ltsh_rules | The Rules of the Game

Part I - General

You're playing a character, but you are not your character, and your character isn't you.
You will probably have read things in threads your character wasn't in – or in plotting threads, or from other characters' canon, in IM sessions, etc., that your character isn't likely to know.

Don't make your character omniscient. We'd miss out on some fun misunderstandings and plot opportunities.

Your character will not get on with every other character. That does not mean that the players of those characters have anything against you or your character. It's part of the game. Imagine how boring the story would be if there never was any conflict. Please don't turn it into an OOC fight.

Edited 2010-04-03 09:29 (UTC)

You decide what your character does, thinks, feels. Other players decide what their characters do, think, feel. You can not dictate their reactions to your character – or what damage their characters take in a fight.

Likewise the use of pets or objects belonging to another character requires the permission of said character's player. There's contact information for everybody at (http://community.livejournal.com/safe_house_cast/profile)safe_house_cast (http://community.livejournal.com/safe_house_cast/). Use it.

Pets and objects left behind by a character that is currently without a player are fair game within reason, though. This means no killing or destroying them!

Edited 2010-04-03 09:32 (UTC)

You decide how much damage your character will take in a fight, but please keep it realistic. In a fight between a human and a Duke of Hell the human will not get away without a scratch unless someone more powerful steps in.

Be aware of what your character’s strengths and weaknesses are and how they would probably compare to those of the other characters around.

Remember that a character that is overpowering in every respect can get uninteresting very soon. Your character can only take a risk if there really is a chance of failure – and failure and your character’s reactions to it can be interesting as well.

Edited 2010-04-03 09:32 (UTC)

You start with one character, period.

Once you've been with the game for a while, and we know you're playing regularly, you can go through the same application process to take up a second, if you (and we) are convinced you can find the time to play two.

We do not hand out any thirds.

Edited 2010-04-03 09:33 (UTC)

Basically, any fictional character with a good enough excuse to be in modern day England that isn’t already taken is available.

Characters from completely different worlds like Discworld or times like Star Trek are hard to transplant to Lower Tadfield, but if you have a good idea how to explain it, you can still apply them. (Expect to be questioned about this idea, though. We don't bite, but we definitely bark.)

Derivative characters are okay if characterised well. Some angels and demons are only vaguely mentioned in Good Omens, or not mentioned at all, but it can be inferred from Judeo-Christian mythology that they exist in that world. Similarly, American Gods shows the American versions of some gods/characters from various mythologies and gives us a short glimpse of the Icelandic version of Odin. Therefore it can be assumed that other gods and versions from other countries exist as well. (Expect to be questioned about abilities, limits and characterisation when applying for such characters.)

Characters previously abandoned by another player can be adopted, but come with a certain baggage. Read their existing threads. (You might have to find explanations for a long absence and maybe changes in the way you play the character. It might make a nice first plot for you in fact.)

Please do not simply attach a character's name to your own original one.

Edited 2010-04-03 09:37 (UTC)

For legal reasons, currently nothing NC17 and up.

This may change when we have no underage players anymore.

Edited 2010-04-03 19:24 (UTC)

If you can no longer play, please don’t disappear suddenly without informing anybody and leave us wondering. Make a post on (http://community.livejournal.com/mad_prophecies/profile)mad_prophecies (http://community.livejournal.com/mad_prophecies/) and list your character as available in their contact info post on (http://community.livejournal.com/safe_house_cast/profile)safe_house_cast (http://community.livejournal.com/safe_house_cast/) If possible, make a last thread about them leaving Lower Tadfield for an indefinite amount of time.

If it’s okay with you to have a possible new player use your old account, please give the password to the mods. You can keep the account to yourself if you want, of course. If there’s a chance that you might return someday or play the same character on another RPG, that might be the best course of action.

If you do not make a post sending your characters away, the mods have the right to make one last post fpr your character - if necessary, from the NPC-account - to send him/her away to avoid the risk of having abandoned characters hung somewhere in the hallways.

Edited 2010-04-03 19:24 (UTC)

There is a chat open in the AIM Chatroom LTSHC (short for Lower Tadfield Safe House Chat) on the nights from Friday to Saturday each week. Participation is, of course, optional.
Drop by if you have a game question that should best be discussed with several people from the game, such as bigger plots, etc.. The chat may go into off topic areas, but remember that this is the game chat. People may drop by later and still have game questions to talk about. Do not leave them out. Do not ignore them.
Remember that the game-related questions take precedence. If necessary, take the off-topic things into a separate chat.

The Rules of the Game

Part I - General

You are not your character

Don't Godmod

Keep it Reasonable

Character Limit

Available Characters

Ratings

Abandoning Characters

Friday Chat