RP Rules and information

[SalyaDarken]

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Please use the links below to guide you around our section and find out about everything it has to offer!

General Rules of the RP Section

• Story-lines guidelines
• Characters rules and guidelines
• Types of Roleplays: Relaxed and Lore based

RP Section General Information

• Roleplaying Events: Casual and Lore
• Monthly Challenges
• Hall of Rainbow Roses

[SalyaDarken]

General Rules of the RP Section

General Rules:

1. The same rules and code of conduct that apply to the rest of the Tainted Fantasy Forums apply to the RPG. For a copy of the Forum Rules and Code of Conduct, click here.
2. Role-players and members of the RPG must be active members or participants of non-RPG areas of the Tainted Fantasy Forums.
3. All Role-plays can be M or lower.
   • Sexual Rps must be marked with (MA) in the title of the RP.
4. No god-modding, power playing, or meta-gaming allowed.
5. Keep OOC (Out of Character) talk in role-playing posts to a minimum. Use the code below to tag all OOC posts that occur in RPing threads; do not post OOC-only posts in RP threads - post OOC-only posts in the OOC thread for your rp.

   Code: Select all

   [spoiler=OOC]Your OOC message[/spoiler]

6. Once your partner(s) has reacted to one of your In-Character posts, you are not to go back and edit your post to change the flow of the RP.
7. Specific posting orders and activity rules are not required in roleplay threads unless outlined in that thread's OOC board, but please be courteous. Please refrain from double-posting. Remember that sometimes fancy color tags and fonts aren't easily read on all computers. And don't hold up a roleplay for three weeks because they are waiting on you to post.

Consequences for choosing to break a Roleplay Section Rule.

1. First Offense The member will be contacted via PM by a staff member regarding the violation. This PM will be considered a warning.
2. Second Offense If the same violation continues to occur or a separate violation occurs, then the member will be contacted by a staff member via PM regarding this violation and a second warning will be issued. At this stage, two things will happen:
   (1) the member will be placed on a temporary one week probation* from all role-plays, including games and events. Their characters will be treated as NPCs until their return. *in this sense, probation means that the member will not be allowed to post in the roleplaying sections of the Tainted Fantasy Forums, but will still have access to and may post in the rest of the Tainted Fantasy Forums.
   (2) the member will be requested to join the Writing and Roleplaying Guild and sign up for a Roleplaying Mentor; their mentor will be advised of their situation, and will create exercises for the member to complete in an attempt to improve areas of concern brought forth through the violations the member has. If they complete all exercises successfully and demonstrate an understanding of the issues they had, why it is important to fix them, and how to go about not making the same violation again, they may be allowed to end their probationary period early.
3. Third Offense If the same violation continues to occur or a separate violation occurs, then the member will be contacted by RP staff member via PM. At this stage, the member will be placed on a temporary two week ban from the Tainted Fantasy Forums - the entire site. As before, their characters will be treated as NPCs until their return.
4. Final Offense At this stage, the member will be banned from the Tainted Fantasy and given further instruction by RP Staff member or SalyaDarken via the email the member's account is registered with.

*** If warranted a serious offense, the member may be temporarily banned from the Tainted Fantasy forums or given further instruction by RP Staff member

[SalyaDarken]

Story-lines of the Tainted Fantasy Roleplaying Section
"Story-lines" are what we call our different roleplays - each separate plot run by our members is considered a "Storyline". They are still sandbox and such, but written like a story more then a simple RP.

General Notes on Story-lines

1. All Story-lines, plots and such can be talked about in their OOC threads or in PM. If you want your story-line to add to the lore of a planet, then talk with the RP staff and see if it would work.
2. There are two types of Story-lines: Relaxed and Lore based. Each as their own general set of rules to followed; read below for more information on either type.
3. If RP staff said it was okay to be used for Lore, mark it in the first post of the RP.
4. Also in the first post of your roleplay thread, include:
   a) a link to your OOC Thread (if you have an OOC thread; note, your OOC thread should be created before your story-line is submitted)
   b) a list of characters and their respective players (character names linked profiles are encouraged but not mandatory)
5. Once your first post is in place and the character profile players intended to use are approved (see process below), you can start posting in your storyline!
6. Remember: Roleplaying Moderators and Staff Members will be reading through and enjoying your roleplay; all roleplay rules outlined above are to be followed without exception.

Notes on Storyline Activity

Story-lines are expected to be active - to be posted in and played on a regular basis. If a storyline is thought to be going inactive (hasn't seen a new post in a few weeks), the Moderator of the story's section will bump the board with a note on the story-line's waning activity level. This time limit varies depending on the number of roleplayers in the storyline:

• 2 players: 45 days of inactivity
• 3+ players: 30 days of inactivity

After this warning is given, you will have one week to continue the story with an in-character post, or the storyline will be moved to the Graveyard.

The Graveyard

The Graveyard is where inactive story-lines go to rest in peace (er, we use it to keep the boards clean XD). But don't worry! If you goofed and accidentally let your rp go inactive and want to revive it, RP Staff can reverse their magic and bring your storyline back to life! You just have to Make a Request.
Once your storyline is revived, any Moderator inactivity warnings will be removed, and you can continue posting as normal!

The Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame is an area in the Roleplaying Section wherein story-lines are moved upon their completion: when their plot has ended and their players have wrapped up the story to their liking. We move story-lines to this area to show them off, to congratulate players for their hard work and dedication, and to provide readers who are looking for a completed work a place to peruse and read at their leisure.

When story-lines are moved to the Hall of Fame, ???, the Roleplaying Section's Graphics staff Member, will make a bumper and/or a Tainted Fantasy signature for the storyline, styled after its theme or main characters, and will add it to the first post of that storyline for players to claim and use as they would.

Players of story-lines residing in the Hall of Fame may, if they wish, opt to have their storyline turned into fanfiction.... How to do this is unknown right now.

[SalyaDarken]

Character Profiles
Character Profiles are descriptions of the characters a roleplayer intends to use - they could be a general profile to be used in all in-universe story-lines, or a specific profile created for a specific storyline. Before posting in a storyline, you have to take care of some paperwork to 'legalize' your character in our planning forums.

General Notes on Character Profiles

1. All Characters must be posted in their owner's character thread. There is no need for RP Staff to look over them, since members are allowed to make as many OCs that they like.
   a) Canon Character Profiles are to be posted in the Canon Character board and are reviewed and approved by ??? RP staff member.
2. All photos used for characters must be PG.
3. Use any Profile layout that you like.
4. If wondering what is allowed as far as characters go, here's the list: All kinds of animals, Magical beings, Mythical animals and beings, Humans, Animal Hybrids, Faeries, Mermaids, Dragons, Robots and Artificial Intelligence, Cyborgs, Dwarves, Orcs, Elves and more.
5. What Fandoms are allowed? All of them.

Why are Profiles Required?

1. Organizational Purposes so we, and other players, know who likes to play who and can look into recruiting you for future roleplays.
2. Knowledge so players can get to know their characters better
3. Accountability to remind players to keep in character

Non-Player Character (NPC) Information
NPC's are non-player characters (as opposed to player characters, or PC's). While Player characters have a roleplayer behind them directing their actions and thoughts, non-player characters generally do not. Player Characters must go through the profile approval process outlined above, while NPC's do not, as their roles are generally side or supporting roles and are used to advance the plot in some way and then usually disappear from the story.
Typically, NPC's are controlled by the storyline creator, but, if stated in the OOC for the storyline, anyone in the roleplay can control them.
At the Tainted Fantasy Roleplaying Forums, we typically treat NPC's thusly:

Any player can control an NPC, but they could never be them - like we don't write for them but we can write about what they do.

Like you can have them speak and whatnot, just can't be in their minds.

For example, having an NPC waiter/waitress take your order and then describing that they went and got it and returned would be using the NPC, going into her motive behind her actions, her thoughts as she got the food, etc., would not be NPC. NPCing a victim of a tragedy may have them tell the rest of the group what they had gone through, and maybe point out the next objective for the group, but going into their backstory, their feelings, or their thought-process would not be NPC. Generally, you show what NPC's do, not explain why they are doing it.

If an NPC goes beyond the realm of being an NPC - for example, a player goes too far into their heads, making them a feature rather than an accessory - we will request that the player either a) revise their post or b) make a profile and turn the NPC into a PC within one day of the post being made.

If multiple in-depth posts (i.e., posts told from the "NPC's" perspective) are made and it is obvious that the NPC is being treated as a PC by the player, the player will receive a warning for posting in a storyline without an accepted profile.

Players that go on LOA and leave instructions for another person to "control" their character generally means to treat their character as an NPC, else assure that their character is not left behind if the setting keeps moving - it does not give permission for another player to roleplay as their character without an approved profile.

[SalyaDarken]

Types of Roleplays: Relaxed and Lore based
We have two general types of roleplay scenarios for players to enjoy: Relaxed (Simple RPs that is just for fun.) and Lore based (Rps that add lore to said planet or place.).
*Remember, the General Rules are to be followed in all story-lines, regardless of Relaxed or lore Status

Relaxed Roleplay Rules

1. All roleplaying posts must be written in the third person limited narrative styling (no first person posts), and must be easily understood by players and readers.
2. Players wishing to play in a Relaxed Storyline must have their chosen character's posted in their OC thread.
3. Players playing Canon Characters will be expected to abide by the personality traits that they outlined.
4. All Relaxed RP Threads (OOC, Storyline Submission, Character Profiles, and RP Threads) must be tagged [Relaxed].

Lore Roleplay Rules

1. All roleplaying posts must meet a minimum of 100 words per post, be made in the third person, and must aim for correct grammar and spelling.
2. All Lore based RPs must be approved by RP staff before going on.
3. Players must have their Ocs picked out for the said RP. Players playing a Canon, must check with Staff first, since some canons are limited to their own planets.
4. All Lore RP threads (OOC, Storyline Submission, Character Profiles, and RP Threads) must be tagged [Lore].

[SalyaDarken]

Roleplaying Events: Casual and Lore
Events are special story-lines run by Roleplay Administrators or ??? Stamp Holders; there are two very different kinds of events with different rules, expectations, and activity levels for players. These types and expectations are laid out below:

Casual Events
These events are the best way to dip your toes into the RP section. If you've ever been curious about joining us here, a Casual Event is the perfect way to try it out!

Casual Events are easy-going and fun, with no profile or posting requirements. They take place in the Casual Events Section.

1. Duration:
   >Casual Events can vary in length, which will be determined in the sign up thread. These lengths can be anywhere from a weekend burst to a month-long endeavor.
2. General Rules:
   >Although Casual Events are meant to be care-free playgrounds, there are still a few things you should try to keep in mind whilst participating:
   > Follow the General Rules of the RP Section
   These rules are the go-to rules that every roleplayer should know. Despite its more casual approach, these events still use the same rules as all other RPs.
   > Be mindful of other players!
   Casual Events are often big and full of many different players, which is always fun and part of the charm! However, we want to make sure everyone has a chance to play. We don't want anyone to get left behind! It's great to be enthusiastic towards the event, but if you notice that you are posting very often and very quickly, try to take a break and give the other players a chance to catch up to you! It's no fun to play alone, after all.
   >Read all posts!
   Make sure to read all of the previous posts before you make your next one! This ensures that you don't miss out on something vital, and can help to keep your character from missing out on some fun interactions or appearing rude by accidentally ignoring others!
   >Keep an eye out for event goals!
   The event host will often post a goal for everyone to reach for throughout a certain period of time. This is normally depicted in a quote box to make it stand out a little more! These are generally guidelines to try and help move the plot along, but they are not mandatory to complete.
   >Try to remain active!
   Keeping a regular posting regimen helps keep the flow of the event going strong! And your character plays a vital part! Of course, things can come up and hinder you from posting, and there's nothing wrong with that. There's no penalty for dropping out, and you can join back in when you have time. If possible, please let the event host know, or post in the OOC thread for the event!
3. Requirements:
   There are no requirements to join in a Casual Event. No need to worry about profiles or word counts, just have fun exploring your character with everyone else.

Examples of Past Casual Events: none

Lore Events
Lore Events are special Events that add big parts into the lore of the planets. They will add new areas for future RPs to play with, as well as kill off older characters that players don't like anymore. (thou, they can be revived* in Lore events as well.)

1. Duration:
   >All Lore Events are Monthly events, unless a problem arises with the host, in which case the event will be extended for the number of days the host was absent.
   >If the storyline is not resolved within a month's time, the mission fails. And it won't be added to the Lore.
2. General Rules:
   >All roleplay rules and TF rules apply.
   >Activity Rule: Participants are required to post within 24-48 hours or will be removed from the event (their characters will either be lost or replaced).
   >Random Events may be introduced into the story if all players are active within the OOC chat or on the boards; Random Events are storyline plot events in which players will have a limited time to respond before consequences are enacted; each will come with a caveat in that if you cannot respond within the given time-frame, you may request another player's character take your character with them (if movement is required).
   >Consistency Rule: All players are held to the understanding that they will pay attention to the story flow, taking note of roleplay elements (situational - who's talking to who, where people are located, etc) and event elements (their HP, MP, the placement of others on the map, etc.). If a player derails the event with inconsistencies, consequences will occur.
3. Requirements:
   >Character Profile - Participants are required to have their character's profile submitted to their OC thread and approved before the event begins.
   >Word Requirement - Lore Events require minimum 100-word posts. (Those RPs are the only ones that have word limits.
4. Additional Elements:
   >Certain Events officially happen within the said planet and so can be added to character's histories, instead of just their Storyline Information sections. Participating in these events, whether playing an original character or a canon character, can have consequences within this timeline we're creating together - characters can become famous, can make enemies and allies, and can, through storyline events, grow and develop as characters and let that development follow them through the overarching plot. The current character event train is as follows: None right now

Note, therefore, that choices have consequences in these games. Characters can die in these events if killed. (in some circumstances), and therefore will not be allowed back into the chain after that event and players who set stories in their character's 'future' may stipulate that a 'dead' character not participate because in their character's canon, that character is dead. This does not happen often. Unless the Rare Death Goddess event bring the said character back to life.

Rare Death Goddess Event?

In this event, the Goddess of death, played by our admin, Salya, will revived a dead character. The said dead character will be revived and will be allowed to come back to the chain RP, but they will have to wait a few ingame days or so before coming back.
How to get this event to happen? Salya will PM the character's owner and ask if they want their character to live again for future Lore rps. If so, then she will make a post in the Lore RP that the character dead in, letting others know that that character is back, but the owner will need to ask the RP master when is the best time to use the character again.

[SalyaDarken]

Monthly Challenges
Every month on the fifth, during the Roleplay Town Hall Meeting, the Roleplaying Head Staff member will issue challenges to the roleplaying community; these challenges range from easy-peasy to woah-that's-tough, and usually focus on a theme, activity levels, storyline completion, or goals. Participating in these monthly challenges is not mandatory, but we encourage everyone to check them out to become more involved in the section! Participation in or successful completion of these monthly challenges can earn players Roleplay Activity Card Points (by the truckload depending on what you do!) and beautiful bumpers to display in your signature, not to mention the bonds you've created through banding together with people when roleplaying!

Monthly Challenge Archive
Click on the award bumpers below to check out past RP Challenges, and remember to keep an eye out in the RPG Announcements Section on the 5th for the next Challenge! You can easily spot challenges by their [RP Challenge] tag, and each challenge is color-coded to the month they're attached to!

None right now

Challenges and Challenge Complements are put together by the RP Staff Team during our monthly meetings; however, if you have an idea for a monthly Challenge or Challenge Theme, we'd love to hear from you!