Role Playing Chat Room Instructions Role playing is a form of storytelling where you take on the persona of a fictional character, and then interact with others through various mediums to tell dynamic stories. On RolePages this is done by signing up for an account as that character, filling out a profile according to what they would actually say, and choosing an appropriate avatar picture. You can then interact with other people playing fictional figures using forums, blogs, profile posts, pictures, videos, and this chat. Our role playing chat rooms allow you to interact with other members of the community in real time using narrative text as the medium. When you post, everyone present sees it immediately, and has the ability to respond as quickly as they can type. That means that the action can get pretty quick, and sometimes the rapidity of reading and responding to people in a crowded room can be difficult. Guests Our chat system currently has the ability for users to log in as guests. This allows you to enter and get a feel for the action and conversation, while you wait for your official profile to be approved by the Administrative staff. However guests are still subject to all of RolePages posted rules and guidelines. Multiple Rooms The chat system that we employ contains multiple rooms which can be used for roleplaying purposes, each representing a different location. Descriptions of the environment can be found by hovering over the room name in the list. IC and OOC The important thing to remember is that when you enter a room, you are the character. Any actions that you take, and any words that you type, should be done as if you were actually the person you are roleplaying as. This is called staying In Character IC and it is vital for maintaining the integrity of the stories being told. If you absolutely have to say something Out Of Character OOC then you should try to do so in private messages to the specific person. In those rare cases where you need to communicate an OOC message to an entire room you should place parentheses around your words so that people know they are not being expressed by your character. There is a specific OOC room that is set up for these interactions. Excessive use of Out Of Character comments in any other room where role playing is taking place is against the rules, and can result in administrative action. Role Play Chat Instructions There are two basic ways that your character can interact with others in a chat room. There is dialogue, where you can have them say or communicate something to someone else, and then there are actions where you actually cause them to physically do something. Actions: In a roleplaying chat room, action is generally indicated by saying exactly what your character is doing, and then placing those words inside of opening and closing action marks. There are a variety of symbols that are used by people to indicate that a phrase is an action. The important thing is that the words get marked off, and separated from any other writing so that people know an action is taking place. Examples: :: Walks into the room. However you should try to maintain tense consistency throughout your writing. What is your name? I hate you, get out of my face! It is perfectly acceptable to use both actions and dialogue in a single sentence, paragraph, or post. This allows you to bring your character completely to life. Examples: :: Steps into the bar. Looking around, he catches sight of Sheila and moves towards her. Die you foul creature! Proper spelling and grammar is highly encouraged, and while not required, the community does tend to show more respect towards those who know and apply the basic rules of writing. Rules Of The Chat You must follow all of RolePages. Failure to adhere to these rules can result in administrative action including deletion of content, silencing of accounts, and temporary, or permanent banning from the site. In addition, you are not allowed to kill, or drastically alter anyone elses character in any way without their permission. Everybody has the right to control their own creations, and to dictate how their stories and artistic efforts proceed over time. If you wish to start a story that would result in harm or a change to someone elses character then you should send them a private message to discuss it. In this way you can collaborate, working together to tell a tale that satisfies you both. When you enter into an event being held by a DM, you forfeit control over your character, and give them the right to alter or kill that persona if it is necessary for the story. Before a permanent change is enacted a DM will be required to message the person in question to give them a chance to avoid the situation. As such you need to show them respect at all times, and if you disagree with something they are doing you should mention it to them in private, rather than making a public spectacle. It is always better to talk out a situation and resolve disputes in an amicable and open manner. The Tavern and The Main Story Arc When you open this chat system you are automatically logged into the Blue Moon Tavern room. That acts as a kind of center stage for the community, and is the default location where roleplaying events and activities take place. It is also the place where most of the DM run events and missions occur. The environment consists of a rustic Tavern, set in the city of Consequence, which is the capital of the magical planet Hellifyno. The bar is run by a man named Harry, and staffed by a group of strange green imps. The main story arc consists of a single narrative, which started when the site opened in 2009 and has continued unbroken to this day. Everyone is welcome to participate in the main story arc, however it is not required, and you are also more than welcome to use the variety of rooms, locations, and features of RolePages in whatever way your story requires. Administrators The authority of the administrators is absolute. They have the right to silence, kick, or ban anyone that they feel is breaking the rules or being a disruption to the community. Generally a warning will be issued before administrative action is taken, however this is not mandatory. Trolling, spamming, and flaming is not acceptable, and all rules and posted guidelines must be followed at all times. RolePlaying Chat Room Etiquette We are all storytellers, trying to express the beauty of our souls in a new and interactive way. Because of this, passions can run high around here, and that sometimes leads to conflict. It is important to remember that we are all here for the same reason, and we all share a love of creativity that binds us as a community. When conflicts occur, you should try to resolve them in an amicable manner by talking things out with the other party. With role playing you also have to be careful to maintain the mental distinction between IC and OOC. Rather you should work with them directly to create even more conflicts for the two antagonists to deal with. As mentioned earlier OOC interactions should be reserved for private chats, and the OOC room, or in rare cases placed within parentheses when used in a main role playing room. If you have to suddenly leave your keyboard you can use the terms AFK Away From Keyboard or BRB Be Right Back to let people know you are absent for a time. Role playing in a chat environment can be exciting, challenging, and fun. Just relax, and try to enjoy the creative process. In the end this should be a space where you are free to be anyone, and do anything you can imagine.