This writer's coven ("game") is a restricted list that's NC17. When you contact the Admins about joining, please be honest and tell you age. Also, we would greatly appreciate if you could tell us a little bit about yourself and any writing or rpg experience you have. This is not an rpg, but it is similar. Also please read the rest of the rules so you can gain a better idea of what we're like and what we do.

 All character bios need to be submitted to Character Approval Admin who go over it and forward it to admin of the type of character being submitted to help go over the bio. Your character must be approved by them before you may begin writing/playing. Once your bio is approved it will be sent to the main list, by the Character Aproval Admin, not the type admin, and then put on the bios page at the website.

 About Admins and Rules: There are three Senior Admins for Sanctuary:

Barbara
Clint
Nici (rotating SA)

These positions exist to help keep the game and list running smoothly, answer questions, arbitrate disputes when necessary, and, as a last resort, are empowered to remove people from the list.

Any changes in the rules will be brought before the list for comment before they are implemented and, in cases where there are opposing ideas, a general vote will be taken before a decision is made. While there are Admins to keep things running smoothly this list belongs to all of us.

Voting procedure to elect or re-elect a position: Admin Election Procedure

 Character Limitations: There will be no characters based on other game systems, books, or movies. This is to avoid copyright issues. Characters can be based on myth and history. Characters cannot be all powerful. Very powerful, yes, indestructible, no. All characters must have a stated weakness in their bios unless they are obvious (vampires don't care for the sun, humans are prone to the usual plethora of fatal possibilities, etc). Information on character types can be found in the Character Rules section.

 Writing styles: This game is restricted to the third person, past tense. If you have questions about this rule, please refer them to the Senior Admins. This rule exists to keep stories, especially on posts where there are more than one writer, flowing smoothly. It adds coherence to the overall game. It is jarring to the reader to switch between styles. You will not be penalized for spelling errors, typos, etc (though we do appreciate it if you proofread your posts to the best of your ability before sending them) but the style rule applies to everybody.

Characters can think to themselves, talk to themselves, and when they do, it is usually done in the present tense. Present tense is also neat for the occassional dream sequence or the odd bit that really needs to stand out from the rest of the post. All of that is fine and in no way violates the past/present tense rule. It is only the main body of a post that we would like to see stick to third person, past tense. Sometimes the first person and present tense have their place. Feel free to use 'em when you need 'em, just try to stick with third person, past tense as a rule.

 Interaction: This is primarily a writer's coven rather than a role-playing game. That said, there is still lots of room for interaction and surprises. We will use the tagging system where, should your character wish to interact with another character, at the end of your post you will add a line reading: TAG: so-and-so. Unless you intend to do something that will affect that character in a major way it is not necessary to obtain a writer's permission prior to tagging them.

However, if you'd like to work on a plot with that writer it is not only polite but expected that you confer with them privately, off the list, beforehand. And every writer has the option to decline any interaction they find objectionable, simply don't have time for, or are unprepared to deal with.

Also, if you're willing to have just anyone jump in and start interacting with you, you may end your post: TAG: Anyone. Just try not to be annoyed if no one is in a spot where they can jump in at that time. Everyone wants interaction but we have the dreaded "real life" to deal with and/or may already be involved in all we can currently handle in the game.

 Interaction involving conflict/hostility: In order that no one suffers a misunderstanding, no one will be allowed to have their character attack another character in any way unless they have discussed it with that character's writer off-list prior to taking any such action and received that writer's go-ahead. Attacks also include homes, places of business, etc., not just physical/psychic/magical attacks directly on a character.

Needless to say, no one will be allowed to kill off someone else's character without their permission.

 Conflicts between writers: Please try to work things out politely amongst yourselves, off-list, first. If you find you are at an impasse and cannot come to a peaceful solution/compromise, then, and only then, take your complaint to an Admin, understanding that all four Senior Admins will likely confer about the situation before making a decision.

 Grounds for getting booted off the list: We never want to have to do this but the Admins retain the right to take anyone off the list who becomes a chronic problem for others. In order to avoid this keep in mind the following:

Do not flame the list at large.
If you must communicate your displeasure you are welcome to do so, but you must do it off-list.
Be polite and always strive to understand (even if you cannot agree with) the other person's point of view.
Do not swear/use abusive language towards another person.

These are grounds for removal. Repeatedly breaking any of these stated rules is grounds for removal. You'll be warned once.

It's pretty simple, treat people with respect and politeness and there will be no problem. Become rude at your peril.

Writers retain full rights to their characters and the places they create within the game. This not only covers copyright issues but applies to what happens to their characters/places within the game.

Say you want to blow up a building created by another writer. You must ask their permission first. Their answer is final, no arguments. Say you want your character to punch another writer's character. This falls under rule #8. You must have their prior permission. No exceptions.

 Please title all posts in the subject line.

Example: Melusine Takes A Holiday

You may also wish to add in parenthesis your character's name and a number for the post in order to make archiving easier but this is optional. Example:

Melusine Takes A Holiday (Melusine #5)

Any posts that are not story related but need to go to the main list should have NRPG in the subject line. Example:

NRPG Question about the rules

 Forced Interaction: This won't be tolerated. Forced interaction is when a character does something that, under any close to normal circumstances, would force passersby or casual observers to react. Example:

Insane gunman walks into retaurant and opens fire.

If that happens and your characters happen to be there it pretty much forces some sort of reaction out of them. To continue munching dessert, perusing the wine list and chatting about the play they just saw would not be very realistic.

Therefore before you even think about doing anythng like that you had best clear it with every possible character it'll affect first.

This is where we really differ from a regular role playing game. Characters are not just sitting around waiting to have the GM throw something at them. There is no GM here and most characters already have at least the barebones of what sort of things they want their characters to be doing thought out somewhat ahead of time. (Some of the writers love to wing it but that doesn't work for everyone, and not even those people all the time.)

 Types of characters permitted: Almost anything goes as long as you can give the character approval team a reasonable rationale. Characters include but are not limited to the following:

Vampires: refer to guidelines from the Vamp Admin, Barb/Maggie 

Weres: refer to guidelines from the Were Admin, Clint 

Faeries/Fey: refer to guidelines from the Fey Admin 

Immortals and Others: refer to guidelines from the Other Admin. Due to the nature of the catagory there are very few written guidlines. This does not mean there are no guidlines for "other" characters that are not listed in the guidelines. Please email the admin to discuss such characters.

Angels/Demons: refer to guidelines from the Angels/Demons Admin 

Witches/Mages: refer to guidelines from the Witch Admin 

Humans: refer to guidelines from the Human Admin, Fox 

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