MOD-post!
The rules of the rpg have been revised, and can be found on the info page.
Here is a long, explained version of them. A bit like a FAQ, but without the questions... if that makes sense. ;-)
About the game, general
The game is currently open for applications, a list of the characters that we need the most can be found here. Please read the rules and guidelines before applying; players will be expected to abide by them.
This is a dark game, very slash-friendly, although het isn't frowned upon. We have an overall game-plot that sometimes may override characters' sub-plots. The game contains adult themes, including violence, sex, abuse, torture, incest, homosexual encounters.
The game is what is called an advanced rpg. That means that players are required to make up their own sub-plots for their characters in the game. Sub-plots must be discussed and ok'd by the mods and any other characters that may be involved in or affected by it. We don't want different plots interfering with each other, or cancel each other out. It makes for smoother playing and interaction. The major focus of the game is on plot and character development, rather than relationships. Relationships are fine, and part of the game, but should not be a character's sole focus. A student shouldn't forget his or her studies.
Since this is a dark rpg, and there is a war going on, characters may die. Character deaths will be discussed with the Mods before they occur though. If it's important for the game plot that a certain character dies, the player will be approached. It doesn't mean that we want you out of the game, that you're a bad player, or anything like that. No character will be killed off without the player's permission, and will be offered to have the character just get very hurt, to stay on as a ghost, or to take up a different character.
A player may be approached by a Mod to be asked to have a character do certain things or act in a certain way, for the sake of the game plot. We will try to make sure that this isn't something that would be OOC for this character. We're certainly willing to discuss the manner in which this can be done, but we do need the cooperation of the players to make this game interesting and to advance the game plot.
Follow canon. The setting is AU, but we follow the books up until book 5: The Order of the Phoenix. We want players to follow canon as much as possible in regards to character personality, looks, family, behaviour etc. One exception may be the character's sexual orientation, but please think the background for it through; Lucius Malfoy isn't going to be 100% gay all of a sudden, since he's married and has a son. Please note that even though slash relationships are not seen as controversial in the game, they may well be considered so in the context of the fictional universe, so characters can get into trouble with families or society because of it. Also remember that most pureblood characters won't have a great and detailed knowledge of the muggle world.
The mods are very familiar with the books and so are other players, and people will notice if a character deviates too much from the personality given to it by JKR. We're aware of the fact that many of the minor characters have little to no description in the books, and players are of course free to develop these, but do keep to the character description you have given in your application. If you don't stay true to your character, you may be asked to step down.
The game plot and various other integrated facts and themes of the game will not change after the release of Book 6. We will follow the line that we drew up when the game began. However, if there are some facts and background stories that we can incorporate, we will try to do so.
Relationships between characters are sure to develop as the game progresses, and slash is encouraged. However, since we follow canon as much as possible, some relationships will be difficult to accept without proper playing and building up over a great deal of time. Harry/Draco or Harry/Snape would be two such examples.
All relationships should be built over time. Just because two characters have interacted once, or even had sex once, doesn't mean that they're a couple or in love. If these things are rushed it will lose all credibility and semblance of realism. Besides, what is left to rp after that? Go slow, keep it realistic. Remember that a 16 year old may yet have to get his or her first kiss.
Another note on relationships for this game:
Adult/student relationships are tricky. They do occur in the real world, but we'd like them to have a proper background, to have the where's and why's and how's of it explained and preferably played out. It's not going to just happen. The teachers at Hogwarts aren't all paedophiles that jump at any chance to shag a student. There's a lot at stake if they get caught.
Please run any incestual or cross-generational relationships by the Mods before pursuing them, and be prepared to defend your reasons for wanting these pairings, because we will ask. They will also have to be developed over time, through careful rp'ing. Realism is the key here; a teenager will only rarely act upon a crush on a teacher for example.
There will be no free use of drugs or alcohol at our version of Hogwarts. It's a boarding school and they have strict rules about these things. Illegal substances would be very difficult to come by, and trips to Hogsmeade are monitored by teachers and other adults. The rules that apply to Hogwarts in the books will apply in the game as well, and points will be taken for breaking them and detentions will be given.
Please use proper spelling and grammar when playing. There will be no smilies or netspeak allowed.
No flaming! Be nice to each other. If your character doesn't like another character, make sure that the player knows it's not personal. We're a small group at the moment, and very big on hugs, so it's good to make such things clear. If you have a problem with another player, or feel there is a problem with someone, contact one of the Mods, and we'll try to sort it out. If you have a problem with another player who makes your character's actions for you (aka godmodding), please bring it to the attention of the Mods. It's preferable if you have tried talking to the person in question first though. The Mods have invested a lot of time and inspiration into this game, and we won't see it self-destruct over player-issues. So don't annoy or harass people, or you will be talked to and may be asked to leave the game.
The Mods are the people who run the game. What they say goes. Arguing with the Mods won't earn you any points and won't be tolerated. They're here to make sure the game runs smoothly, and have to look at the bigger picture sometimes.
Each player is allowed to play up to three characters, but only if the player is seen to have enough time for it, and also keeps up with the game with no problems. If a player doesn't have time to read up on the game before posting, or can't post at least twice a game week for his or her character(s), then the player should consider resigning a character, or may be asked to resign. Such a player can of course re-apply to the game at a later date, when time allows more playtime.
If a player doesn't take part in the game for more than two weeks without having given a reason or notified one of the Mods, a warning email will be sent. If there is no reply to this, we will have to consider the character open for applications. We're a small rpg, all players need to be active.
A character may not do anything to or involving another character (aka godmodding) unless it's with that player's permission. Talk plots over with all affected players, and if needed also check with the Mods so it's ok. You control your own character, but none others. Please give the other players a chance to react themselves, and preferable through discussing the intended plot or scene beforehand. This is also to make the game run smoother, and not only to avoid pissing other players and/or Mods off. If an rp thread isn't finished before a day change, the characters can still post and play the next day using the agreed upon knowledge of the day before.
Playing the game
We would prefer if your character's LJ is set so that only those on the character's friends list can comment on your posts. You find this option in the 'edit info' page for the LJ in question. It keeps random people not part of the game from commenting on the rp.
Place the community and the other characters' LJs on your character's friends list, and update it when new characters join the game. Don't add other LJs or other communities to the flist, and don't join other communities with the character's LJ. It's to be used for this rpg only.
Roleplaying is done in the community LJ or via AIM/YM/MSN/ICQ/IRC. Here logs of rp session, OOC statements, MOD-Entries and public entries, or narratives (ficlet-style posts or rp-entries with tags) are posted. The personal LJ's are for private journal entries in 1st person. Other characters in the game can't read these unless the Journal is clearly stated being left out on the bed for instance. If it is, then a person with access to it can read entries if they are not labelled private, hexed, jinxed, etc.
The character's LJ is for the character's thoughts, personal writings and inner ramblings. This is written in first person. Please refrain from posting any quiz results, polls, etc., in them. The community is where narratives are posted, and also rp logs, these are written in third person.
Private owls are posted in the community LJ, and the message should be kept behind a lj-cut (< lj-cut text="Private owl to X" >). Private messages directed at one or more recipients in public entries should be marked as such [ to recipient's name] the message here [/recipient's name].
If a private journal entry is labelled Private, no one but the owner of the journal can see it, not even if the Journal is dropped on the floor and that page pops up. Please respect this rule, your character can't know info that hasn't been shown to him or her.
When you post a Narrative (aka an rp post, or a ficlet-style post) in the community, it's preferable if you specify who can participate. Ways to do this are: [tag: characters the post is open to] or [locked to X and Y]. Otherwise it is open for everyone or anyone to respond to that passes by or could logically be around. If you post a ficlet-style narrative and don't want anyone to comment, you can disable comments to that post. Please specify the date, the time and the location where thes posts take place. A narrative is always written in third person, with speech between double quotes.
OOC (Out of Character) posts are only allowed in the community LJ if you need to make an announcement, either regarding absence from the game, to give a pointer to an rp post that replaces a holding post, or something similar. If in doubt, ask a Mod. When posting an OOC entry, please state that it is OOC in the topic line, and put it between double brackets: ((text)) or [[text]]. Our sister-community m_d_ooc is another good place to post OOC things.
Use LJ cuts when necessary. This includes any posts, threads, or RP logs rated R or NC-17. All RP threads and logs should include the characters involved, setting, a descriptive short text, and an appropriate rating, with the rest behind an LJ cut. If a thread hasn't been initially intended to turn to one of these ratings but does so in comments, please use the edit function and make the necessary changes to the post.
Some threads can take a long time to play out, and may well continue long after the day has changed. You could even find yourself still playing out an rp thread three weeks after it was originally started, perhaps due to its length, or due to player time zones. Meanwhile, the game as a whole hasn't stopped, and you may find yourself also playing out later events. In those threads and rp's your character are aware of what happened in that first thread, and will act accordingly. This is why it's such a good idea to know beforehand where a particular rp scene or thread is going to end, what will happen in it. You may need that info later.
A messenger service, such as AIM or Y!M, can be used for one-on-one rp sessions. The logs can then be posted in the community on the appropriate date and time. Some rp's can be talked over with the other player(s) and then the characters act and post in their private LJ's as if the event took place. Not everything has to be played out in detail. This is good for playing out longer sessions and also if players have the time to rp in advance. But please keep in mind that before the rp is posted, it hasn't happened in the game, and the characters can't know about it, or act as if it has. To rp things too long in advance may cause some awkwardness as well, in case other things happens that affect the characters or the events during the days leading up to the logged rp session. If the Mods detect a problem with this it will have to be addressed.
Try to post things roughly at the time of the game day it happens. This means that we prefer players to not post an rp thread or log that takes place in the afternoon or evening as soon as the day has changed. Logically, events that take place in the morning should be posted first. If your character has several rp sessions during that day, do try to post them in order as well, and at the appropriate time. Not many characters have a timeturner. Look at this as reading a story, no one expects the chapters to be jumbled, nor the paragraphs within a chapter to be jumbled either. If your character is supposed to be at a group meeting with other characters and you know that you will arrive late, try to arrange with other players or a Mod so that they can mention your character in their own comments, or perhaps even post for you.
If a rp log isn't done when it's time to post it, you can put up a holding post. That's a post in the community holding the space for the log that you can post later there, using the edit function, replacing the holding text. When a holding post goes live (i.e. is replacedby real content) please post either an OOC post stating this, with a link to it, or post in m_d_ooc about it. The samegoes with backdated entries of you have had to make one. Backdated posts don't show up on f'lists, so please make a visible post about it too.
Don't do anything to another player's character without first consulting the player and get their permission. Discuss scenes and plots with the involved characters' players before you play it. Not doing that is what is called godmodding or power playing, and is not acceptable. We want everyone to have fun and get a chance to get their characters to experience what the players have planned for them, but within reasonable limits. If the plot or scene is major, or it's otherwise stated in the rules that you need to, contact a Mod and talk it over with her. Planned out rp's usually run much smoother and there will be less time used for trying to think of a response when all players involved knows in what direction the encounter leads. This is particularly true about rp's such as fights, misbehaviour, detentions, punishments, torture... and also relationships. We're not saying you need to plan out a conversation in the library, student to student, three weeks in advance. But events that have some kind of impact on one or more of the involved characters should be ok'd first.
Even though we all, as players, can see what the other side is doing, doesn't mean that your character knows it. Omniscience is only for God... and the Mods :) which right now is ldybastet.
Sexual encounters are very much allowed, since this is an adult rpg, but do keep it realistic. If your character is very shy, it's not very probable that he or she would jump into a one-time-only shag without any build-up to it. Relationships are built over time, and with characters who are 16 year old, it would have to be very unusual with behaviour more suited to an adult with much more experience. Let the teenagers be teenagers and give them time to explore and fumble around. Smut should not be the sole purpose to join this rpg, and if the Mods feel that is the case, or that a player is running the risk of focusing only on that, the player will be confronted about this, and may be asked to leave. Any R or NC-17 material must be properly labelled and put behind an lj-cut.
There will be a way to earn and lose House points in the game, but that is still under revision.
Leaving the game or taking a break
If you for some reason have to take a break from the game, or you know you will be unable to participate for a while, contact the Mods, either through email, or by posting an OOC note in the community stating this. If this absence is known some time ahead, it would be good if you could work it into the game plot somehow - the student has to go home for a few days for some reason, the adult character is away on a business trip...
We'd like players to post at least two entries a game week for their characters. If you're unable to do this you have to contact the Mods. If you don't, and there are a few weeks without a post from the character, there will be a warning email sent to you. Should that go without reply, you will be seen as having left the game and your character is up for applications.
A player who is found to disrespect the rules or the Mods will be asked to leave the game. A player who goes against the rules will be reminded of them, further violations will be seen as a disrespect for them, and he or she will be asked to leave. Refusing to resign after being asked to will result in being excluded from the game. Things can be done nicely, or less so.
Should you wish to leave the game, please contact one of the Mods, so we are made aware of this. It would be nice if you also handed over the character's LJ to the Mods, so that the next player don't have to create a new one, and the rp background can be kept intact.
Final notes
The rules aren't written in stone, since we aren't truly omniscient and omnipotent. We can't foresee everything that happens, and the rules may be subject to change and growth as we play.
Remember that no one is forced to play with you, it's all up to the different players. You may be seeing a certain pairing as absolutely natural, but the player of the other character may not. If you feel concern about a situation where another player doesn't seem to want to play with you, feel free to contact a Mod and we'll look into the matter. Sometimes it's a question of miscommunication, sometimes there are other reasons, but do respect the other players' wishes.
Here is a long, explained version of them. A bit like a FAQ, but without the questions... if that makes sense. ;-)
About the game, general
The game is currently open for applications, a list of the characters that we need the most can be found here. Please read the rules and guidelines before applying; players will be expected to abide by them.
This is a dark game, very slash-friendly, although het isn't frowned upon. We have an overall game-plot that sometimes may override characters' sub-plots. The game contains adult themes, including violence, sex, abuse, torture, incest, homosexual encounters.
The game is what is called an advanced rpg. That means that players are required to make up their own sub-plots for their characters in the game. Sub-plots must be discussed and ok'd by the mods and any other characters that may be involved in or affected by it. We don't want different plots interfering with each other, or cancel each other out. It makes for smoother playing and interaction. The major focus of the game is on plot and character development, rather than relationships. Relationships are fine, and part of the game, but should not be a character's sole focus. A student shouldn't forget his or her studies.
Since this is a dark rpg, and there is a war going on, characters may die. Character deaths will be discussed with the Mods before they occur though. If it's important for the game plot that a certain character dies, the player will be approached. It doesn't mean that we want you out of the game, that you're a bad player, or anything like that. No character will be killed off without the player's permission, and will be offered to have the character just get very hurt, to stay on as a ghost, or to take up a different character.
A player may be approached by a Mod to be asked to have a character do certain things or act in a certain way, for the sake of the game plot. We will try to make sure that this isn't something that would be OOC for this character. We're certainly willing to discuss the manner in which this can be done, but we do need the cooperation of the players to make this game interesting and to advance the game plot.
Follow canon. The setting is AU, but we follow the books up until book 5: The Order of the Phoenix. We want players to follow canon as much as possible in regards to character personality, looks, family, behaviour etc. One exception may be the character's sexual orientation, but please think the background for it through; Lucius Malfoy isn't going to be 100% gay all of a sudden, since he's married and has a son. Please note that even though slash relationships are not seen as controversial in the game, they may well be considered so in the context of the fictional universe, so characters can get into trouble with families or society because of it. Also remember that most pureblood characters won't have a great and detailed knowledge of the muggle world.
The mods are very familiar with the books and so are other players, and people will notice if a character deviates too much from the personality given to it by JKR. We're aware of the fact that many of the minor characters have little to no description in the books, and players are of course free to develop these, but do keep to the character description you have given in your application. If you don't stay true to your character, you may be asked to step down.
The game plot and various other integrated facts and themes of the game will not change after the release of Book 6. We will follow the line that we drew up when the game began. However, if there are some facts and background stories that we can incorporate, we will try to do so.
Relationships between characters are sure to develop as the game progresses, and slash is encouraged. However, since we follow canon as much as possible, some relationships will be difficult to accept without proper playing and building up over a great deal of time. Harry/Draco or Harry/Snape would be two such examples.
All relationships should be built over time. Just because two characters have interacted once, or even had sex once, doesn't mean that they're a couple or in love. If these things are rushed it will lose all credibility and semblance of realism. Besides, what is left to rp after that? Go slow, keep it realistic. Remember that a 16 year old may yet have to get his or her first kiss.
Another note on relationships for this game:
Adult/student relationships are tricky. They do occur in the real world, but we'd like them to have a proper background, to have the where's and why's and how's of it explained and preferably played out. It's not going to just happen. The teachers at Hogwarts aren't all paedophiles that jump at any chance to shag a student. There's a lot at stake if they get caught.
Please run any incestual or cross-generational relationships by the Mods before pursuing them, and be prepared to defend your reasons for wanting these pairings, because we will ask. They will also have to be developed over time, through careful rp'ing. Realism is the key here; a teenager will only rarely act upon a crush on a teacher for example.
There will be no free use of drugs or alcohol at our version of Hogwarts. It's a boarding school and they have strict rules about these things. Illegal substances would be very difficult to come by, and trips to Hogsmeade are monitored by teachers and other adults. The rules that apply to Hogwarts in the books will apply in the game as well, and points will be taken for breaking them and detentions will be given.
Please use proper spelling and grammar when playing. There will be no smilies or netspeak allowed.
No flaming! Be nice to each other. If your character doesn't like another character, make sure that the player knows it's not personal. We're a small group at the moment, and very big on hugs, so it's good to make such things clear. If you have a problem with another player, or feel there is a problem with someone, contact one of the Mods, and we'll try to sort it out. If you have a problem with another player who makes your character's actions for you (aka godmodding), please bring it to the attention of the Mods. It's preferable if you have tried talking to the person in question first though. The Mods have invested a lot of time and inspiration into this game, and we won't see it self-destruct over player-issues. So don't annoy or harass people, or you will be talked to and may be asked to leave the game.
The Mods are the people who run the game. What they say goes. Arguing with the Mods won't earn you any points and won't be tolerated. They're here to make sure the game runs smoothly, and have to look at the bigger picture sometimes.
Each player is allowed to play up to three characters, but only if the player is seen to have enough time for it, and also keeps up with the game with no problems. If a player doesn't have time to read up on the game before posting, or can't post at least twice a game week for his or her character(s), then the player should consider resigning a character, or may be asked to resign. Such a player can of course re-apply to the game at a later date, when time allows more playtime.
If a player doesn't take part in the game for more than two weeks without having given a reason or notified one of the Mods, a warning email will be sent. If there is no reply to this, we will have to consider the character open for applications. We're a small rpg, all players need to be active.
A character may not do anything to or involving another character (aka godmodding) unless it's with that player's permission. Talk plots over with all affected players, and if needed also check with the Mods so it's ok. You control your own character, but none others. Please give the other players a chance to react themselves, and preferable through discussing the intended plot or scene beforehand. This is also to make the game run smoother, and not only to avoid pissing other players and/or Mods off. If an rp thread isn't finished before a day change, the characters can still post and play the next day using the agreed upon knowledge of the day before.
Playing the game
We would prefer if your character's LJ is set so that only those on the character's friends list can comment on your posts. You find this option in the 'edit info' page for the LJ in question. It keeps random people not part of the game from commenting on the rp.
Place the community and the other characters' LJs on your character's friends list, and update it when new characters join the game. Don't add other LJs or other communities to the flist, and don't join other communities with the character's LJ. It's to be used for this rpg only.
Roleplaying is done in the community LJ or via AIM/YM/MSN/ICQ/IRC. Here logs of rp session, OOC statements, MOD-Entries and public entries, or narratives (ficlet-style posts or rp-entries with tags) are posted. The personal LJ's are for private journal entries in 1st person. Other characters in the game can't read these unless the Journal is clearly stated being left out on the bed for instance. If it is, then a person with access to it can read entries if they are not labelled private, hexed, jinxed, etc.
The character's LJ is for the character's thoughts, personal writings and inner ramblings. This is written in first person. Please refrain from posting any quiz results, polls, etc., in them. The community is where narratives are posted, and also rp logs, these are written in third person.
Private owls are posted in the community LJ, and the message should be kept behind a lj-cut (< lj-cut text="Private owl to X" >). Private messages directed at one or more recipients in public entries should be marked as such [ to recipient's name] the message here [/recipient's name].
If a private journal entry is labelled Private, no one but the owner of the journal can see it, not even if the Journal is dropped on the floor and that page pops up. Please respect this rule, your character can't know info that hasn't been shown to him or her.
When you post a Narrative (aka an rp post, or a ficlet-style post) in the community, it's preferable if you specify who can participate. Ways to do this are: [tag: characters the post is open to] or [locked to X and Y]. Otherwise it is open for everyone or anyone to respond to that passes by or could logically be around. If you post a ficlet-style narrative and don't want anyone to comment, you can disable comments to that post. Please specify the date, the time and the location where thes posts take place. A narrative is always written in third person, with speech between double quotes.
OOC (Out of Character) posts are only allowed in the community LJ if you need to make an announcement, either regarding absence from the game, to give a pointer to an rp post that replaces a holding post, or something similar. If in doubt, ask a Mod. When posting an OOC entry, please state that it is OOC in the topic line, and put it between double brackets: ((text)) or [[text]]. Our sister-community m_d_ooc is another good place to post OOC things.
Use LJ cuts when necessary. This includes any posts, threads, or RP logs rated R or NC-17. All RP threads and logs should include the characters involved, setting, a descriptive short text, and an appropriate rating, with the rest behind an LJ cut. If a thread hasn't been initially intended to turn to one of these ratings but does so in comments, please use the edit function and make the necessary changes to the post.
Some threads can take a long time to play out, and may well continue long after the day has changed. You could even find yourself still playing out an rp thread three weeks after it was originally started, perhaps due to its length, or due to player time zones. Meanwhile, the game as a whole hasn't stopped, and you may find yourself also playing out later events. In those threads and rp's your character are aware of what happened in that first thread, and will act accordingly. This is why it's such a good idea to know beforehand where a particular rp scene or thread is going to end, what will happen in it. You may need that info later.
A messenger service, such as AIM or Y!M, can be used for one-on-one rp sessions. The logs can then be posted in the community on the appropriate date and time. Some rp's can be talked over with the other player(s) and then the characters act and post in their private LJ's as if the event took place. Not everything has to be played out in detail. This is good for playing out longer sessions and also if players have the time to rp in advance. But please keep in mind that before the rp is posted, it hasn't happened in the game, and the characters can't know about it, or act as if it has. To rp things too long in advance may cause some awkwardness as well, in case other things happens that affect the characters or the events during the days leading up to the logged rp session. If the Mods detect a problem with this it will have to be addressed.
Try to post things roughly at the time of the game day it happens. This means that we prefer players to not post an rp thread or log that takes place in the afternoon or evening as soon as the day has changed. Logically, events that take place in the morning should be posted first. If your character has several rp sessions during that day, do try to post them in order as well, and at the appropriate time. Not many characters have a timeturner. Look at this as reading a story, no one expects the chapters to be jumbled, nor the paragraphs within a chapter to be jumbled either. If your character is supposed to be at a group meeting with other characters and you know that you will arrive late, try to arrange with other players or a Mod so that they can mention your character in their own comments, or perhaps even post for you.
If a rp log isn't done when it's time to post it, you can put up a holding post. That's a post in the community holding the space for the log that you can post later there, using the edit function, replacing the holding text. When a holding post goes live (i.e. is replacedby real content) please post either an OOC post stating this, with a link to it, or post in m_d_ooc about it. The samegoes with backdated entries of you have had to make one. Backdated posts don't show up on f'lists, so please make a visible post about it too.
Don't do anything to another player's character without first consulting the player and get their permission. Discuss scenes and plots with the involved characters' players before you play it. Not doing that is what is called godmodding or power playing, and is not acceptable. We want everyone to have fun and get a chance to get their characters to experience what the players have planned for them, but within reasonable limits. If the plot or scene is major, or it's otherwise stated in the rules that you need to, contact a Mod and talk it over with her. Planned out rp's usually run much smoother and there will be less time used for trying to think of a response when all players involved knows in what direction the encounter leads. This is particularly true about rp's such as fights, misbehaviour, detentions, punishments, torture... and also relationships. We're not saying you need to plan out a conversation in the library, student to student, three weeks in advance. But events that have some kind of impact on one or more of the involved characters should be ok'd first.
Even though we all, as players, can see what the other side is doing, doesn't mean that your character knows it. Omniscience is only for God... and the Mods :) which right now is ldybastet.
Sexual encounters are very much allowed, since this is an adult rpg, but do keep it realistic. If your character is very shy, it's not very probable that he or she would jump into a one-time-only shag without any build-up to it. Relationships are built over time, and with characters who are 16 year old, it would have to be very unusual with behaviour more suited to an adult with much more experience. Let the teenagers be teenagers and give them time to explore and fumble around. Smut should not be the sole purpose to join this rpg, and if the Mods feel that is the case, or that a player is running the risk of focusing only on that, the player will be confronted about this, and may be asked to leave. Any R or NC-17 material must be properly labelled and put behind an lj-cut.
There will be a way to earn and lose House points in the game, but that is still under revision.
Leaving the game or taking a break
If you for some reason have to take a break from the game, or you know you will be unable to participate for a while, contact the Mods, either through email, or by posting an OOC note in the community stating this. If this absence is known some time ahead, it would be good if you could work it into the game plot somehow - the student has to go home for a few days for some reason, the adult character is away on a business trip...
We'd like players to post at least two entries a game week for their characters. If you're unable to do this you have to contact the Mods. If you don't, and there are a few weeks without a post from the character, there will be a warning email sent to you. Should that go without reply, you will be seen as having left the game and your character is up for applications.
A player who is found to disrespect the rules or the Mods will be asked to leave the game. A player who goes against the rules will be reminded of them, further violations will be seen as a disrespect for them, and he or she will be asked to leave. Refusing to resign after being asked to will result in being excluded from the game. Things can be done nicely, or less so.
Should you wish to leave the game, please contact one of the Mods, so we are made aware of this. It would be nice if you also handed over the character's LJ to the Mods, so that the next player don't have to create a new one, and the rp background can be kept intact.
Final notes
The rules aren't written in stone, since we aren't truly omniscient and omnipotent. We can't foresee everything that happens, and the rules may be subject to change and growth as we play.
Remember that no one is forced to play with you, it's all up to the different players. You may be seeing a certain pairing as absolutely natural, but the player of the other character may not. If you feel concern about a situation where another player doesn't seem to want to play with you, feel free to contact a Mod and we'll look into the matter. Sometimes it's a question of miscommunication, sometimes there are other reasons, but do respect the other players' wishes.