Guild Mods

October 2020 Site Rules Update

Over the past few weeks site staff have reviewed and updated the current site rules with the aim of making them more concise and transparent.
Check them out here: Site Rules

Where's my Christmas Pudding!?!

Looking for the Hobbits who stole my Christmas pudding!
Find them!
Send them to me!
I cannot become the Lord of Mordor without eating my pudding first!

---

(Guild wishes you a Merry Christmas!)

Requesting a Name Change

Requesting a Name Change

Forum name changes have been available for a while, but there has always been some confusion as to what can, and what cannot be changed. This quick guide aims to eliminate as many of those questions and create a simpler, smoother transition into a new identity.

The Conditions

• Any new username must be alphanumeric, ie: consists of characters from A-Z (both upper and lower case) and/or numerical numbers 0-9.
• Usernames must be within 2 to 15 characters long. Some users on the forum will have longer names from Old Guild, however the current name changer does not allow for names of these lengths.
• The Username must not be already taken. A quick users search will reveal any names which are already in use or not.
  Note: @Mahz has the ability to change usernames to one that is already in use, but before that username can be recycled the account has to be deemed dead, ie: no activity, zero to few posts, and zero to few PMs.
• Name changes for case correction will not work, ie: a "user" wishing to now be "User".
• Any altered names will last for a period of 3 months.
• Once a name change is complete there is no turning back. This is due to how the old username is linked to your forum ID, even after a new name is chosen.

If you have read through these conditions and are still interested in changing your name, please either contact a member of Staff or post a thread in the Problems/Suggestions section.

Guidelines for Mature Roleplays (Revised Edition)

Guidelines for Mature Roleplays

The 1x1 section is an key part of the Guild as it tends to draw in people who are after a more individual and unique experience. With this comes the desire for members to write about scenes that are more personal and mature in nature. It is important to note though that while we allow these types of roleplays to operate we do have some regulations and guidelines that we ask of you to follow.

Advertising a Mature Roleplay

• Tagging Interest Checks for mature content should be in the form of either placing an “Adult”, “18+” or “Mature” label in the topic, or through the use of the “18+” tag.
• Any pairings within the Interest Check should be listed as to whether they are mature or not. This helps create clarity for those who are searching out for a roleplay as it prevents the whole “Surprise! Here’s the sex!” for those who were not expecting such a roleplay..
  eg: Role 1 x Role 2 (Mature)
• If possible list any Male, Female, Lesbian, or Homosexual character roles, either through the title or the listing within the Interest Check itself. Some players are after a specific theme and this is one way of gathering the correct interest.
  eg: MxF, FxF, MxM, etc.
• Specific acts, sexual details, kinks, and possible plots should to be reserved where possible to private discussions. When these are discussed in public there is always the risk that they will trigger Google’s AdSense, the primary form of income that allows the forum to operate.

Participating in a Mature Roleplay

• Be clear and precise on what it is that you expect of the roleplay. Sexuality is a sensitive subject to some individuals and a roleplay can quickly go from enjoyable to horrible if the participants have a different set of expectations.
  Note: If you ever wish to avoid any sexual content, inform your partner or advertise that you wish to “Fade to Black” instead.
• Ensure you are the legal age of 18 before you participate in any mature roleplays. The staff have and will continue to ban any users who actively choose to partake in a roleplay involving a minor; likewise if you are a minor who chooses to enter an adult level roleplay, you will be banned.
• All mature roleplays which engage in any sexual act must be played out through the PMs. Do not describe explicit content on the public-facing Guild. The members of staff do reserve the right to remove any mature content which may appear on the public forum.

Reports any Concerns

Please ensure that you have read through and understand the Fundamental Rules of the Guild. By following these standards you will already be one step closer to avoiding any issues or concerns prior to what may be listed here.

• Report any problem you encounter to a member of Staff. These may include advertisements that break our rules, people who are persistent in contacting you when you've shown no interest, or even just a general concern about the quality of your own interest check. Our job is to ensure you are comfortable with whoever it is you may be roleplaying with.
• If a staff addresses you about an issue, please listen. It may be as simple as a problematic description, or a miscommunication between members. Whatever the case they are there to both enforce the standards of the forum and aid with your enjoyment.
• Follow all local laws as applicable to your region with regard to written content.

Finally, we do wish the best on your endeavors in finding a suitable partner who can match your desires. The number of members who have been contacted about any concerns have been quite minimal, and we do pride ourselves on a community which is so willing to take the advice of the Guild on board.

Guild Discord Chat Staff

Although we don't always announce staff changes, today is an unusual moment in Guild history where we find ourselves creating a new position altogether. In the past (not counting IRC) the Guild Moderators simply doubled as moderators for any Guild chat. With the increased traffic in Guild chatter due to moving from the old Guild Chat to the new Guild Discord server we believe it is now necessary to enlist some help on the chat side of the house.

@TheTwistedOne, @Altered Tundra, and @The Harbinger of Ferocity have been appointed Chat Staff and will work to moderate the chat on the Guild Discord server. They have full power within the Guild Discord server to deal with rule infractions and any incidents that might occur within the Guild Discord server.

Should action be brought against you by a member of Chat Staff, you can appeal that just like you can any site staff action. To appeal an action by Chat Staff please contact a Guild Moderator, not the Admins directly.

Good luck to the new Chat Staff!

To those contacted about the position but ultimately not picked, thank you for your interest. Your names won't be forgotten the next time one of these positions comes available.

Fundamental Rules of the Guild

Fundamental Rules of the Guild

This is a brief explanation of the rules and regulations that are enforced here at the Guild. It is a good idea to become familiar with these rules, and understand them. Violations of certain rules may result in Moderator action, ranging from a discussion or warning, to the potential of a site-wide ban. In either case, it is your responsibility to be fully aware of the rules and to avoid breaking them at all times.

1) Community Conduct

• Respect all members. Be pleasant to each other and treat people how they deserve to be treated. Remember that respect comes in all forms and should be applied in everything that you do. When disagreements arise in discussion be sure to address them in good faith, ensuring that you avoid escalating them into any unnecessary conflict. The Guild does not tolerate behaviour which incites hatred against, promotes discrimination of, or disparages an individual or group on the basis of their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization.
• Respect the decision of your GMs and Co-GMs. GMs and Co-GMs do have the final say on disagreements, decisions, and creative freedom when in relation to their roleplay. They have the ability and permissions to remove you from the roleplay thread, so it would be best to keep matters civil and don't belabor the point.
• Keep your conflicts private. When disagreements arise in discussion, try to work it out privately. People do respond better when confronted outside the view of a public audience and when a moderator asks for you to take a conflict to a private discussion they are doing so to try and maintain the peace.
• Do not incite drama, fights, or harass others. If your response could be interpreted as trolling, disrespectful, or inflammatory, please refrain from posting it. Harassment, intimidation and bullying of any community member or staff will not be tolerated, including unsolicited messages, verbal or physical threats, and targeted spam. If reported, such behaviour may result in disciplinary action. Lastly, we would also like to remind everyone that each user is responsible for their own conduct and stepping away from any drama or fight you may be involved with is always a better option.
• Do not spam. Spamming includes both the posting of unrelated material on the site and excessive posting of the same content across multiple topics and forums. For those wishing to post this kind of content we do have a subforum dedicated purely to the topic of spam. Any spam posted outside of the dedicated subforum will be removed and addressed accordingly.
• No advertisements. The Guild does not allow any off-site advertising designed to invite members into communities which are not formally associated with the Guild itself. In addition, links to sites designed to provide financial benefit or compensation in some way are prohibited. Any advertisement will be subject to Moderator discretion and will be removed from the site. Accounts created which demonstrate a focus on off-site advertising will be banned.
• Do not discuss bans. There are a large variety of reasons why someone could be banned from the Guild and discussing them publicly can lead to the spread of false information and needless drama. Should you wish to inquire about the reasons behind a particular ban, take it up privately with site staff and staff only.

2) Mature Content

RoleplayerGuild exists because Google AdSense pays for the Guild's rent through the use of targeted ads. While we do allow some mature content on the site we do have some guidelines which must be adhered to at all times.

• 18+ Roleplays. 18+ roleplays are restricted to adults aged 18 and up as they typically contain content which is not suitable for minors.
• No smut on the public forum. Any roleplay which chooses to engage in any sexual activity must be kept off the public forum and played out through the PMs. Staff do reserve the right to remove any smut which may appear on the public forum.
• No explicit content on the public forum. We do tolerate a superficial amount of mature themes within a public roleplay for those who are looking for a more adult level of content, however images and content which can be perceived to be intense or explicit in nature cannot be posted on the forum.

3) Discord

Discord is a free to use, instant messenger application that offers the ability to create and manage your own online chat community. The Guild has one such community, and members who are a part of the Guild have the ability to join and chat amongst their online peers.

All of the current rules and community conduct guidelines mentioned above do extend into the Discord server as a whole, and violation of these rules can result in action against you ranging from the removal of various channels privileges, up to the server as a whole. To help manage such an open platform, we have a team of Discord dedicated Moderators who can help assist you along the way, as well as the current members of site staff who oversee the Guild community as a whole.

4) Reporting Violations

In the event that you should come across an issue relating to the Guild or you have observed an incident that may violate these rules, please contact a member of staff to inform them of the issue. Reports are kept private — reports by default are shared amongst all staff members unless requested otherwise — as they help provide vital context for future conflict between users, in addition to being vital to judging all situations fairly.

As a note, the Moderators on Roleplayer Guild exclusively limit their scope to matters contained both within the site and on the Official RPG Discord server. The Moderation team has no jurisdiction over any exchanges between users that have occurred in Discord’s Direct Message system, or elsewhere online. If you encounter problems off-site, please report your concerns to the most suitable source, such as Discord's own Trust and Safety team, and not the Guild staff.

Site Admin

Mahz // Hank

Site Moderators

LegendBegins // NuttsnBolts // Poohead189

Discord Moderators

HaleyTheRandom

5) Appealing a Moderator Decision

Should you feel that a Moderator's decision was incorrect, we are happy to discuss and review the incident with you. Any attempts to raise a matter publicly will be removed and will be discussed in private instead. Should a staff member come forward to discuss the details publicly, then — and only then — may it be discussed.

Our community guidelines are meant to inform members on what is and isn’t allowed on The Guild, and to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable experience they deserve. Should you have any additional questions, please message a member of Staff and we would be more than happy to assist you further.

Welcome to the Guild!

Greetings, new members.

We are an ever-growing community of enthusiastic and dedicated play-by-post roleplayers that cater to all genres and playstyles - fantasy, sci-fi, romance and even tabletop & nation roleplays. First founded in 2007, the Guild has been the go-to forum for thousands of members since its inception. We sport an easy-to-navigate forum layout and a plethora of nifty features implemented specifically to improve the roleplaying experience.

The best way to start your stay with us here on the Guild is to introduce yourself to the masses with a (short & sweet or highly detailed, it's up to you) introduction thread in this subforum. Not sure what to say? I know, introductions can be hard. Here are a few suggested topics for you to elucidate on so we can get a feel for what kind of person and roleplayer you are.

• Roleplaying career: How long have you been a roleplayer? What was your first experience with it and when did it become a hobby? Perhaps this is your first time; if so, don't hesitate to mention this. The Guild is full of experienced and helpful members that'll show you the ropes.
• Roleplaying preferences: What are your favorite genres? Do you prefer group roleplays or one-on-one adventures? Are you more interested in fast-paced, back-and-forth roleplays or are you looking for complex, layered stories with huge posts and intricate lore -- or something in between? Let us know and you might be approached by someone looking for fresh blood with something that's right up your alley. Doesn't get any easier than that.
• Hobbies and interests: Tell us a little about yourself. What else do you do for fun besides roleplaying? Videogames, sports, reading, scuba diving, space exploration, etc. You get the idea.

Have any questions? Refer to the Welcome Package you received in your PM inbox or, if that's not sufficient, ask around. We don't bite.

Hope to see you around,
The Roleplayer Guild Staff

A New User's Guide to the Guild

Welcome to the
Roleplayer Guild!

The Roleplayer Guild is one of the fastest growing play-by-post roleplaying communities on the internet. We try to create a roleplaying community as freeform and user-driven as possible with our simple structure, approachability and simple rules. This guide is intended to quickly get you to where the action is and dive right into the roleplaying.

For the purpose of expediency, we've presented information on the roleplaying sections, moderation and other useful links in clickable tabs that hold more information. Just click one of the tabs to get started.

Guides

What is Roleplaying

What is Roleplaying (RP)?

A role-playing game (RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative. Actions taken within the game succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines.

In the Guild, rolelaying is a collaborative effort between multiple authors to create a story. The roles, the plot and the structure of the roleplaying differ between the threads, which are administered independently by individual members of the Guild -- if you want to run your own roleplaying thread here, you can do it.

Getting Started

Getting Started: The Roleplaying Sections

- Free Roleplay - No standards. For roleplaying involving one-liners, few-liners, speed-posting, and for anyone who doesn't want to worry about standards.
- Casual Roleplay - Some standards. Roleplay here if you enjoy writing at least a paragraph or two, character development, and some depth. Casual RP is more laid back and lighthearted than Advanced RP but more moderated than Free RP. It's a good middle ground. No one-liners.
- Advanced Roleplay - Elevated standards. Advanced RP focuses on longer posts that include character development and elaborate plot development. Suggested minimum of 2-3 paragraphs per post.

We also offer some niche roleplaying forums:

- The Arena - Combat-centric roleplaying duels and various other types of fights.
- 1x1 (One on One)Roleplay - In pairs. All standards are represented here.
- Tabletop Roleplay - Roleplays focused on dice rolls and stat blocks where the narrative is driven by game mechanics.
- Nation Roleplay - Create and control a nation that collides with other nations through political, economic, and diplomatic warfare.

We also have 'interest checks' that function as a means of advertising one's roleplays or finding someone else's roleplay.

- General Interest Checks - A section for brainstorming new ideas and presenting them to other roleplayers. Every section has their own specific interest check (as a subforum of the above sections) also.

The Sections Explained

Roleplaying sections are arranged according to writing standards, rather than genre. This is largely so roleplayers can find partners that are compatible with one another and to simplify navigation. For example, someone that likes to speed post or post very quickly in an exchange with other roleplayers might want to go to the Free section while someone who wants something that involves more intricacy and longer posts might consider the Advanced section. Casual exists on the middle-ground between these two.

The Arena exists for combat-driven RP, such as duels and other types of adversarial combats, while the 1x1 section encompasses many different standards. (It is also easier to get an RP started here, because you have less players involved) Some players tend to venerate one section or the other as being the better section but you should choose the RP category you feel is right for you; if you are unsure which section is right for you, you should talk to a moderator or hit up the Discord for guidance.

Joining an RP: Interest Checks and Roleplaying Threads: Out-of-Character and In-Character

Interest checks exist in every category of RP as a means of advertising a new idea for an RP before committing to writing out more than a synopsis. The interest checks are a means of testing the waters and recruiting players.

The typical roleplay starts in an Interest Check which functions as a place to put a rough draft of the idea in order to gauge interest. If interested, a other players will post that they are willing to get involved in the RP if it proceeds. The person posting the idea can then proceed with further development on their RP, knowing they have some people already on board.

Once there is interest, the roleplay moves over to the Roleplaying threads where the plot is further discussed and developed and where players communicate with one another in the Out of Character (OOC) tab of the topic, which is where discussion of the roleplay occurs. The In Character (IC) tab houses the actual writing for the roleplay. The person in charge, known as the Original Poster (OP) or Gamemaster (GM) will then post a thread in its respective category, where the roleplaying actually happens.

It is entirely possible to join an RP in the topic, or even after the In-Character writing has started, but the most consistent way to do it is to do it through the interest checks -- while you can submit a character to the OP/GM of the thread, they make the final decision whether or not you can roleplay in that thread and are within their rights to reject submissions or ask players to leave -- this doesn't happen very often, because word gets around when people abuse that authority.

The Gallery and Graphics Shops

The Gallery and Graphics Shops

- The Gallery - A place for the users of the guild post their original work for others to check out. This sectional also hosts ‘shops’ where artists can advertise their availability via Graphics Shops or ‘requests’ a person looking for artwork can advertise their request.

The Gallery is a section of the forum devoted to sharing the original work of members outside of the RP threads; short stories, artwork, poetry and other original works are posted here. It also includes a subforum where a user can not only post their own original work but also request work be done for signatures and avatars (which can be changed in the user control panel).

A Graphics Shop is essentially a thread started by the artist where a request can be made of the artist. The artist is within their rights to turn down requests, of course. By the same token, a person looking for artwork may make a request thread in the Gallery forum.

Rules, Moderation and Staff

Rules, Moderation, and Staff

- Fundamental Rules & Moderation Policy - This is the essential rules and policy of the Guild, with the other moderation policies being subforum-specific.
- Moderation Policy in the RP Sections
- Moderation Policy in the Off-Topic Sections
- Reporting Incidents to Moderators - A handy guide on what to expect when reporting incidents.
- Need Help? – For post deletions, topic renaming and other moderator functions, post a thread in this forum (Note: temporary until the site is developed further)

The Guild does not have a huge number of rules, because the founder wants the Guild to be a fun place. What rules there are exist out of the realization that certain things are highly disruptive to the mission of the guild; porn, spamming the roleplays and being mean to other people are fast track ways to get banned here, though usually it is with a warning, first.

The rules and regulations exist for a reason, and that reason is to keep the site running smoothly and effectively -- the moderation here is generally very low key, and out of your face, but if any of them do PM you, please pay attention to the request made.

Other Useful Links

Other Useful Links

- Articles & Guides - The Roleplaying Article Section, a general listing of various guides and articles on different topics.

Final Words

There's a lot of advice here and a lot of articles to read, but the reality of the rules and regulations boil down to this piece of simple advice: Just be cool (like the Fonz) and remember that this is a hobby.

If you have further questions, please feel free to use The Guild Chat (you'll need a free Discord account) to ask questions or post a thread in Suggestions/Problems.

Editing note: Thanks to @HeySeuss who wrote the guide, with help for some sections from @Genkai.