Rules

Verdict, like most roleplaying games, has a relatively strict set of rules that must be obeyed otherwise your account & character will risk a ban/termination. That being said, most of them are fairly self-explanatory, and as long as you abide by what makes sense for your character? You likely won't run into many speedbumps along the way. In Verdict, a particularly heavy degree of emphasis has been made in the rules for any sort of cheating- especially so for admin-related and admin-assisted cheating. Due to its propensity for trouble-making in related or similarly-genre'd games, it is handled very delicately and most admins caught in such situations will be almost immediately removed.

Things to Keep in Mind

Generally speaking, the average player will not run into problems with the rules listed below. If you find that you are continually encountering problems with them, understand that they were designed with the average player in mind, and what their ideal experience might look like- if you're killing newbies, causing random and OOCly pointless death/chaos, arguing with players and admins for hours on end, etc.? The rules were most likely not made with your ideal experience taken into consideration, and the administration has no intention to waver from that standard. Show your fellow players respect and you'll coast without issue.

This goes for admins, moderators, and any other with power as well- don't be a bully just because you have a spawn or edit command. You're held to higher standards than everyone else in the game, and if you decide to abuse that fact, you'll be demoted in no time. The best is expected of you, especially given that you're relied upon to judge and condemn other players who may or may not be either completely innocent or completely in the wrong.

The Rules

The rules will be split into a few different sections depending on which portion of the playerbase they're meant to impact. They'll be labeled accordingly, with the less-popular roles (such as administration) being placed toward the bottom as fewer people will need to review those periodically. The initial section, as should be fairly obvious by title alone, will fixate upon all players- admins, mods, etc. included- as it is a blanket statement for all Verdict roleplay.

Roleplay Rules

1. Inappropriate Roleplay will be removed from scene on-sight, and the perpetrator will be either warned or banned depending on the severity of the offense.

   'Inappropriate Roleplay' in this context will include all of the following:

   • Erotic Roleplay of any type or description, where 'Erotic Roleplay' is a roleplay which depicts intercourse or other sexual contact.
   • Nudity, while not explicitly 'inappropriate', must be done tastefully, and should support a narrative or point. Otherwise, it would fall under rule #1.
   • Torture Roleplay, while also not explicitly 'inappropriate', becomes inappropriate as soon as the recipient of said torture roleplay indicates they are no longer compliant. If the roleplay proceeds, they have a right to enact this rule themselves and forcefully terminate the scene.
   • Gore Roleplay of any kind inherits the same ruling as torture roleplay.
   • Birthing Roleplay is not considered 'inappropriate'. However, as with nudity, it should be done tastefully and outside of a public space. If either of these conditions are not followed, the roleplay becomes inappropriate. An excess of detail would qualify such a roleplay as not tasteful.
   • Bodily Fluids (including but not limited to: urine, feces, semen, and menstrual material) must never be mentioned in any roleplay, be it public or private. It will be regarded as the most inappropriate brand of erotic roleplay and likely result in the banning of the perpetrator(s).
   • Sexual Rape/Molestation RP, with an unwilling OOC partner, may be forcefully terminated by any involved or uninvolved party at any time. Sexual Rape/Molestation RP with a willing OOC partner must not be conducted in or around the game itself.
   • Drug Roleplay is not inappropriate as long as the drugs involved are lore-compliant. OOC (and thus ICly nonexistent) drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, etc. may not be used in the context of Verdict RP.
   • Prostitution Roleplay is permitted so long as the roleplay never delves into the acts themselves. A player or character may note that they are a prostitute but they may not describe the implication with any sort of excessive depth.

   Understand that while the above forms of roleplay are certainly prohibited (or not, depending on the specific case), they are likely not absent ICly. That being said, simply because these things happen ICly does not mean that it is allowed to happen OOCly. Rape, for instance, assuredly happens in any setting, but that doesn't make it acceptable for you to rape an unfortunate player OOCly. We understand this 'detracts' from full realism, but we also do not want that sort of full realism in Verdict RP.

2. Significant lore-breaking of any sort is punishable after repeat offenses as the administration deems fit.

   'Significant lore-breaking' in this context includes three primary sects:

   • 'God-modding', or deciding that your character is capable of something they are simply not. This is a loose category and does not apply to minor instances (e.g. overestimating the size of a fireball one could create)- it is reserved for when a player outright ignores the actions of another without significant level difference. Even then, said player should at least acknowledge said action(s). It is also applicable in outrageous cases (e.g. destroying entire towns or villages in a single post).
   • 'Metagaming', or pretending/acting as if your character is aware of knowledge that they are not. This can include basically any subject so long as a character should not be aware of something, but somehow is- regardless of that fact. Metagaming should be resolved specifically by seeing to it that the character roleplays correctly, without the metagamed knowledge in question.

     As a subsect of metagaming: any IC inclusion of LOOC chatter (e.g. taking something says about their character OOCly and using it against them ICly) is explicitly banned and can be refused/ignored by the victim of said act.

   • 'Time manipulation', or, in other words, deciding for other players what time it is ICly. As Verdict's timescale is too fast to be remotely 1:1 (it's something like 52:1 instead), it is up to players to decide the timing of a scene amongst themselves. Time manipulation is not as much of an issue as god-modding or metagaming, but it should still be understood that timing is something agreed-upon- not something one individual decides for everyone else.

3. A given scene, action, post, or roleplay may only be retcon'd if every participant is in agreement, or if a rule was broken in said post/act/etc.

   The exception to this rule is if a roleplay has been forced into escrow by continual invocation of the above. In such a case, the roleplay may be retcon'd. Players must not be held hostage with rule #3. Administration may also forcefully retcon a scene if it is time-pertinent and involved parties seem unlikely to reconcile quickly.

4. Players may not kill on their first encounter with another player.

   There are a few exceptions to this rather bold-faced rule. They are as such:

   • ECs are exempt and may be slain whenever they are encountered unless otherwise stated.
   • If a player is continually provoking another player after warnings, the provoked player may choose to kill the former without OOC consequence.
   • If a player requests that another player kill them (ICly), they may do so on first encounter if they so choose.

5. Attempting to fight and injure/kill another player must be done with good reason. If you intend to kill someone, both the reason for fighting and the reason for killing must be substantial enough to warrant the act.

   It is advisable that, in a situation where killing seems likely, another alternative is found. Unless you and another player have lots of story together, it's very, very unlikely that either of your deaths will add anything to anyone's story.

Gameplay Rules

1. Any cheating will result in a minimum of a one month ban, up to and likely including a permanent extension should the player not show remorse (or if this is a second occurrence).

   'Cheating' in the above context includes but is not limited to:

   • Bug abuse, wherein a bug is used intentionally. Reporting the bug while intentionally using it for personal gain qualifies as remorse, but does not exempt the player entirely from punishment.
   • Abusing admin error or courtesy (e.g. a responsibility given with the expectation that it would not be twisted).
   • Abusing admin privileges in any respect. This will be elaborated upon in the Administrative section.
   • Keeping/retaining temporary admin privileges intentionally.
   • Keeping/retaining temporary event items intentionally.
   • Lying OOCly to other players in an attempt to misguide them and stir trouble.

1. Attempting to harass another player will result in mutes, boots, or even bans depending on the level of severity. Any form of OOC stalking will result in a permanent ban from the game and Discord.

   'Harassment' in this context can be considered anything that makes another player expressly uncomfortable. Mind that this doesn't mean a player can feel uncomfortable and force someone else to be banned as a result- it is up to an admin to judge whether their claim is valid, and if so, how severe the punishment should be.

1. Noncompliance with administration in reference to a lawful request on their part warrants the purposeful and forceful determination of that request's completion.

   If an admin or moderator makes a request of you that does not go against the rules listed here or in their own sect, then you have violated rule #2 of this sect.

1. Consistent and unwarranted/unjustified complaints about game balance warrant a temporary and/or permanent mute depending on the situation.

   'Unwarranted/unjustified' in this context refers to:

   • Complaints made about an opponent's build after having lost fairly.
   • Complaints made about an opponent's ability after having lost fairly.
   • Complaints in general that're too baseless to be considered sane (e.g. if the complaint simply doesn't even reference modern/current/existing spells, it would be therefore unjust).

1. Attempting to claim that another player is cheating, breaking the game, or abusing some sort of system while they aren't is considered mid-tier harassment.

   'Mid-tier harassment' will result in a temporary ban from the game as punishment for attempting to slander an otherwise healthy player.