These expectations are for all members of this game. Violation of any of these principles can result in moderator action, up to and including dismissal. If you have questions or concerns about what is expected of you, contact the moderators at whenthewindblows AT gmail.com. Application to and acceptance into this game is conditional on your ability to meet these expectations.
Characters
Each player may have up to three main characters. At moderator option, missing activity checks may affect the ability to app further characters. Players must prove an ability to keep multiple characters active to maintain three characters. At season one start, two characters are allowed. Players may app a third character after one month if desired.
We prefer that one of your first two characters be an antagonist. An antagonist is loosely defined as "one who promotes conflict." It will be up to moderator discretion whether or not a proposed antagonist does that.
Characters should never be picked up with the sole intention of being played for ship purposes. If the moderator discovers that there is predisposed shipping intent (outside the boundaries of pre-established canon), the application can and may be declined if the moderator does not feel that the character has any basis for game play. You are allowed to begin one of your two starting characters in an already established ship.
No characters can begin play with any supernatural abilities or blood status without first consulting with the moderator. Nonhumans will not be considered. Such requests will be dealt with on a case by case basis. All new abilities brought into the game must have a one-page minimum write-up for the wiki when the application is approved and before the character is introduced into play.
IC actions = IC consequences. This also includes netspeak. Netspeak by characters in journal posts or RPs will result in an uncontrollable surge of wild magic, destroying that character, journal, and creating a general aura of mod satisfaction.
Activity
This is a small game. As such, activity is VITAL. All characters are expected to do, on average, two journal posts and one RP every month. High activity per one format or the other is accepted as a substitution. Not all characters are journalers. Not all characters are in a position to do active roleplays. You do, however, need to do one or the other. Likewise, because the game is so small, we expect players to make a reasonable effort to play with a variety of players/characters. If the moderators feel that you are only playing with one person, we will look at the situation and make a determination on which characters are allowed to remain.
Activity checks shall occur regularly in the form of synopsis posts that you are expected to respond to. Any inactive characters shall be called out and have one week to become active or they will be removed from the game. Habitual abuse of the grace period will result in removal of the character from the game. Habitual, in this case, is considered to be using the grace period twice in a row without other explanation for absence.
All characters are expected to be active in a minimum of one non-romantic storyline at all times.
All plots should be posted to the plot community for approval. If a moderator has not commented within 72 hours, that plot should be considered approved and can therefore be run, provided assent is received from all involved players. See the boards page for details.
In the event of a hiatus longer than one week, we expect you to make reasonable accommodations/explanations for a character's disappearance as part of your hiatus post. Otherwise, excuses can and will be made for you. Bear in mind that the moderators enjoy turning character heads into cabbages. In the case of frequent hiatuses, anticipate that your character may experience ramifications to jobs, relationships, etc.
This game is set in present-day and runs in real time.
NPCs
All NPCs must be played through a PC's journal or through a journal specified for NPC housing.
All anonymously sent notes, etc. should be routed through the anonymous NPC journal, located at "XXXXX". The password for this journal is friends-locked and listed in the first entry so that all players have equal access. If this is abused, the journal privilege will go away.
NPC activity should never exceed PC activity.
NPCs are limited to starring in two RPs per week at most, which means having a significant presence in the thread/log (i.e. more than five lines of dialogue). This includes and allows narratives for NPCs. Plot antagonists are exempt from this.
NPCs may not keep journals. However, they may send messages and owls.
NPCs cannot outnumber PCs in an RP unless the RP spans two weeks or more, or there is a crowd scene. Children are sweet in small doses - do not overuse them or the mods will get diabetes and be forced to kill them off.
You must have an active PC to control NPCs.
Other
This game is 18 and over with mature themes. No matter your age, if you have problems dealing with content of a graphic or sexual nature, do not apply. All posts of graphic nature or sensitive content are to be rated.
The only rule in terms of dealing with your fellow players and the moderator is that you give respect to all involved with this game. We're all adults here and should be able to act like it. If you have a question about what respect entails, this is not the game for you.
It is to be understood that knowledge known out of character must be kept out of character if the player's character is in a situation where they would not have that information. Additionally, players need to always keep in mind that this is a game focused around conflict and as such, remember that characters hating one another does not mean that players do. In the event of any enmity or problems with fellow players, we ask that the moderators be contacted. Excessive out of character drama can and will result in the expulsion of the applicable parties.
Along these lines - if you threaten to quit, we will show you the door and open it wider. We are open to discussing problems with the game and helping players resolve them. That said, both mods have experienced the threat of quitting as being used to manipulate situations. If you are asked to leave under these circumstances or under any circumstances involving OOC drama, do not expect to reapply.
All personal contact information (including the moderators') is to be kept strictly confidential unless given permission from the people involved.
All requests to do game canon writeups must be vetted through the moderators first, before beginning the writeup.
Please be sure that you understand the system for Boards and Journals.
Also be aware of the game's series play structure.
Always bear in mind that you are more likely to get traction with your plans if you know that the moderators will be infused with a feeling of goodwill towards the world as a result of your ideas. Also know that the moderators are interested in conflict-driven plot. We do not need to see happy bunnies all of the time.
