The Rules

Definition of Rules and Tips for Better Role Play

For Everyone

#DragonHeart and its Associated Channels

StarChat.Net

Disclaimer:

The Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern Medieval Fantasy Free-Form Role Playing environment is accessible through the channel, #DragonHeart, on DALnet's Internet Relay Chat [IRC] network, which is NOT a general discussion channel and is NOT, in any way, involved with or claiming credit from the DragonHeart motion picture, or its sequel and other applicable materials, which are Copyright 1996-2002 Universal City Studios, Inc.

When accessing #DragonHeart and its associated channels [as listed in the associated Out Of Character channel, #DH_OOC] through your local Internet Service Provider [ISP], it is necessary to understand your ISP's own End User License Agreement [or similar user agreement], as well as that of StarChat.NET's network and #DragonHeart, as well as the applicable local civil and criminal laws as they apply to the user. Transgression of these may result in the revoking of any or all access privileges by the applicable authorities and legal action could be taken, at their discretion. #DragonHeart and its administration [Founder, Co-founder, Operators and Helpers] are not responsible for the poor judgmentor lack thereofexercised by its users and accepts no liability for damages or losses, explicit or imagined, incurred while using the services provided by their local ISP, DALnet's network or #DragonHeart and its associated channels.

The rules and regulations that govern #DragonHeart and its associated channels are considered to be its End User License Agreement. While the service provided by #DragonHeart and its administration are offered free of charge, some modicum of respect is expected for the work done daily, and for the past several years, to provide this service to its users.

A Note on Common Sense:

A basic understanding that governs the use of the service provided by #DragonHeart and its administration and the application of the rules and regulations that follow is that there is a very definite difference between the Role Play environment#DragonHeartand the imagined fantasy world of the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern. While it is known and accepted by its administration that many players have emotional ties to the characters they play there, it must also be accepted by all that these characters exist for many reasons. Not least of these is the honest exploration and expression of all the emotions, mannerisms, opinions and situations that make us individual characters in the real world.

All who choose to use #DragonHeart as an escape from their every-day situations have any number of honest problems, issues and opinions that are intimately tied to their own personal situations, outside of the Role Play environment, that can not simply be set aside and absolutely ignored. No one player is more important than any other; no player has any right to disrespect any other player for their situation, gender, race, monetary capabilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, sexual orientation or opinions; no player may force their will upon an other for any reason. The same social standards exist for their characters, within the fantasy environment they inhabit.

A person can be rude, abusive and violent, but can not expect to be thus without intervention from that world's authorities, whether it be our real-life Earth, the Internet in general, the DALnet network, the #DragonHeart IRC channel, or the imagined fantasy world of the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern.

This is ideal common sense and all are expected to understand it, or learn to understand it, in order to understand all the rules and regulations that follow.

A Note from the Administration Concerning the Channel's Functioning:

In order for #DragonHeart's administration to effectively and seamlessly supply its users with the possibility of accessing the wonderfully diverse fantasy universe in which the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern is set, the understanding and patience of all its patrons is necessary. In many situations, explicit and immediate explanations will not be given for an action or decision made by the administration. Demanding immediate explanations may help one or two to better understand the decision or action in question, but, often, this will discourage repetition of explanations in a forum that may be seen by all. If an explanation is deemed necessary, one will be made available in its own time, under its own format. Please be patient.

While we do not demand character-approvals at this time, we do reserve the right to deny service to anyone found to have a poor attitude toward Role-Play or simply in general. Though it is true that #DragonHeart and its associated channels are indeed a public service, its administration has a responsibility to the patrons who can and do enjoy that service without diminishing the enjoyment for anyone else to ensure that they are able to continue in like fashion, uninterrupted. To this end, anyone found to be uncooperative, belligerent or unhelpful may be immediately removed from any and all associated channels without warning or discussion. This action may be appealed, but this is no guarantee that service will be restored, then or ever.

Final Note:

Below are a number of sections pertaining to various aspects of the Free-Form Role Play environment as it applies specifically to the #DragonHeart channel, on DALnet's IRC network, and its associated channels. Each section contains pertinent rules, with a final section which detail some tips for better Role Playing. For simplicity's sake, the first rule in all sections is the same, though it is specified only once, below.

1) Ignorance is not an excuse.

While we realize that the rules and regulations in most Free-Form Role Play channels are standard, it is considered impolite to not at least give a particular channel's rules an attentive reading, from time to time, to be aware of any peculiarities expected of its patronage. As respect between all in #DragonHeart and its related channels is considered a priority, it is to be understood that the disrespect one pays to all by not being aware of the following rules will not be looked upon kindly.

Characters and Setting:

2) The character is in the setting.

The Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern is a public setting. In any public environment, it is likely that occasions will arise when someone will randomly affect what characters are doing. For the sake of acknowledging and respecting the public nature of the setting, it will often become necessary to slow down one's Role Play and pay more intimate attention to others' posts, lest something important be missed.

An unfortunately common example of this lack is during periods of fast-flowing play between a few characters who are interacting only with each otherhaving a conversation, an argument or fighting, for exampleand an other, unexpected character tries to join the interaction by speaking up, stepping in, or attacking, but it is missed entirely by the primary participants because they don't take the time even to scan the surrounding goings-on for related actions. This is often enormously disheartening for the person who tried to join inwhether they be a veteran player, or a newer onewhich defeats the laws of public existence.

3) The character is born of the setting.

An imagined character Role Played in any Free-Form Role Playing environment, while not specifically limited by published literature or the rolls of dice, does fall under the particularities of its environment. The Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern being a public environment, it is extremely important for maintaining fairness to all players and characters that no character may impose any situation or circumstance on any other charactersuch as sexual situations, control, abusive or derogatory discussions or actions of any sortwithout the express acceptance and acknowledgment of all players involved, including, if necessary, the administration.

In the fantasy environment, the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern exists in a populous world, with laws and guidelines for conduct and possibility. These laws are upheld by the powers of the tavern's owner and the land, respectively. For either of these authorities in the fantasy world to be in any position to dictate law at all, it is natural that they not be weak figures, without connections, knowledge or power of [or over] many [or all] of the understood circles of influence that govern the fantasy world in question. That is to say, no character present in the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern is immune to the authority of some higher force than themselves: transgressions to the understood laws of the land are expected, as is logical under any form of government, to be investigated and avenged by those with the authority to do so.

To keep this wonderful context, one should observe the following guidelines when creating a character to be used in conjunction with the story-lines that have already been played by oneself and their predecessors: Weaponry and attributes, clothing, character knowledge (i.e: current events, language [slang, cussing], etc.), are to be kept in the norm for a High Fantasy epic setting. Otherwise, one might find themselves in something that is no longer High Fantasy, but rather something more in the line of an innocuous jumble of ideas that clash and can not be seen together.

Time-travelers are not looked upon well.

4) The setting from which a character is born is not an unfortunate zoo.

When creating multi-racial characters, be advised: it will be expected that, despite there being a mix of backgrounds, only one will be primary, governing the character's possible attributes, while a secondary race may be relegated to governing appearance. In the example of a vampiric Elven, the vampirism takes precedence, in terms of abilities and limitations, though its appearance will obviously be primarily Elven. In the absurd case of a demonic holy-draconic Elven feline lycanthropic vampire, one race takes precedence for abilities and an other takes precedence for appearancethe others are relegated to the character's history and not mentioned again. It's fine to have those elements in a character's history, but it must move on at some point, lest its genetic coding be so skewed that the character end up resembling a puddle of primordial soup.

General Rules for Combat in the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern

1) Fight. Don't bite.

Given the tavern's setting, fights are inevitable. We understand this. However, one must realize that every time a character enters a combat situation, there is a strong chance they may die or be seriously injured. No matter how much bravado one may show, this does not necessarily mean that they are guaranteed to win.

It is -extremely- distasteful when one complains, after entering a fight, about not wanting to lose the character because it has so much "potential" or personal value, or some other such excuse. If one starts a fight, or simply enters it, this one will be expected to realize the inherent dangers and may be held accountable for childish whining and/or running away at the first sign of the fight not going their way. This is an environment where maturity is encouraged and whining is not mature.

Bickering about the situation after one enters it will not be tolerated lightly. Accusations being thrown, heated arguments being engagedthese are the signs of an utter lack of communication, understanding and trust. If one is unwilling to share open communications with all the people one Role Plays, they may be unfit for playing in a public environment and could well be forcibly ejected, depending on the situation.

If one fights, they must be willing to accept the consequences, no matter how frustrating they may turn out to be. If a character dies, they die. Two exceptions may be if one kills their own character to be brought back as a ghost or wraith to further a particular story-line, or if the combatants agree on this beforehand. Ask yourselves before the combat commences, "Is this a non-continuity fight, or will any of its affects be lasting or even permanent?" if the answer is that the combat is non-continuity, chances are there's no reason for the characters to be fighting and it is to be moved to an arena channel, such as #DH_Arena.

Demanding that a call be made on the outcome of a fight, or complaining about the outcome after the combat has been terminated, will rarely be entertainedthis is left to the demanded's discretion. Always remember that the onus is on the players to play their own characters, in an environment where there are other players and other characters that must be contended with in a respectful and mature manner. Failure to comprehend this is unacceptable.

2) Know thyself, Jebidiah.

When involved in a combat situation, it is most important to keep in mind exactly what your character is capable of doing. Taking a scribe and making it consistently dodge a trained fighter's attacks is generally illogical.

As in real life, complex laws of motion, flexibility, stamina and strength govern a person's body. It is easy to say your character dodges or parries or attacks, but one needs to know exactly how these motions work and how they affectand are affected bytheir character's physiology and stance in relation to their previous motions, age, experience and training.

One needs to understand what reality is before they can bend it properly. To this end, it is extremely important to not put oneself in a situation where one's character feels compelled to enter any combat situations until one is as knowledgeable about combat as the character is claimed to be. Simply saying one's character is faster, stronger or smarter than an other's is extremely bad form. Unless one can honestly claim a distinctive understanding of how real-world combat works, they will not be taken seriously in Role Play combat. Research and the practice of non-continuity sparring are the best means to come to the required understanding of the methods, styles and techniques that best suit an individual's tastes.

Always remember these three questions when formulating each combat-related Role Play post description:

Where has the character been?

Where is the character now?

Where is the character going?

Consistently and logically answer each of these three questions in each post and there will be no room for reproach.

Examples of poor logic are consistently dodging or blocking ranged or silent attacks from behind, consistently teleporting about to be behind one's opponent, instantly phasing out of the physical plane while also charging an enormous energy attack and teleporting behind an opponent to release the energy blast that would thus be impossible to block, et cetera.

3) Take turns using the outhouse; Take turns using the floor.

Role Play combat is very rhythmic, though many real-world martial arts will encourage broken-rhythm timing, which is easily described anyway. To ensure a high level of fairness for all involved, it is important to establish and maintain an order of distinct turns between the combatants in which a single character will be described doing what it can do during the logical length of time a character can act or react before new factors can affect its actions or reactions. This can be done either by simply accepting the order in which the combatants became involved, or by expressly discussing the matter in private or in an applicable OOC channel.

In the eventuality of an other character or group thereof joining in later, it becomes a serious issue for them to establish their place in the sequence's order and for them to keep it religiously for respect of the characters and players who were initially involved in the sequence.

Many will obviously be concerned that they may not have a chance to respond to one character's actions before an other's follow, but it is wholly unrealistic to formulate an entire stand-alone reply to one character's actions, and then an entire other reply to an other's in the heat of combat. In real life combator even martial arts motion pictures, which are sometimes [but rarely] a good training tool for improving fantasy combatdetermined combatants hardly really relent their assaults. It is common knowledge that a character that has time to stop and regain a ready stance will be much harder to hit than one who is unbalanced from a sequential series of subtle attacks.

By responding to one character's actions, and then an other's, one leaves very little possibility that both may happen at exactly the same time, very close together, or from entirely different directions, and be logically effective in the way that they should be. Similarly, expressly returning to a perfectly balanced stance in the midst of continual, unyielding assaults is dishonest. A character being attacked after having immediately been attacked, at any specific moment, hardly usually has time to take the care needed to be properly cemented in a full ready stance. It would be enormous arrogance to claim to do so.

Despite the standard unit of time during continuous Role Play combat sequences being a simple second, it is understood that most experienced real-world combatants can initiate an attack in far less than that count. Understanding that, it will be most prudent to use measurements to suit the fastest involved character's training and ability [explicit honesty is required for this to work properly and may be monitored].

An other consideration relating to time and rhythm is the different time-span a described action during a combat sequence normally takes compared to normal, interactive Role Play actions. For example, a character who sees an other character on the other side of the room in the midst of throwing a close-range attack at a third character can not simply leap, crawl, walk, run or teleport across the room in time to block or deflect that attack, nor is it likely that they can successfully draw and shoot or throw a weapon or object that same distance for the same purpose in that same span of time.

4) It may look immediately convenient, but it certainly is not effective to the end.

Any action taken instantaneously (attack, defense, magic or psionic), in a combat situation, is automatically far weaker and less effective than one which has been prepared and planned.

To minimize accusations of God-Moding and auto-hitting and such, it is most effective to describe all actions and reactions in two distinct steps, separated by consecutive posts made during consecutive turns [not all at once]:

a) A cursory attempt of an action or reaction, with a brief summary of what might possibly happen if the action or reaction is allowed to carry through in one post

b) Then--in the next turn's post--the primary description of the intended action, keeping in mind any modifiers presented by other characters involved before this second turn came up

That is to say, offer the others involved the chance to know exactly what's happening, so they may have a better chance to react logically. If a player is not aware of what is being done to their character, then there is a lack of honesty in some area or other.

IRC Netiquette

1) The character is not the setting.

It is presumptuous to believe any particular character is worth holding up the flow of the Role Play currently running through the channel. To avoid inconveniencing anyone who may have to pause their play for a period of time simply to scroll back up in their IRC client's window and find what they had been previously reading or responding to, a brief, one- or two-paragraph description that gives the basics of a character's appearance is best. If there is much more detail to a character's appearance, it is safest to append a subtle {/msg 4 +} to the cursory description and allow anyone who feels it necessary to see the rest to inquire as they please.

2) Diversity in the colour of skin, not text.

It is not necessary for anyone to grab attention by announcing their individuality in the colours they have set for the windows and text in their IRC client. To avoid creating blinding eyesores for the rest of us, be sure to stick to using the following text colours in the channel; white (0) for lip-motions only, light gray (15) text for very soft whispers, gray (14) for regularly soft voices, or black (1) for normal, person-to-person speech. Purple (6) is for actions and descriptions. Some generally accepted exceptions to show a certain tone of character voice are dark blue (2), dark red (5) or aquamarine (10).

A useful shortcut when not sure is to simply type the colour control code [Ctrl-k], but without putting any number codes with it. This will make it a transparent colour for any IRC client viewing it. In the case of an action, putting a numberless colour control code will display the default for actions, according to the options set by the individual viewing it. When simply posting, a numberless colour control code will display the default for regular text. If uncertain what all that means, test it out, or, in mIRC, click Help> Search and search for "Control Codes."

3) It's already widely known that it's fake anyway--why glorify it further?

There is absolutely no need for trumpeting a character's theme song whenever they enter, nor is there for playing a sound every time they swish their sword or perform a bodily function of any sort. #DragonHeart is not a pro-wrestling stage. If one does have a song they like to think of as being their character's, they are welcome to append a brief note to their description [such as {/msg 4 theme}] and allow anyone who cares to hear it ask to do so.

Besides that, it is extremely unlikely that the majority of people in any channel actually have the particular sounds or musical pieces one selects for their characters.

4) The Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern is for characters, not their players.

The use of Out Of Character [OOC] speech in #DragonHeart is strictly limited, unless it falls under the following criteria:

a) It concerns the entire channel in a matter that can not be ignored while keeping the Role Play in good form

b) Is a brief warning that circumstances have arisen abruptly and without warning that end one's time with us and one has no chance of privately messaging those who are directly concerned with what they are or were doing

c) Is a very brief correction of a word or phrase previously posted that is so incomprehensibly misspelled it is certain that nobody who hasn't suffered a lobotomy could immediately understand what was meant [honestly, most people who've spent any time on-line can correct such things for themselves without being told what the correction is]

Otherwise, all else is to be kept in private Query windows, DCC Chat windows, or appropriate OOC channels

Brief abbreviations to describe one's situation [such as, AFK {Away From Keyboard}, BRB {Be Right Back} or BBS {Be Back Soon/Shortly} and many more] may be expressed, occasionally, in #DragonHeart, or appended to one's nickname, but it is wisest to let us know that one has returned by continuing to Role Play in the channel. If one is obsessed with verbalizing one's every personal action, it is best to do so in an OOC channel, or in private, to best avoid lengthy discussions, or running blurbs of abbreviations [BRB, OK, B, WB, TY, YW, RP? et cetera].

5) They're cute, they're individual, but they don't need to scream.

A popular method for presenting one's OOC speech is by creating a personalized system of brackets between which the text shows, using any number of special ASCII symbols and format control codes. When using one of these, it must not be overly garish or attention-sucking. For best effect, it should be kept mild. Remember that OOC of any sort is already distracting from the purpose of the channelto Role Playand there is no need to further compound the experience.

6) It's already hard enough to understand the language as it is, don't make it harder.

Abbreviating text while Role Playing is considered rude, as if those also there are not worth the effort of actually spelling out an entire word. Dictionaries often abbreviate to save space, but the IRC medium is without limit. Splurge. Express yourselves! Don't short-change us, the readers.

7) It's no fun to have a party all to yourself--unless you're in to that sort of thing.

Cloning, in moderation, to further an element of a story, or simply to alleviate one's boredom, is permitted. This in no way applies to fight situations. Unless they are fighting their own clone in an arena channelsuch as #DH_Arenaand away from the other patrons, players are not, in the least, permitted to publicly use a clone in combat. This would be unfair to the other(s) in the fight. If the others agree to it and don't mind, take the combat elsewhere, lest others assume the wrong ideas.

8) Long live the Queen; Propagate for her will and glory. Not just for the fun of it.

Explicitly adulterated behaviour is not tolerated, due to the occasional presence of younger Role Players. No, we are not their parents, but as Administrators in a public place of gathering, we do have a responsibility to do what we can to ensure that our establishment does not degenerate to a simple brothel. As intelligent individuals, we should be aware of what we do and how others may see it, from their own unique perspectives. None of us is a complete island and selfish behaviour will be dealt with. Warnings handed out in relation to this particular rule take effect immediately. No second chances will be given. Also, presence in a sex-related channel while in #DragonHeart and its associated channels will receive similar treatment.

9) Don't be cruel to a heart that's true, do-be-do.

Insulting, harassing and/or threatening Ops, or patrons in general, will be severely dealt with. When lodging a proper complaint against someone, either a #DragonHeart Administrator will be present as a witness, or real logs must be providedotherwise the incident will be duly ignored. Depending on the severity of the case, the DALnet Administration may be called upon to have the accused removed from the network entirely. Further harassment may result in stronger action, or even legal pursuit.

10) This is nobody's private billboard.

Many of us have put years of work in to developing #DragonHeart. To blatantly disrespect that work by attempting to lure our patrons to some unassociated place one just created for the heck of it is enormously dishonest and lazy. If you are unable to build a channel up on its own merits and need to leech off the patrons of other channels what worth does it have, outside blatant spite?

11) Buzzing the control tower will get your wings clipped.

Passing through #DragonHeart in revolving-door fashion, or running what's referred to as a "fly-by," results in an immediate ban for one hour. Frequent repeat-offenders will be auto-kicked without warning or notification of any sort.

12) You are not alone.

All of these rules, and many more, also apply to #DragonHeart's Administrators. Feel free to let an Operator know if you believe they have stepped out of line, or report the incident to another Operator, but do so in private. One need not upset the channel's running for this. To better supply the channel's patrons with a stable and transparent environment, it is best for them not to feel maligned or targeted.

13) Respect, quite simply put, is essential.

Period.

Tips for This and That

1) For Better Character-Development and Consistency.

The Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern is an establishment set in a medieval Fantasy environment where many characters have existed, do exist and will exist. This requires a certain measure of respect for those who have been before and spent many, many hours developing believable characters to fit within a believable setting.

It is true that most fantasy literature that exists is centered around telling the story of a special individual, or group of individuals, who often have strange and awesome abilities and/or personalities within the context of their particular universe. However, what makes them special, peculiar individuals is as much in their strange and awesome abilities and/or personalities as it is in the mundane, every-day characters that are described around them. All characters can not be special, or special becomes the norm and the norm is mundane.

The fantasy genre is ripe with wonderful, colourful characters, with deep emotional and psychological pools to develop and explore. What makes them wonderful and colourful is, most often, not the instantaneous abilities to create alternate realities at will, or to move to some other point in the existing reality, or to dismember anyone they please without them being able to defend themselves, or to absolutely heal any wound on any body of any race, under any conditions, or to conjure up inanimate or animate objects and beings, or to move faster than anyone can see or touch.

Sincerest wishes,

The Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern Administration-