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Guild Roleplaying Guidelines

Disclaimer: We're fairly laid-back about Roleplaying Style, there aren't any terribly strict rules, we're easy-going on issues like spelling and grammar, as long as you put some effort into being easily understandable. wink These "Rules" overall are not hard-and-fast, they're instead, things you should keep in mind. And remember, we can make exceptions for your character in case of "Real life" issues, just please let us know!

Warning: This is VERY LONG. You can skim most of it if you like, just so that you have the gist of it. I apologize in advance for my verbal diarhea.


Guild Etiquette
This section is just basic manners, for the consideration of your fellow RP'ers.


-+- Stay Aware of the Guild -+-

Please check in on the Guild so you know what's happening. If your character has been assigned duties, or is being involved in something like a Meeting, Class, or Surprise Event, you really should know about it while it's happening and not just be a hapless backgrounder while the rest of us make important decisions without your input!

This is especially important if your character is of high rank. Lower-ranking characters should still keep track of things, if only to be in good habits.

If you have to be absent from the Guild for any extended period of time, please let us know, so we can put your character on "injury leave," or something similar.


-+-Don't Abandon People-+-

If your character is in a meeting or a conversation with other characters, and you must leave suddenly for more than a few moments, please excuse your character, and not just yourself, until you can return. This can be for any In-Character reason, such as "getting something to eat," "finding the jakes" or if you have a flit or dragon, "my flit or dragon needs me."

By doing so, you allow the other characters to go about their business, and not sit around on-hold until you can return to the computer.

Exceptions are made, of course, especially when the meetings are important!

-+-Do Not Borrow Other People's Personas/Dragons/Flits-+-
At least, not without their permission!

Using another person's character, having them do or say things that they didn't authorize, is called "God-Moding." When you God Mode, you pretty much become the bane of dedicated RP'ers, because you force events to go the way you want them.

This is why we do not allow "hear all dragons" characters; a HAD would, in a way, be borrowing the voices of other people's dragons. For example, if we had a HAD who heard my dragon say something completely inane, and I knew that my dragon would NEVER say something like that, I'd be quite angry, and would object to them hijacking MY dragon for their stupid power trip. stressed ... sweatdrop

As always, there are exceptions. If you ask permission to "borrow" someone's flit/dragon, and are agreed beforehand (it doesn't have to be visible in the guild, just so long as it IS agreed; just so that we don't have an angry person demanding you take back what you had their dragon do), then you can post a scene where you or your dragon/flit interacts with someone else's dragon/flit/character in some way or another.

Exceptions: Queen Dragons, especially Queens of the Weyrwoman, have the ability to control other dragons. If a Queen absolutely forbids a dragon to, for example, go between times, then by golly, no matter what the rider tries, their dragon will refuse. This is very seldom, and is used primarily in disciplinary matters and emergencies.


-+-Keep US Updated on your Character!-+-

Try to make at least one In Character post every week. Preferably more, especially if you're online and your character is available for interaction with other characters. That's what this guild is about, after all.

If you won't be available on Gaia for a while, or are experiencing internet/computer difficulties, put your character in a situation where they won't be around all the time. For older riders, this may include watch duty or sweep riding.

If you are going to be available on Gaia regularly, see if you can join an existing discussion, or if there is none, prompt one. Play a game, do something where your character is bored and looking for someone to talk to. If someone else is online, they may see your post and drop by to converse.



Scenario Guidelines
Just to let you know at least the gist of some things on Pern. I expect you should know at least the basics of Pern Itself, but possibly not all of the innards of RP'ing!

-+-When-+-
This is an Alternate Pern Timeline, at approximately 400 Turns before the events of Dragonflight. However, it being an alternate timeline, Oldtimers who exist in the Pern Books do not exist in this timeline, and many of their traditions are not valid in this Timeline.

-+-Where-+-
Pern, of course. Northern Continent, specifically Fort Weyr, Benden Weyr, and the Harper Hall. Excursions are made occasionally to other locations, but the three places I mentioned above are the focii of our Roleplaying.

-+-What?-+-
Okay, okay, Details.

In this Timeline, Flits are common; the population has been known to decrease dramatically from time to time--at least, the active-with-their-people population, the total numbers of flits are unaffected--but right now the Flit Population is on the rise again. The people most likely to possess Flits are Dragonriders; after Riders, Craftspeople, especially Harpers, have the most access to Flit Clutches, with a smaller flit-to-person ratios in Holds. The overabundance of flits to Dragonriders and the lack of flits in Holds has been a cause of some resentment of late.

There are very few sex-based roles. Men and women can apply to and be accepted in any craft, and Lady Holders run their Holds just as readily as any Lord.

There are other disparities between Hold and Weyr; Holders tend to be more strictly bound by their traditions, whereas Riders are a bit more free-spirited. Same-sex relationships are very much frowned upon by Holders; in fact, it seems they have a very Christian attitude, for all there is no god or religion on Pern. Riders, by nature of their relationship with their dragons, have to be more open-minded when it comes to physical relationships.



The Nitty Gritty!
Just some specific details that you should note.

-+-Telepathic Communication-+-
Dragons communicate with their riders in telepathic speech. Guildmembers often make their dragons' text a color that correspond's with the dragon's color, and sometimes italicize it. We need some way of seeing that it isn't your persona speaking, and colorizing text is the easiest way; there is a thread somewhere on suggested colors for dragon text.

Flits are much more simple-minded than their Dragons. They don't think in words, they think in emotions and image-impressions. If you have a flit, you are also encouraged to make their "thoughts" different.

Examples:

I am a blue dragon, and I am thinking at my rider.
"I am a rider, and my dragon just told me an amusing joke."
Funny! (a green flit's response to the joke; flits are not capable of sarcasm, but they do have healthy senses of humor.)

Dragon and flit intelligence are overall higher when the dragon's rank is higher. Gold Flits are much smarter than Green Flits. However, they are still very scatterbrained. In dragons, the difference is mostly in mental strength; Queen dragons can communicate with any other Queen dragon, whereas lower ranks can be limited by distance unless they have a strong bond with the dragon they're attempting to reach.

-+-Flights, Sex, and other Dragonriding Hazards-+-

Please be aware that we abide by Gaia's rules regarding sexually explicit content. Obviously, sex will be happening between characters, as our characters are usually consenting adults who live a livestyle that doesn't frown on such activities. However. We do NOT want to hear about it on Gaia. We do not want to see it on Gaia. Do not roleplay it on Gaia, nor tell us about roleplaying it! The extent of permitted "sexual activity" is implied after-the-fact situations, with no direct discussion of details in any way, whatsoever.

This is a Pern Guild. On Pern, Queens and Greens rise to mate, Queens about twice a year during a Pass, and Greens, whenever they feel proddy, which we hope can be limited to at least every two or three months. When a green or gold dragon rises, the rider is very much involved, to the point that they will wantonly sex up the rider of the dragon who catches their female. It's a fact of dragonrider life. If you can't handle it, please let us know, so you don't end up with a female dragon.

We don't expect your character to Weyrmate with the character whose dragon caught yours.

Do NOT solicit another guildmember for cybersex, be it flight-related or not. If a guild member solicits YOU for cybersex, flight-related or not, please let one of the Guild Crew know; punishment for this offense has not been determined, but I certainly HOPE it involves character death or dismemberment. stressed We also will notify Gaia's moderators of the user's activity.

I really hope this never becomes a problem, but I felt it necessary to post. We've got a good bunch here, and I would hate to see people get scared off by someone pressuring other members. stressed

People can also be strongly affected by Flit Risings, especially Queen Flits. However, it is up to the person to decide how strongly they want their flit to influence their actions.

-+-Draconic Growth-+-

Dragons take about three years to reach their "full" maturity. Even then, especially with some colors, they continue growing slowly for up to a decade. Draconic growth is also determined by the Rider. A strong-willed, intelligent, active rider means that their dragon is strong-willed, intelligent, active, and also is in excellent condition. In the Nature VS Nurture war, when it comes to Dragons, Nurture wins out. This also applies, to a lesser degree, to flits.

-+-Time-+-

Since it takes so long for dragons to reach their full growth, we are attempting to adapt a policy for the entire guild to "skip" dull periods of time where nothing much happens, so that the antsy Weyrlings can finally start on the more interesting aspects of RP'ing with their dragons--namely flying. xp We have yet to determine exactly how "Skipping" will work, this section is likely to be updated once we have everything set up.

Otherwise, time in the RP is very much limited by the activity of the members. If you want time to pass more quickly, be active in the guild, so things get done, so we can move on to more interesting activities!



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This is likely to be updated as I, or the other Guild Crew, think of things that should be updated.