For Players, Staff, and Visitors, this is a place to:

1. Gather for the purpose of Role-Playing and Storytelling in the stated themes and settings.  Thereby contributing to and taking pleasure from a collaborative work of fiction.
2. Discuss topics of interest to the RfC community on the public OOC forums, including bulletin boards, com channels, and OOC areas.  Thereby broadening your perspective.
3. Build and maintain cordial Out-Of-Character relationships with members of the community, while respecting individual personal boundaries.  Thereby keeping the human element in what is largely an anonymous virtual experience.

This is a newly renovated MUSH with brand new players, a few old-timers, and several old-old-timers.  No one is exempt from the above-stated Acceptable Uses.  To this end, a number of policies have been written up in this news section, addressing all foreseeable issues.  Please make yourself aware of them.  In cases where no discipline is specified, refer to the file entitled Discipline.  Thank you.

The act of farming (as in, collecting) players from one site to populate another is considered a rude gesture, unless the proper channels are observed.  The best method for advertising a MU* you like is to post its spiel to boards on social or resource-oriented sites, such as the Online Gaming Resource MUSH (ogrmush.com 6700).  It is also proper to check with the administrators of the MU* in question, if you are not one yourself, before doing so.

Obviously we are not able to regulate on-site 'word of mouth' advertising between individuals, especially through pages or OOC chatter.  However, use of the public channels to globally farm players for another MU* will never be permitted, and will be disciplined first with a warning, then with the removal of the offending player from the site.  Furthermore, if the staff is made aware of an advertising campaign being made through unsolicited pages (ie. paging practically every person you see, to talk about coming elseMU*), the same consequence procedure will be followed.

Connecting as an Explorer or a new Player Object for the purpose of advertising another MU* is not permitted, and the individual will be removed from the site without prior warning.  The exceptions are resource sites such as Online Gaming Resource MUSH, where Rise From Chaos has an embassy and the ability to advertise.

For approved players of RfC, formally advertising another MU* via bulletin board is still not permitted unless the following conditions are met:

1) The player wishing to advertise will @mail *admin asking for permission.
    a) Include the site addy and port number.
    b) Include the advertising blurb.
    c) Indicate whether the MU* is willing to reciprocate advertising for RfC on their site.
2) A staffer from RfC will visit the site to confirm that quality and content standards are such that permission will be granted.  The ads will then be posted to the appropriate Bboards of both MU*s for public consideration.

Any unauthorized ads found posted will be removed immediately, and the poster disciplined.  Since advertising other MU*s here essentially is asking for the players of one MU* to possibly migrate, the staff has a responsibility to the players and this MUSH to make sure that the MU* advertised is one we have no reservations about being associated with, as well as to protect the interests of RfC.

OOC Policy: Many of the themes and content found here may not be considered suitable for youth under the age of 18.  By connecting to and playing at this site you are claiming you are over 18, or that you have a parent's permission and will comport yourself in a socially-acceptable manner.  We as Staffers retain the right to remove any individual from play, or from the MUSH itself, for over-the-top immature behavior no matter what the RL age.  We are not babysitters, nor will we accept responsibility for any objection that a parent may have as a result of their child playing on RfC.  Parents, it is your job to monitor your child's activities, and to prevent said minor from partaking in activities of which you disapprove.  With regards to the MUSH being liable for minors partaking in sexual role-play, we leave it to individual responsibility, to avoid sexual situations with players of whose age one is not certain.  Thanks.

IC Note: Characters starting out are usually between the ages of 18 and 24, relative to their race, which nicely befits the base points allotment in CharGen.  However, it is possible to create a character of advanced years, and gain an additional amount of points to reflect a somewhat greater life experience, though certainly not as much as if one had advanced from scratch, through participating in TPs.  Players should consider whether they can reasonably portray a certain age, as each range has its distinctive hallmarks.  Example: Teenagers really aren't all that mature (although they pretend to be), tend to be highly emotional, and make errors due to inexperience and impulsiveness.

Some occupation choices deem it necessary to assume a certain minimum age limit; in other words, the Player may not create a character younger than the minimum cap for his particular classification.  For special consideration, one must take the Feature Application route described in the CharGen section.

Occupation	Age
Magic Practitioner	20
Basic Combat Training	16
Advanced Combat Training	18
Elite Combat Training	20
Highschool Equivalent	16
College Equivalent	20
Doctorate or Degree	24

There are caps on 'relative age' for regular CharGen, the youngest age being 16, and the oldest age set at 65.  Players looking to RP younger or older characters than these limits, will have to get special consideration by taking the Feature Application route.  Also see the Attributes section of our Character Generation files for stats restrictions for the very young or old.

A player who currently has, or had at any time in the past, more than one character, is said to have 'alts'.  The nice thing about alts is that one can enjoy role-playing several different characters in the same setting, having a different experience with each one.  Of course, with this pleasure comes some responsibilities.  RfC's policy on alternative characters is straightforward:

1) At this time, each player may retain a maximum total of three Player Characters on the MUSH. Only one of these character alts may be of 'Lead' role classification at any given time.  There can only be one alt on RP Probation at a time.

2) The sharing, trading, or transferring of PC alts between players is absolutely not permitted.  In the case of there being two or more players in one household, sharing the same IP address to play on RfC, please inform the staff up front about the situation; this way, awkward questions at a later time can be avoided.  Each player will be treated separately, and have equal opportunities for creating alts, so long as Staff is able to differentiate between the users.

3) Alts should be of diversified classifications and concepts, so as not to create IC confusion on the grid due to having very similar characters as alts, and interacting with the same group of RP partners.  Example: Romantic relationships with the same PC using different alts is pretty tacky.

4) All players have a right to discretion and privacy from other players in regards to their alt identities, even if they should choose to disclose their identity to another player (or if it is inadvertently discovered).  That means, only the player himself has the authorization to reveal his alts.  No one else.  Important Note: Always inform Staff when you have made an alt; we are able to see the IP address of each log-in and would figure it out eventually, so deliberately withholding that knowledge is ill-advised.

5) There are very strict rules for the RfC player regarding alt interaction:  A) Alts may not exchange money, items, or information except with -valid- IC justification, pre-approved and conducted by Staff.  B) Only one PC alt may participate in any given RP scene at a time, including and especially combat.  Fighting/killing one's PC with another alt is the height of Lame.  C) Sensitive IC information granted specifically to a PC must never be put to use by an alt or influence his IC actions.  Please make use of your Player Journals to keep track of what each alt is supposed to know.

If deliberate abuse of policy is discovered in these matters, the pertinent alts may be removed from RP, and the player(s) will be disciplined.  NPC alts are generally handled under a different policy, found here.  For information on what makes a Lead Character role, refer to the Roles Classification section of our Character Generation files.

Off the OOC Nexus is the Building Nexus, a room for the expressed purpose of creating IC structures that will be linked to the grid upon completion.  Centauri and Pyxis are the main contacts for building projects, for the purposes of granting Quota (allowing the creation of multiple rooms and/or exits), approving building ideas, and linking the structure to the grid.  The following are important policies and regulations to follow in the process of building an IC structure for the MUSH.

1) Please provide IC Justification for the creation of the IC structure.  The following questions should be answered when proposing the project initially:  How can your character afford the structure, or if it is not yours ICly, what useful purpose will it serve on the grid?  How many rooms are really necessary to achieve RP-ness (ie. is that 3-stall washroom -really- necessary when it can just be assumed)?  Is the building or space brokered by a primary land-owner, or is it purchased under contract from City Hall?

2) Please also be advised that if you are creating a building for the use and enjoyment of the general public, when it is linked to the grid, it will become the property of RfC MUSH.  You will be fully credited for your work, but if at some point you decide to leave the MUSH, you will not have the right to remove the building from the grid.  A formal request for its removal and @destruction may be considered and granted, however, dependent on the frequency of its usage by the rest of the playerbase.

3) Follow the MUSH conventions for naming rooms.  Either of the following formats is acceptable:  <room> - <building>, or <building> - <room>, whichever seems more aesthetically pleasing, or useful, on the +who or +where list.  Examples: Apt 30 - White Towers Apartments, or The Succubus - Second Floor.  Please, no instances of 'Todd's Room' or 'Private Office', which give no real indication of the location.

4) All exits are named with the convention 'Exitname <EXITALIAS>' so that others know how to enter and leave the structure, i.e, the entrance to the bedroom would be 'Bedroom <B>;bedroom;b', while the living room would be 'Living Room <LR>;living;lr'.  Please consider that in 'dead end' rooms, where there is only one exit, ';out;o' should be part of the exit name, if not the title name itself.  Exits that bring the player towards the main exit of the building should have ';out;o' added to the exit name, so that the structure is easier to leave without knowing all the exit names.  Ideally, no matter where one is in the building, he should be able to type 'o' as many times as necessary to end up out on the street.

5) All rooms and exits shall have @desc attributes.  Try to convey an idea of size and general atmosphere for rooms, as well as important door and window placements.  Exits should describe direction and door type, and lockable exits should especially describe door sturdiness and visible locking mechanisms.  If you have OOC comments to append to a desc, you may do that at the bottom of the desc or with an @adesc, preceding comments with <<OOC>>.  Double-check your spelling; there is no excuse for typos or grammatical errors in something as permanent as room and exit descs.

6) Precede all @descs with %r%t, and end them with %r.  Generally, for room descs, we like to see nice paragraphs, with no blank lines between them.  Use of ANSI colored text is allowed so long as it is moderate and tasteful, and can be seen against a dark background.  And despite what seems to be a natural tendency to describe things as being beautiful and lavish, PLEASE think of the game theme, and the financial resources and tastes of the character who has decorated the space.  There's a lot of materials that will not be easy to come by in this day and age.  Staff has the right to question any weird design choices they come across.

7) All exits must be set with a @succ (what a person sees when she uses the exit successfully), @osucc (what others see when a person uses the exit successfully), @odrop (what the people in the next room will see when the exit is used successfully), @fail (what a person sees when they are prevented from using the exit), and @ofail (what others see when the person fails to use the exit successfully).  @fail and @ofail may be left out if the exit is not lockable.  All @succ messages should end with a %r.  One more important consideration about these notations is that you should try to keep them as ICly neutral as possible.  For example, it is better to write @osucc o=heads out to the street., instead of @osucc o=walks out to the street.  Not every character will be ICly walking when he leaves.

8) On ANY door that is permanently @locked on a public place (Storefront, personal office, etc), the following MUST be added to the @lock key, along with whatever other permissions you decide to set: IS_STAFF/1 --And for each applicable exit, add this attribute, like so: &IS_STAFF <exitname>=[isstaff(%#)].  Example: if you were to lock a door to yourself and staff only, you would type: @lock <exitname>=<your dbref#>|IS_STAFF/1, which would look like this: @lock po=#4001|IS_STAFF/1.  The |, if you're unfamiliar, is a pipe symbol, usually shift-backslash on most standard keyboards.  This will enable the staff to step into your @locked room when necessary.

Please try to meet these requirements before asking a Staffer to approve the building project.  Also see the Realty section of our City-State of Tolkeen files for information on zoning and costs within the city proper.

There are more than a dozen channels in existence on RfC.  Their use is described as follows:

PUBLIC Channel is completely OOC in nature, and is automatically added for new Players, therefore making it the most widely used channel.  Use it for announcements, greetings, and brief discussion on any appropriate MUSH or non-MUSH topic.  Relaying IC information (your stats, what your PC found in Dungeon X, that Joe PC just committed a crime, etc.) is so very not allowable.  Lengthy discussion which takes on an intimate nature should be taken to pages; do not force your private details on people who have expressed no desire to hear them.  If the conversation devolves to silly banter between 2 or 3 people on a topic that no one else could possibly care about, please take it to the CHATTER channel.  Frivolous spamming by the screen-full on PUBLIC channel is frowned upon.

CHATTER Channel is completely OOC in nature.  It may be added to your 'comlist' by typing: addcom chat=Chatter.  Use it to babble, joke, sing, and headbang - the staff will not interfere, although some folks may leave the channel if the spam becomes too silly.  CHATTER is set to announce the connects and disconnects of players who have joined the channel.

CODE Channel is completely OOC in nature.  It may be added to your 'comlist' by typing: addcom co=Code. Use it as a venue to discuss coding projects; it is particularly helpful since functions are not automatically evaluated when spoken on a com channel.  Since it is a public channel, do not discuss code of a private nature unless you trust all those who are currently present.  Type 'co who' to check.

GUEST Channel is completely OOC in nature.  It may be added to your 'comlist' by typing: addcom gu=Guest.  Explorers are automatically added to this channel, and can use this or the PUBLIC channel to ask questions and get help.

TELEVISION Channel is IC in nature, and is based on the assumption that your character has access to a vidscreen in the Tolkeen signal range.  It may be added to your 'comlist' by typing: addcom tv=Television.  Note that aside from RP Staff, only PCs involved in broadcasting, particularly employed by Channel One Studios, have the ability to speak and pose on the channel.

VOF Channel is IC in nature, and is based on the assumption that your character has access to a radio tuner within the Tolkeen signal range.  It may be added to your 'comlist' by typing: addcom vof=VoF.  Note that aside from RP staff, only PCs involved in broadcasting, particularly employed by the Voice of Freedom radio station, have the ability to speak and audially pose on the channel.

EMERGENCY Channel is IC in nature, and is based on the assumption that your character is monitoring the Tolkeen emergency frequency by radio receiver, which extends about 30 miles from the city walls, barring interference.  It may be added to your 'comlist' by typing: addcom em=Emergency.  Anyone may speak on the channel to call for help or respond to a request for assistance.  Note that the channel is always monitored by the Tolkeen Police Department and the Militia, although their areas of jurisdiction still apply.

STORY Channel is OOC and Private in nature, limited in membership, and usable only by RP Staff and official Storyteller PCs who are currently, at that moment, running a scene.  All others who do not announce their presence and a valid purpose will be @cbooted from the channel, oftentimes without prior notice.  It's nothing personal; you just don't need to be there at the time.  The channel will be set to monitor connects and disconnects, in order to keep track of who's currently listening.

STAFF Channel is OOC and Private in nature, limited only to Admin or Wizard bit-holders.  No other presence on channel will be tolerated, and is disciplined by immediate suspension from the MUSH, no warnings necessary.

MILITIA Channel is IC and Private in nature, limited only to RP Staff and approved characters with Militia-issued radios tuned to the scrambled frequency.  All others who do not announce their presence and a valid purpose will be @cbooted from the channel, oftentimes without prior notice.  The channel may be compromised through legitimate role-play.  For a truly secure channel, make an IC request to the 'Dispatch'.  NOTE: MILITIA is currently not in use due to occupational restrictions in CharGen.

POLICE Channel is IC and Private in nature, limited only to RP Staff and approved characters with Police-issued radios tuned to the scrambled frequency.  All others who do not announce their presence and a valid purpose will be @cbooted from the channel, oftentimes without prior notice.  This channel may be compromised through legitimate role-play, somewhat more easily than the MILITIA Channel.  Police Dispatch cannot create a more secure channel for officers.

STREET Channel is IC and Private in nature, limited only to RP Staff and approved characters with 40% Streetwise proficiency.  This assumes that the character has enough of a social/business network to hear of anything relayed through the channel.  All others who do not announce their presence and a valid purpose may be @cbooted from the channel, oftentimes without prior notice.

FREQ22 and any similarly numbered channels are IC and Private in nature, temporarily assigned to specific parties on the assumption that each member has access to a radio and is tuned to that frequency.  All others who do not announce their presence and a valid purpose will be @cbooted from the channel, oftentimes without warning.  This channel may be compromised through legitimate role-play, somewhat more easily than the POLICE Channel.

FINAL NOTE: On ANY channel, malicious spamming, public airing of private grievances, serious insults, threats, harassment, and flame wars are sure tickets for removal of channel privileges, often without prior warning.  Also, a general indication that you should take your PUBLIC chat to pages or CHATTER channel?  You're only talking to 1 particular person on a channel of 10+, and/or more than 2 players leave the channel during the conversation.  Please be aware and considerate of others' right to monitor the channel for relevant discussion, and not five separate messages about how your Angel Hair pasta is coming along.

When you have a conflict with another Player on the MUSH, you should:

1. Handle it privately, between yourselves, like the mature adults you're supposed to be.  Either talk it out, agree to disagree, or agree to avoid each other from now on.  Time and distance can often bring you around to a clearer perspective.
2. Inform the staff if the conflict involves a violation of any policy written here (@mail *admin).
3. Consult the Player Council or a Staffer, if the conflict involves disagreement on an IC matter.

When you have a conflict with a Staffer on the MUSH, you should:

1. Try to settle the matter privately, between the Staffer and yourself, like the mature adults you're supposed to be.  If you cannot resolve the situation on your own, you will need to take it to the next tier of authority.  The chain of command is as follows: Admin (Scorpio, Bootes) ---> Wizards (Pyxis, Antares) ---> Head Wizard (Centauri)
2. If your conflict is with Centauri herself, you've basically reached the top of the ladder.  The best thing to do is let the issue rest for a few days, and afterwards, if no satisfactory resolution can be found, decide whether you will remain on the MUSH.

In MUSHing terms, consent is the thing that affects how much control you have over your character, and your character's environment.  In a broader sense, it is your acknowledgement of responsibility for your own actions.  Some notes on the concept of Consent on RfC:

1) By connecting to and playing on RIFTs: Rise From Chaos, a player consents to the policies and regulations of this MUSH.

2) By becoming In Character on the RfC grid, a player consents to the risks inherent on a post-apocalyptic, unpredictable atmosphere like Rifts Earth.  This includes the perpetration of criminal activities, predator attacks, vicious blueberry pies, and annoying people.

3) By inciting, provoking, or sticking around in a violent situation, such as combat, a player consents to the possibility of bodily harm or worse befalling her character.

4) No player is obligated to role-play a situation that goes against his personal values or makes him feel uncomfortable.  Ideally, it is best to avoid the IC situation altogether through prudent role-play, but if the situation is provoked and becomes inevitable, the player has the right to request a FtB (fade to black).  This causes the situation to have ICly happened, without the active participation of the Players involved.  The rights of the FtB request outweighs the rights of another Player wanting to role-play the specifics.

5) Consent -is- required in such situations as: a) Rape - the victim involved must give consent, and a Staffer must be made aware, and b) any consequence that would create a major deviation in the character to the extent that s/he may become undesirable to role-play.  Bodily mutilation, total loss of magic/psychic ability, and being robbed of substantial life savings, are good examples of situations that require consent.  Character death is not.

6) It is proper, not to mention considerate, to ask for consent before performing an IC action towards or against another PC to which s/he should have a chance to object (ie. striking, kissing, dragging her from one place to another, grabbing him or one of his possessions).  Unless the act was predetermined by a coded command, or implied by RP leading up to the act, the target PC has the right to pose having prevented it.  To avoid the OOC interruption of asking for consent, you may simply pose 'attempting' or 'starting' the action, which gives the other player the option of ICly letting it happen, or ICly preventing it.

7) Individual situations may require individual assessments, but in general, a player need not consent to a harsh situation if it is arbitrarily sprung upon her without warning or IC justification (ie. a PC or NPC going on a bloody rampage without cause or due warning).  Due warning may come in the form of +weather forecasts, +news details, IC BBS postings, rumors, room @descs, previous related RP, and/or other such means; in conclusion, it pays to stay alert.  When in serious doubt as to IC validity, please page the participating players and politely ask, at the start of the activity.  If no satisfactory justification can be provided, you may either remove your character from the scene, or disregard the poses in question.  However, if you have already played out part of the scene, you have implied consent by participating, and must acknowledge the situation ICly.

Sadly, theft happens.  Due to the vast amounts of effort and time put into creative, original works on a MUSH, writers here would naturally feel protective over their endeavors.  But like most works, artistic or intellectual, they were meant to be shared with the public, a form of expression and communication.  It requires a certain amount of trust, and faith, to put hard work up on display, especially on a forum as populated as the internet.  This is where the concepts of respect and honor come into play, and it is hoped that all who come here have at least that much quality of character, to look, to admire, but not to take.

1) Unless otherwise accredited, all room, object, and Non-Player Character descriptions, as well as all +News, +Help, RfC Bulletin Board posts by Staffers, the RfC official website, and other such writings, are original works and are, therefore, the intellectual property of Rise From Chaos, on behalf of the individual authors.  All coding works and public buildings contributed to the MUSH are the property of RfC with thanks to their individual designers, who will remain publicly credited.  Any plagiarism of these works (use without expressed permission) is a violation of their intellectual property rights and will be treated as such.

2) Unless otherwise accredited, all personal residences/offices, Player Character @descriptions, backgrounds, +info, Bulletin Board posts, stories, and other such writings by players, are assumed to be original works and are, therefore, the intellectual property of their individual authors.  While we may use portions of these writings in-game for IC continuity, and various works may find their way onto the official website for display purposes, with their authors' assumed permission, we will respect and support their claim to ownership.

3) Likewise, if we receive a complaint from a source which can prove conclusively that a writing has been plagiarized, inadvertently or otherwise, by RfC MUSH or a member of its playerbase, we the staff will take steps to rectify the situation.

It should be noted that we are aware, at this time, that one such work continues to be plagiarized by staff members of another Rifts MU*, which has gone through several name changes and is now called Shadows of Humanity 3.  As of October 3rd, 1998, any other theft of intellectual property will be met with action appropriately suited to the deed.

4) Yes, we obtained Palladium's permission to use RIFTs as a theme for this MUSH, back in 1997. :)

We all understand that it likely took much time invested, and effort expended, to create your character.  Further time and effort has gone into developing an individual personality for the character and seeing him/her through joys and trials of life on RfC, until they might seem almost real and viable entities in your and others' imagination.  It's understandable that the IC death of such a character might be hard to accept.  However, the reality of mortal danger in RIFTs should not be downplayed, for it exists in dangerous proportions, as tragic and senseless as it is in Real Life.  If death was not a constantly fearsome and indiscriminate presence in the world, life itself would be cheapened.

The general policy of Rise From Chaos is that full consent is not required to try and cause the death of a PC.  What exactly does this mean?

1) No PC may impose IC death upon a resisting PC, in the event that there are no RP Staff or official Player Storytellers available to judge a scene.  The scene will either have to wait for such arbitration to conclude, or the players involved will need to come to a conclusion agreeable to all parties.

2) In the event of Staff/Storyteller arbitration, there will need to be IC validity for the attempted killing to take place.  If it is judged that there is no justification for the extreme measure, then it will be ordered that the scene concludes in a manner which leaves all parties still alive.

3) A PC who constantly puts himself into harm's way despite dangerous odds is more likely to die than a PC who exercises prudence in the face of great danger.  Consistently foolhardy actions imply a willingness to risk the character's IC death, and this will soon become obvious to the Storytellers.

4) Taking into account a player's past performance and Character Role, there will almost always be an IC escape route, or an alternative to IC death, that is called Dramatic Intervention.  Expenditure of Perks Points will create the opportunity for an oftentimes miraculous escape for the character, from what would otherwise be Certain Death.  The conditions for Dramatic Intervention are as follows:

A) The threat to the target PC must be ICly valid.  A dragon swooping down from the sky to step on him is not valid.  An NPC or another PC taking a random potshot at her head on a whim is not valid.  A gangland hit on a PC who witnessed their crime is valid.  A documented vendetta between PCs that puts one on a rooftop with a sniper rifle is also valid.  If players disagree on IC validity, they may bring the case before the Player Council, an official Storyteller, or an RP Staffer.

B) One should wait until the point where IC Death is certain, before laying down the trump card, and typing the command: +burn pps=lifesaver.  This is typically done when the attacking PC or Storyteller has rolled a successful hit, and calculated damage is beyond what the targeted PC can sustain and still remain conscious.  The Dramatic Intervention effectively replaces this hit and its damage, with whatever creative device is deemed suitable.

C) It will cost Lead Characters 5 PPs, Supporting 7 PPs, and Cameos 10 PPs, to buy a Dramatic Intervention.  Perks Points are built up in the course of RP and Scene Logging.  The initial period of RP Probation gives the player ample time to stock up on Perks Points, if she is interested in preserving her character in a Certain Death circumstance.  Lacking the appropriate amount of Perks Points will render the unfortunate PC vulnerable to being ICly killed.

D) Once the PC has literally escaped Certain Death, no further instances of IC Death may be imposed on him during that scene, so long as the character avoids any action that would provoke further targeting.  This is best done by either fleeing the scene, lying wounded and harmless while others defend the position, or surrendering.  At any point, if he takes up the battle again or makes himself a target, all bets are off and the process is free to repeat itself.

E) After this scene concludes, the PC must be granted the chance to conduct her next scene in safety, free from being attacked by the same PC(s) or plot elements.  At this point, the influence of the Dramatic Intervention ends and the process is free to repeat itself.  Ideally, the PC will have used her 'safe' scene to construct a better defense, and/or get healed, and/or arrange a counter-strike, et cetera and so on.

6) On IC Wills and Next-Of-Kin: When an individual kicks the bucket on Tolkeen territory, the government gets first crack at his possessions, for processing and handling fees, and any outstanding debts to the city. Spouses, direct relations, and business partners are next in line, however in accepting the inheritance they will also be saddled with any outstanding business and/or social debts. No physical will is necessary for this pecking order, nor will one negate Tolkeen's first claim, although it may re-order the subsequent inheritors.

• 6a) Only PCs who have been fully approved for at least six months will be able to ICly leave a portion of monies and items to other PCs, if they deem it appropriate. This is to restrict incidents of twinking, and can be creatively justified through introducing outstanding debts, long-lost relatives crawling out of the woodwork, theft, etc.
• 6b) Only PCs who have been fully approved for at least six months will be able to claim an inheritance from PCs who kick the bucket.
• 6c) Staff reserves the right to reportion out legacies if the amount is judged to be unbalanced, and may negate a claim based on issues involving conflict of interest (such as leaving stuff to an alt).
• 6d) Looting a corpse found on Tolkeen territory is technically considered Theft, prosecuted especially if the government is bilked of its 'fair share' in the process.

A character @desc is generally a write-up of various noteworthy visual factors, that other players can read, in order to get a good mental picture of the character with whom they're interacting.  Therefore, the standard aspects of one include: Hairstyle and color, eye shape and color, skin texture and color, height gauge, body type, facial structure, seasonal clothing, identifying marks, and overall appearance.  A well-written, detailed description can be quite helpful to one's fellow RPers as they decide how their own characters would react on a visual level, thus bringing an imaginative depth to role-play.

@Descs also tend to be the first line of defense when it comes to IC accuracy.  The presence of obvious armor, obvious weaponry and/or artifacts, and a general gauge of physical attributes and attractiveness, should always be portrayed, and portrayed fairly.  Additional notes on the subject of character @descing:

1. Your main desc should be Situation-Neutral, which means it can be used in almost any regular circumstance.  This means, there shall be no mention of walking, sitting, winking, gazing back at the viewer, hair flapping in the breeze, etc.  In fact, it's best to avoid anything that implies a constant pose every time someone looks at you, as you cannot possibly be doing that thing at any given moment.  And if you are, you are in serious need of medication, baby.
   • 1a) There are certain acceptable ways of implying action in a description. If you don't understand what I mean, it's safer to just stick to Situation-Neutral.
2. NEVER tell the viewer what he is thinking, feeling, noticing, or reacting to.  'You think this is a man to be reckoned with'.  'Her beauty makes you feel weak in the knees'.  'You look down and notice his six-pack abs'.  These are all examples of powergaming.  If you must call attention to a certain aspect or unusual detail about your character use terms like 'one might' or 'it seems'.  Example: One might, upon closer observation, notice spots of blood on his sleeve. <---This gives the viewer a chance to decide whether her character would notice that or not, instead of forcing reactions on her.
3. Try to follow the general appearance guidelines as indicated by your +sheet attributes.  PB, PS, and PE in particular are important to portray accurately, PP as well if applicable.  Use +news attributes to gauge your stats, and desc accordingly.
   • 3a) It goes without saying (I'm saying it anyway) that therefore, plain or unattractive characters should not even use terminology that implies appealing features.  If one had silky hair, chiseled features and/or unblemished skin, their PB would be higher, wouldn't it?  But it isn't, so you shouldn't.
   • 3b) Same goes for high-PS folks with no evidence of buffness, or Low-PP people moving with smooth grace and precision. Or vice versa.
   • 3c) And by the way, only natural eye colors for humans.  Please.  Unless there is a valid reason such as contact lenses or surgical alteration.
4. Descriptions must be spellchecked, and use capitalization and punctuation.  There is no excuse for something as permanent as a @desc to contain errors.
5. Instead of simply calling oneself 'beautiful', 'plain', 'strong', etc., try to describe how this is so.  It will give your character's looks more individuality.
6. If you have weapons visible on your character or if she is wearing visible armor, these facts must be included in your description.  Your @desc takes precedence over the placement of items in your +equipment sheet.  It is allowable to establish having notable items or weapons not otherwise stated in your @desc, being in the PC's possession, if you pose it near the start of a scene.
7. Watch out for cheeziness and cliche in your phrasing.  His eyes are dark pools of mystery.  Her soul-piercing gaze is capable of seeing beyond the darkest heart.  No kidding?  Wow!  (get rid of it, you little... ;)

Staff reserves the right to contact you at any time to request a correction.  If you spot a typo in another Player's @desc, kindly point it out once, with a page.

We, the staff of Rise From Chaos MUSH, are not a bunch of maniacs; we understand about mistakes and misunderstandings.  More often than not, this will be the situation, and no formal discipline is necessary, but rather a friendly correction.  A well-intentioned player does not need to fear us.  We are also not stupid; any loopholes found, or meanings twisted, in the stated policies will not suffice to excuse the player who violates a policy in word or spirit.  Ignorance is not an excuse either; by creating a character here, the player acknowledges the policies of the site.  When it falls to the Wizards to mete out discipline for major violations of policy, the typical procedure is as follows:

1. First Warning.  The player is officially informed by @mail (sent to all known alts and all Wizards) that s/he has been given Warning #1.  The details of the offense will be provided in plain writing.  This is not the end of the world.  It will not be broadcasted to the community, and the staff will not hang it over the player's head.  It is our hope that the discipline will be accepted, the lesson will be learned, and we can move past it.  After one month, the warning status will be lifted.
2. Second Warning.  If within a month of the First Warning, the player violates policy again, s/he will receive a @mail to all known alts, for Warning #2.  Again, the details of the offense will be plainly written.  This is the final warning, and a notice to straighten up and fly right.  Again, the staff will not speak of it afterwards unless discussion is requested.  After one month, the warning status will drop back to First Warning.
3. Suspension.  If within a month of the Second Warning, the player violates policy again, s/he will receive a @mail to all known alts stating the offense, and they will all be pulled from the grid, and put in Purgatory (unfindable).  The player will be asked to log out for a period of one week, after which s/he is welcome to return and discuss reinstatement of the alts at Second Warning status.  The suspension will not be made public unless the player makes the first move to air it.  In cases where a policy uses the phrase 'without warning', it typically means that Suspension is the first step taken.
4. Sitebanning.  If during Suspension, the player makes a complete ass of himself, comes in before the week is up, spreads evil gossip, or in any way threatens the site, he is no longer welcome at the MUSH, and no longer deserves consideration or respect.  He is not asked to leave.  He is removed from the site permanently and his IP address is banned.  A decompilation of his character alts and objects will be e-mailed to the address that had been provided in CharGen.  And the siteban will be announced, along with documentation of past warnings and suspensions to prevent unfair speculation.

Like any group sport or hobby, MUSHers have a social responsibilty to behave correctly in the presence of their fellow players.  Minor lapses in etiquette can result in loss of Perks Points.  Major lapses can result in disciplinary action.  RfC's main social policies are as follows:

1) When in doubt, ASK! :) Whenever you enter a scene that already involves multiple players, it is proper etiquette to either ask OOCly what you've walked into before posing, or to make an entrance pose that is completely neutral, meaning it focuses only on your character and doesn't presume anything about the setting at hand.  Of course, this doesn't really apply to most IC bars, where there are normally multiple players present engaging in social RP.

• 1a) But use common sense when you enter a scene outside the city, or on the streets of the city.  It will definitely help you avoid looking foolish, for example, when you find out that there's an open rift in the area, and you had already posed admiring the beautiful, peaceful day.  Nothing in MUSHing can be more frustrating than to have a good scene disrupted by the presumptuous actions of a player who can't be bothered to wait for a setting pose.
• 1b) Read the descriptions of the locations you are entering; city rooms generally encompass several blocks worth of space.  Some of the locations outside the city represent several square miles; to find a group of PCs in the wilderness instantly, without justification for your character being in the area in the first place, is quite inappropriate.

2) Exit Etiquette: Before your PC leaves a location where a scene is still being played, pose the exit.  It is rather bad form to go from, say, a 'sitting and drinking' pose, to using the exit or typing 'home' or deliberately disconnecting.  This also goes for entering and leaving a location that has one or more PCs in it without participating ICly in any way, also known as 'speedwalking'.  Even if your character is on his way somewhere else, it is considered impolite to ignore your fellow player.  If you are in a hurry, an OOC 'just passing through' note will suffice.  Do also keep in mind that locations are often much larger than what a simple 'Joe walks by on his way north' pose can cover.

3) For players currently involved in RP, it is good etiquette to inform PCs who are entering a scene-in-progress as to what the setting is, including character positions, time of day, and overall situation.  So, if Bob PC is lying face down in a pool of his own blood, they'll know not to go up to him to have a nice chat.  The set-up can be in the form of a pose or an OOC comment, either way is acceptable.

4) Remember that in a scene everyone is supposedly behaving In Character, and whether you like it or not, an In Character action does not necessarily reflect the real personality or views of the player himself.  OOC mistreatment of players for their characters' IC actions will not be tolerated.  On the same note, using IC thoughts or actions to convey OOC abuse is equally frowned upon.

5) Don't create useless spam!  Too much OOC spam can throw players out of the RP mood.  Most folks don't mind, but it's generally not necessary to OOCly correct an obvious typo in your otherwise fine pose.  If a player in the group loses connection and needs a repose, it is better to page or @pemit it to him instead of repeating it to everyone with @emit.

6) In group RP, try to keep to the general length of typing time established by the majority of players in the scene.  It isn't fair to expect your fellow players to wait for ten minutes or more for your input, particularly if the average duration between poses is usually less than five minutes.  Try not to feel or act offended if the scene up and continues without you until you can catch up and keep up.  On the other hand, if you are one of the players waiting for a slower poser, you should politely prompt her OOCly, to make sure that she are aware that people are waiting on her specifically, before going ahead with your own pose.

NOTE: By slow posers, I mean that they take more than five minutes after the latest pose appears on screen (in turn-based RP) to put out their own pose.  Waiting at least five minutes and giving them a chance to form their thoughts is only fair.

7) Be considerate of the needs and preferences of your fellow RPers.  If you have a pretty good idea what a player is trying to achieve through RP, consider going along with it or at least helping out if it is within your character's ability and inclination to move in that direction.  Do not demand exclusive attention from any one player, even in an IC situation such as a relationship; no one here is obligated to RP only one-on-one with one other person.

8) Exercise personal restraint.  Remember that even though a tight-knit MU* could be considered a community of online friends with common goals, the main reason people log in is assumedly to relax away from the real world and enjoy some RP; it is not good practice to habitually use the MUSH or any other player for personal RL therapy.  Leave the bad mood, self-pity, and/or neediness at the door, or stay offline until you CAN do so.

9) Be supportive of each other!  If you enjoyed the RP scene, let the other players know.  Appreciate the time and effort staff and players have put into putting together an enjoyable scene with you.  Accept criticism with grace, and be kind and constructive when correcting others.

Harassment in a virtual medium is a little difficult to earmark, but when discovered, it is an issue we will take very seriously.  Here's how it is generally characterized:

1. You are continually paged, @mailed, or in any way OOCly approached by a player, even when you have specifically asked him to give you space.  Yes, that request/demand is necessary.  If you have encouraged, humored, or simply ignored the contact in the past, the other player may not understand that you are now feeling uncomfortable.
2. You are continually abused verbally by the player in an OOC manner, even when you have specifically stated that you take offense to the statements.  And yes, again that statement is necessary.  If you have participated in the razzing in the past, or laughed at it, or have been ignoring it, the other player may not realize that her statements are hurtful.  Quite a few social relationships are based on teasing and 'friendly abuse', but you need to be clear and firm when someone steps over the line.
3. You are subjected to overtly sexual attention, innuendo, or otherwise made to feel uncomfortable, even when you have expressed your discomfort.  Now, remember this is a MUSH that allows mature subject matter; you are not within your rights to ask a group of folks to stop their bawdy OOC banter or raunchy RP, just because you don't like it.  To avoid it, you step out of the room, or leave the channel, or request to be left out of pages involving rudeness.  If a player follows or contacts you with it, contrary to your expressed wishes, then it is harassment.
4. You are repeatedly asked for private details.  Your e-mail address, your alts, your RL name, addresss, gender, phone number - anything that you are not comfortable with sharing.  If you have stated your desire for privacy, but continue to be pushed to give out information, you are being harassed.

If any of these scenarios describe your experience on Rise From Chaos, contact a Staffer immediately.  Keep a log of the instances of harassment, time-stamped if possible.  And if you recognize yourself in any of the above-stated methods... STOP IT.  That behavior is not gregarious, romantic, or compelling.  It is harassment.

1) Any new PC who has not yet started his character application, and does not connect for more than a week (7 days), may be @nuked to preserve database space.

2) Any new PC who has started her character application, but has not connected for more than a month (4 weeks), may be @nuked to preserve database space.

3) Any player with one or more approved characters is subject to varying treatments for idling any individual character, depending on its 'role' classification:

A) If a Lead Character is idle for more than half a month (2 weeks), it will drop to Supporting role status.  Lead PCs are expected to be active by nature, therefore their idle window is fairly minimal.
B) If a Supporting Character is idle for more than a month (4 weeks), it will drop to Cameo role status.  Supporting PCs have a little more leeway for idling, but not too much.
C) If a Cameo Character is idle for more than three months (12 weeks), it will be unapproved and sent to the OOC Nexus.  As Cameo PCs have few RP expectations put on them, they may be absent from daily RP for quite some time.  However, once unapproved, the character is no longer assumed to be around and about in Tolkeen; he is now Missing In Action.
D) If a Cameo Character is unapproved for more than three months (12 weeks), it may be @nuked to preserve database space.  In IC terms, the PC is Missing In Action and Presumed Dead.
E) If a Feature Character is idle for more than half a month (2 weeks), when his presence is required for TP purposes, the staff reserves the right to take over the character indefinitely, as an NPC.

4) If you are a player with one or more approved characters, and know that you will not be able to log onto the MUSH for an extended period of time (3+ months), contact a Staffer.  So even though your character(s) may drop to Cameo role status in the interim, they will not be unapproved and put in danger of idle-nuking.

5) Any player who returns before her Cameo PC is idle-nuked, may easily reinstate the character by going IC and participating in one RP scene, that is subsequently +logged and +validated.  Without a validated log, the PC may be returned to the OOC Nexus and set unapproved by the Staff.

5a) Any player who returns before her Cameo PC is idle-nuked, and wishes to be reinstated at her original Supporting or Lead role status must follow the procedure for upgrading, as stated in the Role section of Character Generation.  If there is a quota associated with her PC's occupational class, she may be restricted from upgrading, if that quota has been filled in her absence. 5b) Any player who returns after her PC has been idle-nuked, will have to start over in CharGen, even if she intends to bring the character back. 5c) Also, all returning players must update themselves on any new policies or IC updates contained in the Bboards.

6) Any IC income of credits may be halted or deducted once a PC has been OOCly idle for over a month, although basic food expenses may continue until the PC is unapproved.

7) There is another type of MUSH idling that needs to be mentioned, that is, the state of being logged into the MUSH but not being active.  A player can idle in this way for exactly one hour, before being automatically disconnected from the server.  It is possible and allowable to use your MUSH client to set up a timer that breaks your PC's idle with a small command sent to the server at regular intervals, if you need to idle a while and don't want to be disconnected.  Don't forget to set an @idle message on yourself for the duration.  Of course, if you idle in this manner for days on end, the staff reserves the right to end your connection for the time being (@boot), until such time as you can return in an unidle state.

For the past five years or so, Rise From Chaos handled its character advancement through a +vote system that tallied and distributed experience points based on the good opinion of other Players.  Upon reaching the required total experience points, the character 'gained a level', whereupon all skills advanced in proficiency whether they were in use or not.  Now in the grips of points-based, level-less character creation and development, the Staff have replaced +voting with a new system of points distribution, called +logging.

Here's how it works for public RP: A scene plays itself out on the grid, and at its conclusion one of the participants uses the code to register the scene's basic particulars into a Public Scene Roster, viewable by all.  Each participant in that scene then has the opportunity to validate the scene as logged, and qualify for Character Development points distribution.  Based on recommendations or witnessing by the Staff, participants may also qualify for Perks points.  At the end of each week (Saturday night), the point gains are tallied and added to the character's +sheet, available for spending at that point.

This is a straightforward system which awards both participation and skill, when used properly.  Our policies, subject to further development after observing the system at work, are as follows:

1) For the purpose of +logging a scene for Character Development and Perks Points awards, a scene is defined as: A session of role-playing on any given RL day, in which at least two approved PCs write several poses each, interacting around at least one central IC topic.  Therefore, a simple 'hi, bye' between PCs while passing on the street does not qualify as a scene, obviously.  Three PCs sitting in the local bar at separate tables, with a dozen 'X drinks and looks around' type poses shared between them, is also not a +log-worthy scene.  Those same three PCs in a bar arguing over the legality of invasive psionics, is.  The staff reserve the right to remove any scene found in the Public Roster, that does not, in their collective estimation, qualify as a +log-worthy.

2) What is regarded as valid 'participation' for PCs?  A character who spends the entire session just sitting there, or inputting a mere 'X smirks' or 'X nods' every so often, should not get the same, if any, share in points distribution.  In the absence of Staff, it is up to the participants to use their +validate opportunities to see that effort in a scene is duly and fairly rewarded.

3) Yes, it is possible to submit a 'false claim' by conspiring with others to validate a scene that never happened.  However, for a couple of extra points, schemers are risking personal embarrassment as well as disciplinary action, since at any given moment, a Staffer may be monitoring RP activity in the public areas of the grid (as per the Privacy policy), and may see fit to investigate if a scene on the Public Roster rings false.  It's really not worth it to cheat.

4) For scenes taking place in a private place, or of a private nature, there is a Private Scene Roster (only viewable by Staff) to which one may register for development points distribution, but there can be no Perks points awarded in this situation.  A PC can only receive a maximum of 2 CDP per week through Private Roster scene logging.

Acceptable Names: While conventional, pre-apocalypse names like 'Greg' and 'Janet' still persist, roughly five centuries have passed, and thus entirely original names will also be prevalent in these times (ie. Ebben and Jartha).  Alien or other-racial cultures will most likely have oddly spelled and perhaps hard-to-pronounce names (ie. Yg'hrr-aki and Cellebrynathra).

Unacceptable Names: Unless there's a really spiffy reason for it, the following naming methods will not be approved: Compound Word names (ie. Mind-blaster, Sunburst, Dark Heart); Mythical or Megaversal names (ie. Dracula, Zeus, Santa Claus); Historical/Religious names whether IC or OOC (ie. Hitler, Satan, Prosek); and names from Popular Fiction (ie. Gandalf, Rick Hunter, Boba Fett).

Borderline Names: Try to avoid character names that are very similar in appearance to that of an approved character (check the +census).  For example, if a PC named 'Robin' exists, calling your new PC 'Rubin' or 'Robyn' can be potentially confusing for other players.  ICly and in Real Life, yes, there are plenty of folks with the same name, but to be able to distinguish characters in a text-based format, it would be better to have a @name that looks visually different.  Consider the use of a nickname or alias, if you would still like the character's real name to be the same or similar to that of an approved PC.

Reserved Names: Established Feature NPCs, streets, villages, Baronies, et cetera, are names not appropriate for PC use.  Trademarked names should be avoided or used sparingly.  As well, names referring to the constellations, star systems, and planets are discouraged, as that thematic convention is used by Staffers, and may confuse new players.  If you must choose a 'heavenly body' handle, use an inaccurate spelling of the name to distinguish yourself from the staff members.

Staff reserves the right to request a @name change (@name me=<new name>) from a player, before or within a week of completing CharGen, for any of the above-stated reasons.  Also, while lower-case names may be legitimately used in an OOC context, it is not acceptable to go IC with one.  Expect to be capitalized, rebel scum!

A city does not run on heroes alone.  In the course of RP, Non-Player Characters are born into being, to aid, harass, or generally create atmospheric noises for the Player Characters to have to talk over.  The cast of extras and special guest stars deserves a round of applause.

NPCs have rights, too.  The whimsical blowing up, mowing down, and/or general cheapening of supporting cast is discouraged.  While they do tend to be two-dimensional caricatures, as opposed to the fully-fleshed PC, motivated, realistic NPCs make for a better scene/plot, so portray them fairly.

1) NPCs manifest in four different ways on Rise From Chaos:

• @EMIT.  Some souls are whipped up on the fly, serve their purpose, and then fade back into obscurity once their purpose is served.  Waitresses, random passerby, gibbering witnesses, and faceless crowds are good examples of Non-Player Characters who provide the necessary atmosphere but who are usually not fleshed out to any extent.  Any player is entitled to use @emit to portray an inconsequential NPC presence.  If the NPC becomes a dominant participant in the scene, s/he should be entered into the database for continuity.
• DOCUMENTED @EMIT.  Some individuals manage to create a lasting impression and thus are invited to return time and again to join in the fun.  Specialists, personal assistants, bartenders, and relatives are good examples of Non-Player Characters who make enough repeat appearances to benefit from information files, for continuity in RP, which will include basic attributes and key skills.  Some NPCs in the database are marked free for player use, others are limited to certain players, and still others will be the sole creative property of a single player.  In all instances, these NPCs may be used by Player Storytellers and RP Admin as appropriate for their activities.
• PUPPET.  When a Non-Player Character becomes a key point in a public storyline, s/he should take on a more visible, accessible presence on the grid, as a puppet.  For ease of storytelling, puppets may be put to use by Player Storytellers and RP Admin, and their basic character data should be stored on the object.  For other uses and restrictions, see also the Puppets Policy.
• PLAYER OBJECT.  When a Non-Player Character is required for an important, lasting role, such as that of a Feature, s/he should be made into a 'player object', that is created in the RfC connect screen.  This makes NPCs ultimately accessible by the playerbase, being visible on the WHO list, and reachable through @mail, page, and com channels, unlike the puppet.  These NPCs should have at least a brief application blurb explaining their history and purpose in the story, and take a trip through CharGen to get their stats officially set.

2) All players and staff are obliged to answer for their own @emitted or puppet NPCs, when other players need to know who to contact with questions.  Staffers will direct inquiries to the appropriate Storyteller if asked.  Storytellers behind 'player objects', however, are not required to reveal the NPC status of those characters, in the course of the plotline, in order to preserve an atmosphere of suspense.  It may seem to be, or become, completely obvious - even so, RP and Storytellers are under no obligation to honor curious queries, and individuals who pry for information are out of line.

3) NPCs are held to the same rules as PCs on the subjects of rape and extreme character concept alteration (see Consent Policy).  Also, players may not use an @emitted NPC, documented or not, to attempt to maim or kill a PC, unless the other player gives full consent.

• 3a) RP staff must be informed if any criminal offense is committed by a PC against an NPC, so that reactions and future consequences may be examined, on the NPC's behalf.

4) RP Admin and official Storytellers will make an effort to keep track of the NPC relationships they witness.  Any NPC that's conjured up and used in RP is fair game to reoccur in the future, especially if STs see the possibility of adding to a story.  This means that NPC abuse will be taken into account, as well.

• 4a) If one observes an NPC being abused without justification, don't be too surprised if that NPC has friends who take offense on his behalf, now or sometime in the future.
• 4b) Just as an NPC can be easily beaten up or humiliated to make the PC look good, the other end of the spectrum can have them braindead lackies who'll agree with, or do anything the PC says, regardless of how unlikely or foolish it would be. 

The website holds an extensive list of characters who fill specific roles, and mostly require a request to staff (if they are staff-run) for their appearance in a scene (they may also log in randomly and unbidden but available for RP).  Send NPC requests in to the *admin alias, or as a +request, if you are unsure about who plays certain NPCs.

As a player on this MUSH, you are entitled to certain rights, and you also have obligations.  Should these items prove offensive to you, you are encouraged to discuss them with a staffer, as it is your responsibility to acknowledge them. You the Player have the right to. . .

1) Maintain sole control of your character from a conceptual standpoint.  Thus, no one may use your character without your permission, nor force him to act, change, or think in ways that you feel are inappropriate to the character.  Please note that this does not apply to IC changes that occur due to official TPs, the IC results from +rolls, or IC Consequences that he has brought upon himself with IC Behavior.

2) Fair and courteous dealings and judgment from the MUSH staff.  If you believe that a Staffer is abusing you or treating you unfairly, you may contact Centauri or Antares on this matter.  Confidentiality between yourself and the Wiz on this matter shall be kept, if requested.

3) Confidentiality regarding all personal information, including real life name, address, etc, as well as email address.  You are not obligated to give this information out to other players, although we ask that your &staff-email remains set for the benefit of staff.

4) Privacy while within personal dwellings and non-public places.  If you are involved in some illegal or ICly important activity within your dwelling, this right may be temporarily removed.  See the Privacy Policy for more details.

5) Courteous treatment from other players in an OOC manner.  Being abused OOCly or harassed through pages, email, @mail, or in another manner should be brought to the attention of staff.

6) Discretion upon whether or not to participate in certain types of RP.  This includes rape, torture, domination, and a few others.  Violence is a natural part of RIFTs, however.  You have the right to refuse to role-play out the details of an IC rape, and other sexual, and/or traumatic experiences online.  If another player becomes insistent, notify the staff immediately.  See the Preferences Policy for more details.

1) Maintain courteous relations with staff.  Abusive or belligerent conduct will not be tolerated.  As Staffers are servicing the MUSH on a purely volunteer basis, common courtesy and patience are expected.

2) Remain aware of the difference between IC actions, and OOC ones.  Just because a character treats yours badly, it does not mean that the person playing that character also does not like you.

3) Respect other players and their RP preferences during unsupervised play.  Otherwise, you may be acting in a manner that leads to disciplinary action.

4) Try to keep OOC knowledge from affecting the way your character behaves.  If you use OOC knowledge in an IC manner and other players object, they have the right to 'retcon' the incident, thus, rule that it never happened.

Final Notes: Hacking into the system or becoming a frequent problem will result in your termination from this game, and a siteban on your connection.  Contrary to popular belief, the staff ARE aware of your connecting address, and can ban all of your alts.

Remain considerate of your fellow players and the staff, and your experience here should work out well.  Remember, we are here to provide a fun role-playing atmosphere for all.  You are part of the story, not the very center of it.

These rights and responsibilities apply to all players, no matter how long they have played at Rise From Chaos MUSH.

Personal RP preferences can be set by using the +PREFS command.  This provides a way for a Player to let others know what kind of RP she does or does not like to be involved in.  Typing +help prefs provides the details on adding specific preferences to your character.

While a player is in no way obligated to RP a theme about which he does not feel personally comfortable, it should be noted that +PREFS settings are just that: preferences.  They are not designed to allow a player to simply 'sidestep' or 'opt out of' any undesirable things that may happen to his character.

The world of RIFTs should be seen as a cruel and bitter place most of the time, and acts of unusual, sometimes unspeakable, horror and savagery should come as no surprise, especially outside the city.  By choosing to create a character and RP here, you are giving your consent for said character to possibly suffer negative consequences at the hands of others, if it comes to that.  Remember that a player always has an option to request a 'Fade to Black' if she does not wish to RP out the graphic details of any distasteful scene.  Refer to the policies on Consent and Player Rights for more details.  Additionally, whether or not a 'FtB' was necessary, characters who have experienced suffering or unpleasantness should decide what the realistic after-effects would be, and incorporate them into their RP.

We understand that you might not appreciate your character having to change in such a way, but be patient with the process, and consider the opportunities for new growth and depth to the PC.  However, if you really can't stand it, and want your character to permanently get past any resulting difficulties, there are always the options of ICly seeking therapy, or psychological repression of a traumatic memory, or magical/psionic means of healing the mind and body.  As you can see, there are many possibilities for a character; there is no /one way/ to go about things, so open your mind to them all and Game On. :)

What will not fly here is outright OOC denial of unpleasantness that has ICly happened. Players who become unreasonable or throw a tantrum in order to negate what has happened will not be looked upon favorably.

On the subject of privacy on RfC:

1) Players may expect complete confidentiality in regards to any RL details that they see fit to relay to the staff.  A valid e-mail address at which they may be contacted is always requested within CharGen, and is also only viewable by staff members.  We are also automatically aware of IP addresses, and therefore any character alts.

• 1a) E-mail contact will only be initiated by staff for important notifications such as a site change, or major down-time.
• 1b) Requests for another player's contact information, no matter what the reason, will always be denied.

2) Interactions in a player's 'private' room, whether OOC or IC, are considered private.  The definition of a Private Area is: Any room on the grid that is designated as a PC's personal residence or office, owned or rented by the PC, where access is restricted to only those who are invited in by the PC.

• 2a) ..except in cases where there is a reasonable suspicion that the player may be engaging in illegal activities, or activities that may threaten the MUSH.
• 2b) NOTE! Yes, this means that any Public Area RP can and may be viewed by Staff without prior announcement.  The popular OOC areas frequented by new players are also monitored since they often ask for help without using com channels or paging.  Check the Frequently Asked Questions section for more on this.
• 2c) Private Area RP may be viewed by the staff when TP storytelling must occur, or by request or invitation by the player(s) involved in RP.  This basically means that the player(s) know/expect a Staffer is watching by nature of the RP (or because there's a huge icky eyeball protruding from the ceiling).  In all other cases, the Staffer must announce his/her (imminent) 'presence' in a private residence or office.
• 2d) In the case of IC break-ins, home invasions, and the like, a Staffer or official Player Storyteller must be supervising, OR the targeted player must consent to the details, for such a scene to be ICly valid.

3) Total OOC privacy is not a Guaranteed Right, on this MUSH.  One may very well expect total OOC privacy in their pages and @mails and IC residences, however, so long as he gives the staff no significant reason to distrust him.
   You can give staff a reason to distrust you by:

• 3a) ..airing your private laundry, or otherwise engaging in abusive or slanderous behavior towards any player or staff member, whether in their presence or not.  If @mails, pages, etc. have to be produced for evidence, then they will be.
• 3b) ..attempting to tamper with the coding of the MUSH, or devising code that grants unapproved privileges (ie. seeing DARK online staff).
• 3c) ..campaign-farming players for another MU* (ie. 'this place sucks, why don't you come over to this other place..').

4) All players should respect the rights of others to their personal privacy.  If you know their alt, their addy, their RL name, etc., it's not for you to share with anyone else (or gloat over, for that matter).  Please use your common sense and courtesy.

Puppets are generally the property of Staff, and discouraged amongst the playerbase.  For those who require a definition, the term 'puppet' refers to a database object which one may create and code to behave, through their remote control, as a separate character.  All information received by this puppet will be relayed to the player controlling it, when they are not in the same room.  OOC Spying is the main way a puppet can be abused.

Most NPC presences in a scene can be role-played out through @emit, foregoing the need for coded puppet objects amongst players.  Individual PCs can be allowed puppets under the strict condition that IC information passed to said puppet will get back to the PC anyway, one way or another. Examples: Underlings, Familiars, Iguanas with Recording Devices strapped on. Abuse of the puppet privilege will necessitate the removal of said puppet.

That said, there are several Staff-run NPC puppets stationed or wandering on the grid, for various RP purposes. One can tell that these are puppets by checking the WHO list, upon which they will not show. When encountering a puppet on the grid, the player may attempt to initiate a scene by doing a pose or inquiring in an OOC fashion. Give the puppet a minute or two to respond before moving on, as the staffer handling it may be busy or AFK at the time.

The term retroactive continuity is a storytelling device which, in effect, hops back on the timeline of events to alter a situation, usually by removing a detail and replacing it with an alternate detail.  The purpose of this is to change a wholly regrettable outcome, or to make the storyline flow better.  Some MU*s make it practice to allow whole scenes to be retconned, that is, ruled to have never happened, due to player dissatisfaction with the outcome, or a discovery of cheating within the scene.  Here's what we've got to say about it:

1) Scene Retcons are not particularly favored on Rise From Chaos MUSH. It's a waste of time and effort for everyone concerned to invalidate a whole batch of RPing. Instead, if the participants decide that they've RPed themselves into a corner, or newly discovered information implies that they've just done something ICly inappropriate/impossible, it is acceptable to work out a mutually agreeable alteration to specific /details/ of the scene.

For example, in a friendly sparring match, Joe Juicer lands a hit on City-Rat Sally. Near the end of the scene, Joe remembers that he's got a HtH damage bonus out the wazoo, and so the accumulated damage on the first couple of hits should have mashed non-augmented Sally into a thin red paste. For Sally not to be dead, they might feel the need to cancel the scene; after all, to suggest that Joe Juicer missed his mark the first few times is not only unrealistic, but would have changed the whole progression of the scene anyway. However, look for alternatives. Let's say Joe had been pulling his punches. But wouldn't that have made Sally angry? Yes, and now she is. But if that works, then that's what happened. In the wizzes' opinion, a little creative editing on a scene is much more acceptable than no scene at all.

• 1a) All participants in the scene, who would be directly affected by the editing, must agree to it. Never leave a person out of the loop (through private paging), who needs to be able to roll with the changes and RP appropriately.

2) When it comes to Wiz-enforced retcons, these will typically fall under the category of: 'Our information is more accurate than yours', and we will make every effort to retroactively tweak the details only enough to improve the accuracy of the scene, not invalidate it.

• 2a) The main instance of this would be when IC information is given in a scene that is false or misleading. In many cases, one could just chalk it up to an IC bout of human/computer error or deliberate lying. But if it was meant to be pure fact, we might change the actual information, or just its source.
• 2b) The second instance would be if something vital, improbable, or downright impossible happens on the grid while our backs are turned. A Wiz or two will probably require a copy of the scene to make sure it's all kosher. So make sure somebody logs it.

3) The retcon policy can be easily abused if one decides to have her character engaged in outrageous scenes, and expect only little bits and pieces to be changed after the fact. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? Don't be too sure about that. Players who make themselves frustrating in this manner will be dealt with.

This term refers to the period of time in which the Staffers are required to observe the new PC's conduct and style of play, check and approve her application, and proofread her stats. If reasonable mistakes are found or omissions are noticed, they will simply be corrected, and life will go on. If there is a deliberate violation in word or spirit of the application requirements, the statting rules, the rules of OOC conduct, or the rules of RP Probation, during this period, the Staff have the right to take appropriate action to make things right, even if that means nullifying the application and marking the character for IC death (see +news victim). Once the RP Probation period has passed, or is terminated early, the PC becomes a full-fledged member of the Character Roster, with all of the rights that the established PCs possess.

DURATION

1. Cameos are on Probation for up to 3 months.
2. Supports, Leads, and Features are on Probation for up to 1 month.
3. Even if the player prefers to wait in OOCland until his application and stats are fully approved, RP Probation still applies. So get out there and play!

EXPECTATIONS

1. Cameo PCs are expected to +log or +validate at least 12 public RP scenes and submit at least 1 sample to the admin e-mail account within the duration. That's 4 scenes per month, a more than reasonable expectation of activity for the casual player.
2. Supporting and Lead PCs are expected to +log or +validate at least 6 public scenes and submit at least 1 sample to the admin e-mail account within the duration. At the end of Probation, failure to meet the minimum standards may result in the PC being dropped to Cameo status.
3. Feature PCs are expected to +log or +validate at least 6 public scenes, of which at least 1 must be STed by the PC (see +news Storytelling). They are also expected to submit at least 2 samples to the admin e-mail account, 1 of which must be an STed scene.

SHORTCUTS

1. One may have +logged and/or +validated the required amount long before his Probation period is through. In that case, he may petition the Player Council to vote for an early termination to his RP Probation. Other players may vouch for him by submitting comments to the same petition.
2. Note that an RP Probation not only restricts some of the PC's privileges, but also shelters him from premature trouble, giving him a chance to build up his allotments of Development and Perks Points. Having Probation terminated early will negate the protections as well as the restrictions.

RESTRICTIONS

1. During Probation, there can be no development points (CDP) spending, although the points gained from +logging/+validating can be saved up.
2. Also during Probation, one may not participate in Staff or Official Storyteller-run TP scenes except at the ST's discretion.

PROTECTIONS

1. For everyone's protection, combat situations of a mortal nature will not be allowed - meaning that Joe Cameo cannot maim or kill anyone for the duration, and neither can anyone maim or kill Joe.
2. While under Probation, players have a chance to write additional background for their character, since inspiration may strike during RP that eluded the player during CharGen. Barring any correction by the Approvals Admin, extra backstory can come into effect 1 week after it is submitted.

UPGRADES

1. For information on how to upgrade one's role, please refer to your PC's current status in +news roles.
2. If the player really just wants to play a Victim/Fodder character, That can be arranged... -_-; just ask, no need to pick a fight with Staff.

WHAT IFS

1. What if the Player gets on the grid and sends his PC on a rampage before Staff can catch him? If a new PC gets wildly out of hand in your vicinity, just disregard her poses. Send a @mail into *admin about it and we /will/ catch up with her.
2. What if the Player smiles his way through RP Probation, then turns into Mecha-Godzilla afterwards? He will be afforded the same right to fair warnings and then discipline that every established Player gets.

Spelling and grammar are important, and don't let anyone tell you different. :)

Both players and staff are expected to know the English language, and to possess the desire to improve their skills if need be.  Typos are only human; intentional spelling and grammar errors during -dialogue- are great when artfully used.  However, constant and repeated typos, awful grammar, lack of proper capitalization and punctuation, and poor sentence structure, are sloppy and detract from the quality of a scene.  While players have not, are not, and will not be docked points (XP then, CDP now) by Staff for weak posing as a result of erroneous spelling, grammar, etc., it IS truthful to warn that one's carelessness WILL drive off RP opportunities, not attract them.  There is everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by honing one's writing skills. With that in mind, here are examples of common spelling mistakes:

Homonyms (words sound the same, but are spelled and defined differently):

• it's (it's late, stands for 'it is') -OR- its (dog eats its food, box on its side)
• their (their food) -OR- there (over there) -OR- they're (they're late, stands for 'they are')
• to (go to sleep, run to the store) -OR- too (too much, me too)
• your (float your boat) -OR- you're (you're silly, stands for 'you are')
• were (they were gone) -OR- where (where did they go)
• then (now and then, then I ran away) -OR- than (more than this, rather die than surrender)
• reins (pull back on the reins) -OR- reigns (the king reigns over his people)

Incorrect - Correct:

freind=friend, definate=definite, explaign=explain, wierd=weird, plesant=pleasant, appology=apology, hollar=holler, murmer=murmur, dependant=dependent, mispelling=misspelling ;)

Final Notes: There's nothing wrong with taking an extra 30 seconds to look back over what you've written, and make corrections, before pressing that Enter key.  If your spell-checking skills are not up to par, try using a word-processing program's imbedded spell-checker to find errors, or download the MUSHing client, SimpleMU, which has an automatic spell-checking function.  Also, if you should come across a typo in any part of the MUSH, please let us know (+help typo when online).  Happy writing!

All staffers have the following rights. . .

1) To approve character apps unless otherwise noted.  Otherwise, they have the right to suggest alterations to unapproved characters, and deny applications for restricted/banned occupations.

2) To free reign of the public areas of the grid, so long as role-play is not unduly restricted.  Private areas require consent or just cause.

3) To freedom from paging/harassment when DARK.

4) To courteous dealings with players.

5) To remove players from the game who are disruptive, unduly offensive, or overly (forgive the term) 'twinkish'.

6) To choose not to handle scenes, TPs, or administration for players with whom they experience irreconcilable personality conflicts.  One is, of course, encouraged to try and resolve these disputes.

7) To arbitration of disputes among staff or players by the Headwiz.

8) To create and use official NPC characters for use in furthering TPs and general roleplay.

9) To create and use official PCs, under the same regulations and restrictions as a regular player.

1) To be online at least 10 hours a week minimum, optimum time being 20 hours a week.  Being DARK the entire time does not count.

2) To deal courteously with players at all times.

3) To provide timely assistance to players regarding questions, problems, or looking over applications.

4) To remain impartial and fair in dealings with players.  No favoritism; it should be noted, however, that pleasant people are naturally preferred over those who make themselves difficult to reason with.  Staff is never obligated to deal for long with a jerk.

5) To conduct their regular duties for the MUSH, and keep their fellow Staffers apprised of developments and activities as it affects them.

6) To encourage and accept feedback dealing with suggestions for the more premium performance of the MUSH, better handling of plots, and any other feedback related to the well-being and operation of the MUSH.

Therefore it is important for Staffers, when making on-the-spot decisions, to document it in some way (such as addressing a @mail to *admin as well as the Player), so that it gets back to the appropriate Staffer for either confirmation or tweaking as a general rule.  When it comes to laying down permanent policy, however, that is definitely left to the appropriate Staffer.  Doesn't mean that folks can't debate a point, but generally, Staff will respect the final decision.

When organizing a major scene or TP that will deal prominently with the domain of another, it would be best to check with that Staffer to make sure the main aspects are consistent with past events.  Each Staffer should keep a sort of FAQ for the others to cross-reference in their absence.  See individual Staffer +news files for more information on their departments.

The Head Wiz (Centauri) tries to keep back and let other folks do their thing, but reserves the right to be final authority on difficult matters.  If she believes that a change or addition to a Staffer's news/help files is important to the game, she will likewise put her oar in.

Final Notes:

Staffers are not the personal servants of individual players of the MUSH, and should not be expected to act as such.  Rather, a Staffer, whether Wizard or Admin, has a primary loyalty to the overall welfare and development of the MUSH.

Staffers are not paid, and just as Players role-play for the love of role-playing, so do Staffers take up much of their free time administering for the love of the game.  As such, a bit of cooperation with Staff is in order, at least out of respect for a generally thankless job.

There are few individuals more valuable to a small MUSH than the player who is willing and confident enough to take charge of a scene, and take a large amount of responsibility for inspiring and entertaining their fellow RPers.  S/he is one of the fine folks who takes initiative by creating on-the-spot NPCs to facilitate interaction, or @emitting atmospheric bits of detail to enhance the mood of the scene.  This, more often than not, 'makes things happen', in what might otherwise have been an aimless, run-of-the-mill, and forgettable scene. This extra effort and dedication to scene quality is /not/ lost on the Staff of RfC - we notice!  It gives us warm and bubbly feelings.  We appreciate the hell out of it, and that appreciation comes out in heightened interest in the player's character needs, and particularly an increased drive to run scenes ourselves.

Chances are that you yourself have 'made things happen' in scenes.. that means that you may have what it takes to become a member of RfC's League of Extraordinary Part-time Player Storytellers!  This team contains players who are recruited by the staff, and agree to a very reasonable expectation of taking turns at STing a One-Shot TP (see +news formats3) for the playerbase.  Ideally, if there was one ST Night (or Day) per week, players always have a supervised RP scene to look forward to.

The following are tentative policies for Official Player Storytelling:

1) Player Storyteller is a title placed on the one PC as selected, and for privacy purposes, does not extend to any alts he might have.  The ST agrees to an obligation of running at least 1 ST Night (or Day) per month.  No one should need to remind him.  Also, no one should presume to make any additional demands of that nature on him; he is first and foremost a player on RfC MUSH.

2) The ST will give at least 48 hours notice for the commencement of her turn at ST Night/Day.  She will supply the following information: A) The date and time that the session will start; B) How long it is expected to last; C) How many participants she'll be able to handle in the session; D) Whether the probability of combat taking place is low, medium, or high; and E) What the expected Power Level will be - meaning, if she intends for the session to be relatively low-tech, she doesn't want any Glitterboys shambling about, damn it.

3) The ST is entitled to the following staff assistance: A) a boost in @quota, in order to @create objects or puppets to facilitate duties on ST Night; B) access to an exclusive com channel called Story, through which the ST can easily communicate with available Staffers on matters of clarification and inspiration; and C) 2 Perk Points granted per STed and +logged scene.

4) ST's do not have access to a player's +sheet, but cooperation is required when it a particular attribute, skill, bonus, etc. comes into play.  If no Staff are available to supply the needed information, the ST may request it from the participating player, through paging.

5) We, the RfC Staff, will have observed the ST prior to recruitment, quite enough to place confidence in his/her abilities and stock of common sense.  However, if we must rescind membership in the League due to repeated violations of policy or other proof of nuttiness, we do reserve that right.

5a) If you're hankerin' to be a part of the RfC Player Storyteller League, please don't tell us.  SHOW us, by doing your part to enhance the quality of RP in your daily scenes.  This is the only way we will get enough of a sense of your style and dedication to know whether the title and consequent duties will suit you and RfC as a whole.

Related files to read: +news Formats, +news NPCs, +news Perks

The MUSH policy on Tinysex is, put simply:

Get a room.

While TS is not forbidden, but a matter of personal choice and role-playing preference, we like to believe that it is not a vital part of MUSH life.  For those not sure what we mean by TS (tiny sex), it is explicit sexual acts performed online between players.  This is not acceptable in public places, partly because one must always account for NPC presence even if there are only 2 PCs in the room, and partly because it is rarely ICly justified.

That said, there is a difference between role-playing physical or emotional intimacy, sexual tension, innuendo, or sexuality... and... graphic (or indeed, boring) depictions of sex acts.  The former stuff is just fine.  The latter will please be confined to -private- rooms (ie. personal dwellings), or consequences will befall the excitable PCs who decide to relieve themselves in public.  This being a MUSH of adult themes, there is not much else that is discouraged so long as it is properly IC (ie. coarse language, violence, provocative situations), but it is polite to check +prefs to make sure PCs in your area aren't being OOCly offended by your RP.

NOTE: OOC casual sex is an entirely different matter, and that has NO place nor excuse on this MUSH.  There are plenty of sites or chat rooms on the net to go to for mindless rutting with faceless acquaintances or abject strangers, so please reserve this MUSH for actual role-playing and amiable discourse between mature players.

Twink is the term used to describe a player who refuses to follow the policies of the game s/he's playing, and more generally, breaks the etiquette rules that are common to all role-playing MU*s everywhere.

Some folks frown on the usage of the term 'twinks' or 'twinkies', especially the manufacturers of that delightful yellow cream-filled confection.  It serves as well as any term, really, and twinkism needs to be exposed for the benefit of all, especially those who aren't even aware that they're behaving in this inappropriate manner.  There are quite a few different types of twinks, but let's focus on the biggies.  The following descriptions will help identify them:

TS TWINKS:

TS is short for TinySex, a MU* term for the virtual act of sexual intercourse.  This is not the problem (see the Tinysex Policy), however.  TS Twinks are players who feel that their characters (and other characters) exist mainly to provide them with RL sexual gratification.  They spend a lot of their online time propositioning and/or harassing other PCs for sex.  Even if it's an RPed proposition, it's really only an OOC drive that's thinly veiled as role-play.  A TS Twink will not bother to develop the character or the IC relationship beyond what's needed to get someone into the virtual sack.  There are adult fantasy MU*s out there where this is acceptable, but RfC isn't one of them.

CHEATER TWINKS:

These are the folks who role-play that their character has a high attribute when it is really only average or low.  They role-play that their character is proficient in a Skill that isn't present on their character +sheet.  They whip rifles out of nowhere and say it was concealed in their boot, or behind their backs all this time.  They refuse to accept damage that they lawfully incurred, because of such and such an excuse.  They obtain information in an OOC context and give it to their character, even though said character had no way of ICly knowing it.  They negate the poses of other players by power-posing 'what really happens', to prevent unfavorable consequences to their character.  Cheater Twinks probably do all this crap because they hate to accept that their character is deficient in any way, or is at a disadvantage in any given RP scene... but they need to understand that role-playing is about taking the bad with the good - literally, Playing the Role one has chosen.  Since they take advantage of the fact that other players can't see their +sheet, only the Staff can really take these twinks aside when they're caught red-handed and red-faced.

POWER MAD TWINKS:

Also called Munchkins, or Steven Segal, these are the folks who load themselves up with powerful skills and max out their bonuses for the sole purpose of making sure they can never lose a fight.  Alternatively, getting their hands on the best weapon, particularly the one that does the highest dice-roll of damage, is another priority.  Having a mob of powerful underlings, who'll take a bullet for their boss and do any damn thing he says, also works.  Like the Cheaters, Power Mad Twinks hate to lose, but they'll go about it the 'honest' way.  They're passive lumps in a scene if the odds are against them, but once they see a situation in which their particular abilities can shine, or find an opponent who will surely crumble under their might, watch how aggressive their posing gets.  Role-playing is not so much a concern as assuring themselves that they can kick your ass.  And yours.  And yours, too.  Feelin' lucky, punk?

RULES LAWYER TWINKS:

You'll know these poor sods the moment you're unfortunate enough to get into a combat scene with them.  Before the first round is over, they'll be happily holding up RP for the better part of an hour, or worse, the whole night, shouting you down over why their defense should be successful, why their attack should knock your character out, and why auto-miss doesn't apply to their strike roll.  They trot out the rule books, the calculators, and the pie charts, quoting page numbers and reciting cryptic paragraphs from obscure tomes.  What, you found his diary and want to read it?  Roll your Literacy skill, suckah - Going over means you can't!  You knocked her down?  No, she doesn't lose an action or initiative because she can roll with fall and come up on her feet.  Yes, that's what 'rolling with' means.  See, Webster's Dictionary defines 'rolling' as... and you get the idea.  Rules are all well and good for structured role-playing, but the Rules Lawyer Twink takes it way too far, refuses to compromise his own interpretation, and of course it always has to work out to his advantage.  These folks simply love to argue, and it's an utter nightmare for Storytellers, and anyone else who just wants to role-play a fair scene.

DESC TWINKS:

These are the gals and guys who totally ignore their attributes when it comes to describing their characters.  They deserve a different category than the cheater twinks since the lie is less severe in general, and not as disruptive to role-play.  They are also more pervasive a breed, because of this.  Their descing tells you how your character feels, what your character thinks, and/or how your character reacts to their character.  They @desc their PC as gorgeous, or use attractive, sexy terminology when their PB attribute is merely plain or even homely.  They @desc their PC as having an athletic or muscular figure when the PS attribute is average or puny.  Conversely, they describe a slender, girlish figure when the PS attribute demands a buffed physique.  They @desc subjectively, that is, how they personally feel about their character's looks, instead of what the character actually looks like - objectively.  They use such aggravating, empty descriptors as 'perfect', 'exquisite', 'flawless', and 'blemish-free'.  As with any other twink, it's all about the ego.  Luckily, this type of twinkism is easier to grow out of than the others, especially if one RPs in a quality environment and engages in a healthy amount of self-critique.

So ends the guide to twink-spotting.  If you recognized yourself in any of these descriptions, don't worry.. (Hakuna Matata!)  Self-diagnosis is the first step to a cure.  If you recognized someone else in any of these descriptions, approach gently, and with caution.  Remember, no one hates the word 'twink' more than the twinks themselves.

Ahhh, the Yadda Yadda Yadda story-telling device.

This is a legitimate time-saving trick that RfC Staffers and Storytellers can use to, in effect, 'make a long story short'.  It is typically deployed with much zest, when an outrageous IC proposal has been made.  Players are capable of making strange requests, ie. for an IC item or for an RPed scene, for which Staff knows there is a foregone conclusion, ie. utter failure or even utter success.  Now, sometimes it is worth RPing a scene out for the character growth.. for the journey itself.  And other times, it is honestly pointless; in the Staff's opinion, time and effort spent on player gratification, without merit.  Enter the Yadda Yadda Yadda clause.

EXAMPLES:

• "Okay, so he sets off to find the last Yellow-Beaked Mudsnapper in North America.  And yadda yadda yadda, he doesn't find it and is out of play while he's searching.  Time to app another PC."
• "Alright. She's looking around for someone who'll sell her his Glitterboy suit for 10,000cr. And yadda yadda yadda, no one does."
• "So, he starts up a donation drive to get enough money to build his very own temple to the Great Lord Sobeot. And yadda yadda yadda, a week later he will have 15 credits!"