Newsfiles

It is expected that players will have read and agreed to adhere to all of the policies below. Thanks!

Policy

Actors and Icons

Players are asked to select Actors, "Played Bys" or PBs to represent their character. PBs must be someone in the public eye — a model, actor, musician, etc. that is seen as a media personality of some sort. No cartoons or comic representations will be allowed; this is in order to have a sense of cohesion in the pages and icons of our character base. While a character is active, their PB may not be used by another character; if a character is retired and had minimal impact on the game, it is possible their PB may be reused, but only by +request.

You can check what actors are currently taken by using the command +Actor/check (prior to entering the CG room) or viewing the Taken Actors page (the latter may not be up to date, though we make a good ).

Upon completion of Chargen, we ask that you find a picture (or two) of your PB that fits your character for us to make into an icon.

Alts

Currently, the alt limit is three people within these parameters: 1) you must be active and play your first character for at least a month before requesting a second alt. 2) You must play your second character for at least a month before requesting your third. 3) You may only have two supernatural characters; a third must be human-only (you may make as many of your 3 characters human-only as you like).

When playing alts, please be mindful of conflicts of interest. You may not deliberately use one alt to benefit the actions or plans of another of your characters. If one of your characters is involved in a plot, be sure to keep your other alts out of the same plot. Sometimes accidental conflict occurs; if it does, let Staff know so we can help mitigate it.

Consent

This is a "cooperative non-consent" game, which means we would like players to work together in telling the stories of this world in ways that create fun-to-play tension and conflict with realistic outcomes (or as realistic as we can get in a world populated with werewolves, vampires and faeries!). We're not going to let people go around snipe shooting innocent PCs just because they have the skills to do so. However, this doesn't mean your character cannot die, get hurt, or go to jail without your express permission, either. If your character does something extremely dangerous, bad things are likely to happen to them. But, we expect warnings to be given before extreme actions are taken so the player is aware and can opt to take a less fatal course of action (or not, if they so choose).

If you are in a scene with another player and feel that compromise cannot be reached and you need Staff to judge or mediate, feel free to ask and we will do so as soon as possible.

Harassment

Not everyone is going to get along in any Mu* and there are likely to be disagreements. We hope everyone is capable of logical and civil disagreements with an aim toward a constructive resolution, but sadly that's not always the case. If you are in a one-on-one OOC argument with someone, we ask that you take it to pages; if the other person involved asks you to cease and desist, please do so. Failing to stop paging someone when they have asked is considered harassment and may result in suspension or a ban from the game.

Just as in the real world, intent is not the deciding factor when it comes to harassment; if a player's behavior makes people feel uncomfortable and it continues after the player has been asked to stop, Staff has the right to suspend or ban the player from the game. Extreme acts of harassment or non-civil behavior may result in immediate consequences without a warning. Please realize it is not our intent to go around punishing players, but we will do so if we feel a player is deliberately causing trouble.

ICA=ICC

Most seasoned players know this phrase, but for those who don't, it means "In-character actions result in in-character consequences." In other words, if a character is doing something foolish, dangerous, illegal, etc., there are going to be consequences for these actions. It might be another character trying to kill him or her, it might be the police trying to catch him or her, it might be a group of people avoiding him or her. While a character may not be the type to consider the ramifications of their choices, there are going to be some, and we expect the player to be able to roll with the punches so to speak (See Consent).

Idling

Please do not leave your character idle in public RP rooms or you may be forcibly moved to the OOC room. Some people may wish to use the room and feel uncomfortable scening with an idle player there. Likewise, please do not sit idle in a room to "reserve" it. Awake and active players have priority on room choice.

NPCs

NPCs come in three varieties:
1) a minor role that could be likened to an extra in a movie or someone with only a few lines, such as a bartender, a barista, or a sidewalk artist. These give a scene some flavor and texture, and are free for anyone to use and make up at their whim. They should have minimal impact on the scene and not be created to enhance your character's abilities.

2) someone who serves as more than texture and flavor, and has a major role in the scene, whether it be a villain, a hero, a police detective, or in our city of shadows, a troll guarding a bridge. These are significant game changers and we'd like them to be played at the hands of a GM, whether it be a Staff member or someone running an approved PrP.

3) a minor but recurring character in a player's life, such as a family member, an assistant, a business partner, etc. These characters should not have a major impact on a scene, but might serve to aid characterization of the regular player characters. If you feel you need such an NPC, we require it to be +requested and staff must approve the NPC before he or she is used in a scene. NPCs of this variety may be noted somewhere on the PC's wiki page; please do not create a character page or claim an actor for these NPCs.

Powergaming

This means different things to different people, but here, we define it to mean either 1) assuming another character's actions, reactions, thoughts or feelings and including them within your own pose without their consent, or 2) assuming the consequences of your pose without letting others react. We ask that you avoid both of these styles.

Use your judgment. In a scene between friends, it's probably safe to assume your character can pat the other character on the shoulder without being called a Twink. But if your character suddenly decides to swing for the other character's face to land a knock-out punch, don't assume that you land it unless the other player says they're okay with it. No one is all powerful; every shot you take isn't going to be fatal or even hit your target. Your opponent might duck just in the nick of time. With GM'd scenes, we ask you pose your intended action and the GM will determine your successes. There may be times you want to conserve time by asking ahead of your pose if you succeed or fail to incorporate this into your pose; this is acceptable.

Basically, there are times your character will fail. Instead of fighting this certainty, embrace it as a means for character development and hooks for roleplay. Flawed characters and failed actions make for more interesting roleplay.

Privacy

All players of City of Shadows must respect the privacy of others connected to the game. Do not divulge personal information about another player without their express permission. This includes real names, email addresses, and other contact information such as AIM or Messenger, etc.

Staff will never set themselves dark to "spy" on players. Coded "listening" devices and "bots" are likewise prohibited.

PrPs

Currently, while everyone adjusts to the theme and setting, plots will be run by staff and selected storytellers. We may open more storyteller slots at a later date and a PrP policy may be developed as well.

Rating

This MUX is considered to be at an R Rating, meaning that there often "adult" topics, imagery, and language occur. Swear words are allowed in both OOC and IC settings, though please do not direct vulgarities at a player in an OOC manner, which may be viewed as harassment. OOC room topics should be "prime time" appropriate so everyone feels comfortable.

Scenes leading to sex should "fade to black" when posted on the wiki (see TS policy). Violence is a natural element in the theme, but be mindful of your fellow players' sensitivities in a scene. Players should be at least 18 years of age.

Restricted Concepts

The following concepts are not allowed:

  • Characters (other than NPCs) under the age of 18
  • A-list celebrities (original characters or real)
  • Fey characters who were "infected" prior to the Breach
  • Fey characters who were "infected" before the age of 16
  • Strippers, prostitutes, porn stars and other sex-industry workers (we prefer if these are used that they are used as a plot device and NPCS rather than as a PC concept)
  • At this time, we are not allowing in-game "Becomings" — ie, don't make a human character that you plan to make into a vampire later on. This may or may not change.

Stats

While we have stats in this game, some GMs may choose to use them minimally, using them more as a barometer for a character's ability range and determining successes and failures without rolls. Others may choose to use the stats system using dice. While players will have their preference as well, it is up to the GM of the particular scene. In day-to-day RP, the players of any given scene can choose for themselves how to operate. See System for more information.

TinySex

This is not a sex-oriented game. We're sure you know how to find those if you are so inclined (and they usually have less taxing application processes!). No TS is allowed in public rooms, including off-grid rooms.

That said, sometimes romance is important for character development, and we're not against the implication that sex happens between characters. It's fine to allude to it in scenes, but explicit sex scenes may not be posted anywhere on the wiki. Most people find that there is a natural "fade to black" moment in a scene that works as an end point.

Wiki Usage

We encourage and expect logs to be posted. It is not a requirement, but it helps to create the sort of communal storytelling feeling that we want to cultivate here. Players should expect that their scenes will be posted. Not every scene must be posted, and there may be reasons not to. If holding logs is necessary for a plot for the sake of the element of surprise (perhaps if there is an attack on a faction by another faction, for example), Staff should be notified and kept apprised of the events; Staff may request copies of the logs leading up to the event.

In regards to character pages, please use the basic format of the character template for the top of the character page. You may upload one photograph only for the main profile image. Below the main template, you may customize as you like for relationships and other character-related information. If you make a gallery, please link to Flickr or another photo source rather than uploading multiple files. Please do not use any photographs that contain nudity or the gallery will be removed.

Game Design

+Hangouts

Certain locations have been marked as a +hangout to enable more casual, "drop-in" RP. Please be aware that scening in an area marked as a +hangout means other players are free to stop by without paging first, so please do not use these select areas if you are not open for new players to join you. There are plenty of areas that are not marked +hangouts for "closed" scenes.

Also, please realize that many people prefer not to use the +hangouts, but are probably happy to scene with a stranger if you page and ask them. A player who doesn't frequent +hangouts may have reasons for it; don't assume it's because they are anti-social; if their character is one you want your character to meet, page and talk to them about meeting up. To use +hangouts, type +hangouts. Also, see the list on http://cityofshadows.wikidot.com/system:page-tags/tag/hangout

Setting

While the game is set in something close to contemporary Los Angeles, please be aware that some modifications have been made for the mu* setting. Geography and real-life locales may have been modified slightly due to the large area we are trying to depict. This is an alternate reality to our own; many things are the same, but some are not. The game is set in 2020, though is not much more technologically advanced than today's world. Cell phones may be faster, hybrid cars more common, but there are no hovercrafts. Game time is real time except for the year, so for instance April 10, 2013 would be April 10, 2020.

Theme

You may note similarities in the game's plot to various films, novels, or television shows, though the theme is not taken from any one source. We want to explore the ways humanity deals with supernatural beings as outsiders and even themselves as they become those outsiders. The tensions and politics between the various groups of Fey, second-generation Fey, and humans will hopefully provide ample opportunity for plot, conflict and character development.

Timeline

  • Spring 2010: The Breach occurs; for reasons unclear to mankind and the Fey, humans are all suddenly able to recognize the Fey for what they are, and the divide between the Fey world and man's is forever closed. There are riots and a rush to move before the problem is recognized as worldwide. Many Fey go into hiding, though others begin campaigning for "civil rights" and meeting in peace talks with human leaders.
  • Summer 2010: The first reports of humans being "infected" or "changed" into Fey; these "new Fey" are brought into government custody to be studied and experimented upon.
  • Fall 2010: The November ballots in the United States include many hurriedly-written propositions for dealing with the Fey and the second-generation Fey.
  • 2011: Laws go into effect granting some civil rights to the Fey, though no supernatural being, either Fey or second-generation, is allowed to vote; in essence, they are treated like immigrants with limited rights, but may work and live in the United States. Some countries are less lenient, allowing Fey and sometimes the second-generation Feys to be killed by humans; this makes the United States a more popular place for the Feys to live as there is no "kill clause" here.
  • 2020 Current time.

RP Style

The Staff of this game are of the mindset that RP is communal storytelling. We enjoy writing out our characters' actions and dialogue. We expect players to enjoy actually posing their characters, rather than simply rolling for successes. In other games, we've noticed some people tend to roll in lieu of posing. Here, we'd like to see any dice use augment the storytelling rather than replace it. If actually writing out a pose doesn't appeal to you, we're probably not the game for you, and we wish you luck in finding one that suits your preferences.

Certain conventions help make scenes feel more fluid. We ask players to write in the present tense for current actions, and avoid using the second-person. Poses here might include some "meta" but we request that it is not used in a way that is passive-aggressive toward other players.

We also request that people page before joining a group on the grid out of politeness to the people already in the scene if the group is in a room not marked as a +hangout. Sometimes, even if the scene is in a "public" place, the scene is specific to a plot or just wrapping up, or even a continuation of a prior scene. If you want to start a public scene, use the channels or ask people in the OOC room to let them know anyone can join in. (Please see +hangouts for more information)

Channels

Type:

  • @clist to see a list of available channels.
  • comlist to see a list of channels you're connected to and their aliases.
  • addcom <alias>=<Channel> to add a channel with your preferred alias. (ex. addcom pub=Public).
  • delcom <alias> to leave a channel forever (also useful for dumping unwanted channel aliases).
  • <alias> off or <alias> on to toggle a channel on and off.
  • <alias> who to show a list of who is currently on the channel.
  • allcom <command> can be used for on and off to do that for all channels you're currently subscribed to.
  • comtitle <alias>=<title> to set a personalized channel title (Please keep to a manageable length, or the staff will be forced to change it to something embarrassing).

System

For those who wish to use dice rolls, see System.

Other

Flickr Help

1. Set up a Flickr account.

2. Upload photos to your account.

3. Organize your photos into 'sets'. At the top, there are a series of tabs. Use the 'Organize and Create' tab and find 'Your Sets' on the drop down menu. This page will show you any sets you've already created and has a link at the top called create a new set. (It is in the Tip just under the tabs). Name your new set and drag pictures from the bottom into the set and save.

4. Make a gallery on your page. The code to do so is as follows:

[[module FlickrGallery userName="YourFlickrUserName" photosetId="TheSetID#"]]

Fill in your flickr user name within the first set of quotes and the set ID within the second. You can find the set ID by going to your photostream, clicking on the You tab and finding the Your Sets link on the drop down menu. Click on a set. In the address for that set, there's a long-ass number at the end. Long. Like 72157629729032567.

You can edit your set at any time on Flickr and it will automatically update what's on your page here. Good luck!

Staff

Staffer Jobs Quote Origin
Circe Headstaff: Approvals, Theme, Plots, general wiz stuff! "I have a craving for carnitas." The Odyssey by Homer
Kvothe Headstaff: Approvals, stats judging, plots, theme. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfus
Mombi Plot Stuffs, Wiki-Fu and Character Icons "If two wrongs don't make a right, try three." Return to Oz
Baba-Yaga Lurky codestaff. "You want it, you got it. Toyota." Russian Folklore
Miracle Max Snarky codestaff "You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles." The Princess Bride
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