not an excuse to treat others as hostile or devalue them. Every other player here is a person. Even the NPCs and the descriptions of the world around you are people too. Unlike in single player video games, movies or books there is another person acting alongside you. Hiding behind the role play aspect of the game to harm players, the mods, the dms or the narrative is not an excuse we can accept. Feel free to revile the villains or treat shady NPCs with suspicion. But actions such as white knighting (devaluing another player by publicly protecting them without their consent), spreading rumors or disdain for players, player characters, mods or DMs is not healthy for our community. As soon as you feel anxious about a given situation, seek help from our team. We are here to help you have fun, and to help the others around you. Fight or flight should be reserved for appropriate situations.   House rules: Our game is played in real time. A short rest takes an actual hour. A long rest is typically taken when you leave the server for the day and is meant to represent an actual long rest. In other words, we have a built in mechanic to help you take time off of the server. This game will cause many to invest deeply in their character. Don’t allow fear of missing out on the game to cause you to miss out on taking care of your life and your mental health. This both a server rule, and a house rule.   No Retconning. If you say it, you’ve done it. The size of our event means that one person changing “what they would have done” will prompt a cascade of others wanting to also change their tactics. It makes a bottleneck that slows or even stops the game. If absolutely necessary for the integrity of the game, a DM may choose to retcon sparingly.   Respect the pause emoji. As stated in the FAQ, The DM pause emoji is sacred. When it shows up in chat, do not interrupt, because your DM is about to give you critical information.   Any creature belonging to a player character (or any other classification of pet, servant, mount, familiar, demon or whatever) shares your initiative. It goes after your turn. If it shares your action economy, simply use your turn to pass your action on to your pet.   Potions cost a bonus action to use.   Calm emotions will not be treated as dispel for charm effects. It will prevent your friends from acting against their will for the duration of the spell, but they will remain under the calm emotions effect of ambivalence. You are trading one kind of charm for another kind of charm.   Don’t roll in chat without first declaring why. State what you are trying to accomplish to your DM. Minor instances like insight checks between characters are fine with consent of both characters. (IE: do you mind if I insight that?) During combat: Don’t roll without being prompted by a dm or requesting a roll.   Beginning week one, the crafting system will go live. This is a largely barter based economy. Learn to depend on others and be dependable.   Casting with material components. Our events have implemented an arcane property to all component pouches and arcane focuses. If your character is casting a spell whose components cost gold, simply place the gold in the pouch (by deducting it from your inventory and your pouch will produce the component).   Talking limits during combat. While speaking during combat is a free action, limit yourself to two sentences. This speeds up combat and reflects the 6 second period in which your action occurs. Players are welcome to use the out of character chat during game play.   A note from the creator. Finally, I (DM Radar, the creator of this world and person most responsible for it’s content) would like to offer you a piece of advice. Our game contains horror elements. If that is not the kind of content you wish to see, this game may not be the one for you. Additionally with nods to the structure of a three act play, there are times that are intended to be stressful and to have stakes. In the event that one of your in-game friends die, mourn them. Embrace your character’s natural grief, but don’t let it consume them. Consider that these events can also give a character resolve and purpose rather than just continuously spiraling into loss or a sense of continued tragic defeat.