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Conduct & Realism
To keep this fun for everybody we have formalized some rules of etiquette, both in character and out of character.
The moderator is the judge on the in character "etiquette", the common sense rules that govern Tazlure. Regarding your conduct out of character it is the Gamedesigners who have the final say over whether a serious breach of this etiquette has been made or not.
Read more on this and the possible consequences in our Terms of Service. We will not repeat here what is clearly stated in there. In general we have a three strikes and you are out policy. This means that if you break the TOS or any of the rules repeatedly your account will be terminated and your IP banned. If the violation is serious enough we will not even wait till you do it again.
In Character Etiquette: Fun and Realism
Tazlure is a fantasy world, yet we like to follow the consequences of this setting in a logical fashion. This may be a game of heroes but there are certain guidelines and niceties that we observe. Our most important rules are In Character actions have In Character consequences and fantasy doesn't mean fairy tale. We belief that realism adds a nice touch to role playing, allowing us to explore the setting in depth.
There is a limit. This is Fantasy and not Real Life. Mundane repetitive things are boring. So that our final rule is: Role playing should be fun for everybody involved.
Dealing with the mundane parts of life
You can assume that all mundane things happen in the background and are on average successful. Living cost and salary are just taken for granted without counting out the banners. Taking a bath, buying a loaf of bread, sleeping etc. If you want to buy something straightforward from our equipment list you can simply add it to your shopping basket, even after you've entered the game. Playing that out would be rather boring and time consuming. However if you feel like using it as the background for some interesting role playing, by all means be our guest. Perhaps you'll have an interesting conversation with the baker. Or when you sleep a dashing rogue with a rose in his teeth will visit your bedside, who knows? See our advise in How to Play .
Membership of an Organization
If you want to be part of a specific organization or institution please contact the coordinator of that area before creating your sheet to hash out the details. Please realize that training will only happen in the background and our focus will always be on the stories we tell.
Starting your own shop, organization etc.
If you have any great, original plans for an organization or shop please contact the coordinator of that area before creating your sheet to hash out the details. There are a few things you must keep in mind though.
First of all you must have the skills necessary for your undertaking, and while can start as part of something we are not likely to allow you a huge adventage upon entering the game. Coordinators will also be looking out for something fresh and original that is not yet present in the game, nor has been done to death in other settings.
Secondly, there must be a real need for your shop, organization, guild etc.; a market so to speak. Otherwise you will just be competition to an existing set up. Remember that IC actions will have IC consequences. Starting a thieving or fighting guild without appropriate backup for instance is not recommended unless your PC has suicidal tendencies.
You can chose to do a shop as a supporter, running the NPC owner of the shop or organization. If that is what you'd like please contact your coordinator.
The Rudeness of Powergaming
Everybody wants to be a hero. But what is the fun in winning every time without meeting difficulties? Having the largest sword? Never feeling pain? Always mastering just the right skills? And even if you are having fun, for others it is pretty boring. They can but stand in the shadows of your shining presence, Assuming that you are invincible without any weaknesses is considered bad role playing, since it is illogical and self-centered.
Facing Law enforcement
Tazlure is a setting that does have laws and codes of conduct. It means that if your character breaks that law by doing something like:
* stealing
* ignoring or even attacking guards
* killing people
* mindlessly destroying property
the likelihood is that your character will encounter law enforcement. What kind of law enforcement depends on the region you are in. In King's Court it is most likely the Kingstone guards, in Dragons Keep its the DragonKnights, in the Citadel its the City Guards etc. And if your character is successfully captured judgment will be passed by what ever authority is appropriate.
Now this in no way is because we dislike your PC, but your IC actions have IC reactions and consequences. That is what role playing is about.
On ocassion you may face a situation where you disagree with the law, or where a Tyrant or a Crusade is leading to very unreasonable situations. People who are totally innocent have landed in dungeons on a mere whim. This depends on the storylines of the area, and is part of our sometimes harsh reality. We encourage you to resist these injustices and become a hero in your own story :)
Sex or Erotica
This is one of the most mature genres in Tazlure and can be found mostly in specific places like the Rose Guild, Pan's Isle, at Court in nearly all capitals etc. It mostly appeals to the older players, even though there is no age limit. Erotica is something else than porn. It should always be part of a plotline and thus serve a function. It is not just an excuse "to write dirty". Check the comfortzone of your moderator, and be sure to indicate your own (see below).
If you enter in this genre, please understand that no moderator is obligated to follow up on your wish no matter their comfortzone, and that we are unlikely to present you with one hot situation after another (if that is what you want, please visit pbem.com to find an adult game). It will have to fit among the other genres of your plotline, which means that it is likely bardic arts, political intrigue and general adventure are part of the mix of your storyline. Smut is fine... writing it badly is not !
Please realize that rape and other unvoluntary forms of sex, as well as a broad spread of sexual orientations are part of the reality of Tazlure. We're fantasy, not fairy tale. While we'll keep your comfortzone in mind in choosing to be more or less explicit in writing about it, your PC cannot always hope to escape this sometimes harsh reality.
Character Death
Most players don't want their character to die. Yet the risk of (near) death of your character and the tension it creates is part of what makes role playing interesting. So character death is a viable option in Tazlure, and in fact every year about 5% of PC's die during the course of their plotlines. However it will never be done lightly. There are several reasons why a Moderator might decide to let your character die.
1. Your character has been abandoned by you for a considerable time. Characterdeath is one of the options available to a Moderator to write your character out of the plotline.
2. You and the Moderator have both agreed that death is the most appropriate course of action for your character. This maybe for plotline reasons, or because you want to start a new character. Please note that deliberately killing off your character just to start a new one without consulting a Moderator will be considered bad role playing for lack of stamina and patience and may be reason to ask you to leave the game. If your character is killed for plotline reasons you and the Moderator might reach an agreement about starting your new character with an advantage.
3. You take a deliberate risk with your character for various reasons. It may be worth the risk (everlasting fame, incredible riches), it is for a good cause, in line with your character motivation etc. etc. But by doing so you know you might just die. A Moderator will try to be clear IC about this risk, but will apply our rule IC actions have IC consequences.
There can be no PC death without the coordination of a Moderator. If you seek another PC's death by open duel or secret assassination without contacting a Moderator first you will be considered a Power Gamer, impeding on the fun of others in the game.
If your PC dies you may start another one, and take two skilllevels that you accomplished with your dead PC with you and use them on a skill in the same category for your new PC.
Out of Character Etiquette: Courtesy
We expect all members of the Tazlure community to behave as mature adults, even those underage. Please be courteous in all your dealing with other players and with staff, and follow the directions in the Terms of Service regarding our rules of tolerance. Tazlure places importance on your own responsibility. Please do not engage in cyberpolitics, trolling, flamewars etc.
When Roleplaying becomes Harassment
Though romance is a big part of any role playing game not all players will want to take part all the time or with everybody. Please respect this. Incidents of (sexual) harassment, stalking etc. in or outside this game, no matter the medium used, will result in the banning of the offender from Tazlure and its associates.
We have defined several groups that sketch how you feel about getting involved in sensual scenes. You can list them in your profile. Remember that your moderator also has a comfortzone and might not be willing to go as far as you do and is never obligated to do so.
Group A:
I am uncomfortable with any sex scenes no matter the other person's age.
I would not allow my PC to enter a potentially erotic scene regardless of the circumstances.
Group B:
I am somewhat uncomfortable with erotic scenes no matter the other person's age.
I might allow my PC to enter a potentially erotic scene depending on the circumstances.
I would prefer it fade to black before the clothes come off
Group C:
I am somewhat uncomfortable with erotic scenes with persons not my own age.
I might allow my PC to enter a potentially erotic scene depending on the circumstances.
I would prefer it fade to black before the clothes come off
Group D:
I am somewhat comfortable with erotic scenes with persons my own age.
I would allow my PC to enter potentially erotic scenes
I prefer it fade to black sometime.
Group E:
I am somewhat comfortable with erotic scenes regardless of the other person's age.
I would allow my PC to enter potentially erotic scenes
I prefer it fade to black sometime.
Group F:
I am comfortable with erotic scenes with persons my own age.
I would allow my PC to enter potentially erotic scenes
I let my mod use only his own discretion and comfortzone.
Group G:
I am comfortable with erotic scenes regardless of the other person's age.
I would allow my PC to enter potentially erotic scenes
I let my mod use only his own discretion and comfortzone.
We also recommend that you add things like your real life age and themes you are genuinely interested in to you profile. It will help other players and more importantly staffmembers to understand what makes you tick and ensures you have a more pleasurable time in Tazlure.
Playing with Friends
There are a few common sense rules when you are playing with people you know in real life, or when players have been playing so long together that they have become increasingly familiar online.
Making co-written posts under one login
A big no-no. Make each post in turn. A conversation can quickly turn into an interesting thread that wouldn't have happened with co-written posts.
Making collective (private) threads
Please feel free. Everybody can start any thread they want to as long as they only describe things that are common sense on the board (a previously described landmark for instance) and usually there isn't any need for a moderator to continue. When in doubt contact one of us. Remember though that unexpected things may always happen and a private thread may not stay private. Moderators never sleep.
Making assumptions about the other character
It is only natural that over the course of time there will be several little assumptions in every friendship, relationship etc. Make sure you have consent between both PC's on what is an acceptable level of assumptions and keep it to little things such as an automatically accepted hug or kiss.
Covering for the other PC while the player is away
Only when previously approved by a moderator, and only in threads that involve other players as well otherwise you would be talking to yourself all the time.
In Character vs. Out of Character
You have both an in character (IC) and an out of character (OOC) presence on our boards. Keep your in character and out of character personalities strictly separate.
- Always mark out of characters remarks with the abbreviation OOC, resuming play by starting with IC.
- A pirate may be cursing all day long, but from the player we expect common courtesy and netiquette: no OOC profanity, no flaming, NO SHOUTING. Just be nice.
- All actions of your character must be logical in character. All attempts to give an unfair IC advantage to an OOC friend will be considered bad roleplaying. If you have a serious problem with somebody OOC , don't take it out on his/her character either.
- Out of character knowledge may not be used in character. The player might have figured out that he has been robbed by a thief in his party by reading the posts, but unless this information is apparent in character there is nothing he can do about it.
- Limit OOC remarks in your post to communications about the thread. Use the OOC board, e-mail, PM, chat and MSN for banter.
Tazlure chat is not part of the Tazlure forums. It is a completely OOC place, where you can hang out, talk to other players and ask questions of moderators. It has its own set of rules and any discipline exerted there has no relevance to play on the boards, though in case of gross violations you may be removed from the entire community.
Disagreement
If you disagree with another player over IC issues please submit your quarrel to the moderator or local Coordinator for moderation. All moderators have full authority to deal with these matters both IC and OOC in their own Game Environment.
If you disagree with the decision of a moderator please do not discuss this in detail on the forums. Take it to email, PM or MSN. If you are unable to reach an agreement you may appeal the decision with Tazlure Administration, a.k.a. the GDs. To protect your rights all moderators are bound to Rules of Conduct that you can find on our site in the Mod’s Charter.
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