Avalon is not a game-world full of rules and regulations. Gods and administration are not here to police a long list of rules. Avalon is not a land of "arms length roleplay - all pose and no passion" and makes no demands on how you play your character role. There are Good People, there is Evil, there are Cowards and there are Heroes: but this is all territory in which every Avalon player has complete freedom. See HELP ROLEPLAY for more on this.
There IS a need, however, for guidelines encouraging proper play - for the enjoyment of all and making Avalon a better place to be. The Gods are the arbiters of these guidelines but this is a world where free will and absence of "game rules" are taken very seriously. Rules are at best a necessary evil if/when imposed and it is part of Avalon's very soul to strive to need as few as possible. This is something sets Avalon apart from other realms: faith in player self-control and maturity.
Players may act in ways that abuse the freedom that's their birthright in Avalon - maybe by suddenly trying to persecute a smaller player to drive them off the land - and what rule prevents this? Nothing specific but society in Avalon is no different to anywhere else and this persecution tends to be stopped and punished by other mortals. If it isn't? Most likely the player running amok will find his own freedom coming into contact with the same self-determination; but this time in the form of a God. The expression "live by the sword, die by the sword" never fails to make an example of the player by kindly imposing consequences. Freely. Individual judgment preferred to a long pedantic rule-book.
It is advised that your Avalon character practices good character role both in public and in private but private is your own affair. The character role guidelines will be supported by the Gods where what you do is public or open to an audience wider than friends and 'family' but privacy is respected and private frolic - what you do in the comfort of your own Avalon home - change firm guidelines into hopeful advisory. Consistency is great. You will have a better time in Avalon if you stay consistent in-role. That choice rests with you.
1. Remember your Avalon Days and Keep Them Holy: there is to be a separation between In-Character [known as IC] and Out-of-Character/Out-of-Avalon [known as OOC] and this shall be absolute. This separation does not extend to any forums or Out-of-Avalon communications. What you do when not inhabiting your Avalon character is your own affair.
2. We all have real lives [known as RL] and sometimes it is hard not to let RL moods or events impact our Avalon character. Persistent venting about RL, talking RL in public places or looking for reasons to be negative about the realm: this should not be. It is a lack of respect. The Gods will become involved if a player can't be responsible for his or her own IC word and deed.
"... what is done outside of Avalon is a different matter but in the land, protecting the realm for its own good and the good of its players becomes a serious duty ..."
3. Love thy neighbours as thyself: public channels, shouts, public locations and in-Avalon forums (unless specifically set apart) should not be used for OutOfCharacter/OutOfGame or OOC content. Public or open audience behaviour should be InCharacter/InGame [IC] only.
4. Honour Others: There should be no pressure on a player to reveal OOC information; there should be no exclusion or penalising or harming a player who chooses not to engage OOC with those who enjoy the community of players IC and OOC. Know HELP SECONDS and understand its content!
5. No Lying, no Stealing, no False Witnesses: The Gods will not stand idly by and allow abuse of the IC/OOC separation. Second characters are fine; spying seconds or seconds acting falsely to their own advantage are not. The latter will be legitimately brought before the Gods. Expect resolution.
6. Take Not the Names of the Gods in Vain: all deities are to be shown the same respect by mortaldom, for each deity represents the Pantheon; to disrespect or insult one is to disrespect or insult all of the Gods.
7. Behaviour including TELLs, MSGs, any other private communication, and location-wide activity - in the comfort of your own home or suitably restricted area - we advise consistency but leave entirely to individual good judgment.
1. The only time one should be certain of something is when you both see with your own eyes and hear from the individual best qualified / most likely to know. Do not look to others to be your voice. Do not expect what you know to be known by those you feel it should be known by: look to yourself to make it known.
2. Avalon aims to be a level playing field objectively but a world of real personalities first and a mechanical game second; thus subjectivity is given space. Don't fail to remember human nature when considering how things are and don't mistake first-come-first-served for first-come-first-preferred!
3. The Gods are not duty bound to be fair or to treat everyone alike in matters of role and Avalon life. The Omnipotents are, on the other hand, pledged to a duty of care for all equally and an equity towards all players, cities, professions and matters OOC.
4. Transcending equity is Avalon's commitment to karma and this most often means those who're positive and patient and constant reap reward whereas those who're negative and impatient/intolerant without care for the land invariably find their expectations come true (in the short term) as what goes around comes around.
5. The companion files HELP ROLEPLAY and HELP SADISM and HELP SECONDS are also to be taken as guidelines or rules-of-conduct and should be treated as such in a game with few of either.
