Guidelines

Roleplay Leaders and their Expectations

    August 25, 2024

As the backbone of our shared narrative, roleplay leaders are afforded a non-trivial level of influence. When we exercise this power with wisdom, then we grant our community delightful, cooperative fun. Good for our ourselves; wonderful for others. Without composure, we drive egoistic, divisive hedonism. Harmful for ourselves; harmful for others. It is in our interest to define which is what and aim to act mindfully.

Let’s quickly define some terms we want to use going ahead.

Metaplay

The play-beyond-play. Manipulating, coercing, pressuring or ostracizing players to influence in-character outcomes. Out-of-character / backdoor driven narratives, events, or outcomes; fabricated or canned roleplay that serves an OOC motivation. IC activity that opposes the creative and spontaneous spirit of roleplay.

• Metaplay is the degeneration of roleplay. It may occur with or without metagaming & powergaming—but it does not include the facilitating or gathering of RP. It is an intentional subversion of rules and roleplay to serve an OOC motive through malicious act(s).
• Some examples and further explanation are available [on this post].

Who is a Roleplay Leader?

If your character governs, leads, or mentors others you are a Roleplay Leader! This may be as the head of a nation, a member of it’s council, or the head of a household—a roleplay leader has some level of authority over others. And, to the degree of people influenced by this authority, that much responsibility you must wield conscientiously.

What is expected of a Roleplay Leader?

1. Protect the continuity and purity of roleplay; cherish and nurture the whimsical, spontaneous nature of roleplay.
2. Do not conduct, or aid in conducting, metaplay.
3. Discourage and report metaplay to Moderation.
   1. Knowing about and waiting for a convenient time—or knowing and choosing not to report, also violates this guideline.