Storyteller Code of Conduct

  1. Contribution of fun is the defining quality of the Storyteller's job. While neither playing nor running the game will always be fun, it should always be remembered that that's why we're here in the first place: Fun is our single, overriding purpose. When being here is no longer fun, it is the Storyteller's job to step back and try to understand why. If there are underlying, non-private issues that need to be addressed, please bring them up in a calm and rational manner on the forum where everyone can tackle the problem together. If the issues are of a private nature, please keep them between those involved to avoid creating excessive drama.
  2. Storytellers will strive to be role models of politeness, courtesy and respect at all times. When too upset to do so, a Storyteller must be mindful enough to step away until tempers cool. Friendly banter is perfectly acceptable as long as it's understood by all parties involved that that's all it is, and if asked to stop, it will stop immediately.
  3. Storytellers have the ability to resort to punitive measures with disruptive players when they feel it necessary to do so. It is the Storyteller's responsibility not to abuse this ability. Punishments must fit the offense and be of the appropriate step as described in the Punitive Measures writeup. If called into question, a Storyteller must be able to give clear and appropriate reasoning for the punishment given.
  4. Storytellers may deviate from canon while running scenes if doing so is in keeping with the spirit of the game. Deviations from canon should never directly result in character death, though may be used to prevent it if the Storyteller feels doing so is appropriate. Player-versus-player scenes should not contain any deviation from canon whatsoever beyond established House Rules. If a Storyteller deviates from canon and a player questions the deviation, he must provide reasonable explanation for doing so-- though this explanation may be deferred until after the scene is over.
  5. All Storytellers must commit to running at least one scene every week. Real life may occasionally intervene (and always takes precedence), but a Storyteller that consistently fails to run at least once a week is demonstrating that they don't realistically have the time to continue being a Storyteller. These scenes may be of any nature, requested or planned or impromptu, and any given Storyline may take as many sessions as it needs to complete. Storytellers must also spend at least one hour each week in the entryway to make themselves available for questions and discussions.
  6. Storytellers must also commit to sanctioning and processing experience requests as necessary. If there is only one Storyteller online when there are characters waiting to be sanctioned, it is that Storyteller's responsibility to look those characters over if he is reasonably able to do so. No player should have to wait an excessive amount of time to have a character sanctioned or an experience request attended to, and it's up to all of us to make this a reality.
  7. Records will be kept on all scenes run by every Storyteller. Scenes involving a single NPC interacting with player characters outside of a Storyline context will be logged in the thread containing that NPC's stats. Each Storyline will have its own thread containing a general overview and entries for every scene run. These entries can be as simple as a list of Player Characters and NPCs involved along with a brief description of what happened. There are many reasons for keeping such records; chief among them is to have reference material available should another Storyteller ever have to take over a given Storyline or NPC.
  8. Storyteller disputes should be kept between Storytellers. Rules disputes should be brought to the Storyteller board and discussed there until a consensus is reached. Other matters should be resolved between the Storytellers involved if at all possible, or taken to the Administrator for adjudication. Inter-player disputes may be handled by a Storyteller, though especially difficult disputes may be brought to the Storyteller board or to the Administrator as necessary.
  9. Most rulings made in the chat will be made via consensus on the Storyteller board. The chief exception to this is rulings made within a scene by the presiding Storyteller. In a scene with more than one Storyteller at work, the Storyteller who originally worked on the scene or Storyline, or who was first called in by players, has final say in any disputes while the scene is being run. This allows scenes to be completed within a reasonable timeframe without being dragged out by excessive argument. Any dispute that has arisen during a scene can be taken to the Storyteller board if necessary for a consensus ruling for future circumstances; however, this does not void the original ruling unless it directly resulted in character death.
  10. Storytellers should always strive to keep communication open between each other, and to intertwine Storylines they run to make a single rich, integrated playing environment. With the exception of impromptu scenes, all Storylines should be posted to the Storyteller board before being run. Storylines that heavily involve a particular venue should be discussed with the Venue Storyteller before they are run.
  11. Venue Storytellers have the responsibility of creating and running all NPCs within a given venue. Though this does not mean that they possess sole rights to running those characters, they should always be consulted before another Storyteller uses them. Neither Venue nor Adventure Storytellers are restricted to any particular types of characters to run for, or types of Storylines to run. No Venue Storyteller can have a Player Character that interacts significantly with his own venue.
  12. The Head Storyteller has the responsibility of keeping tabs on all Storylines being run and all NPCs in play, and ensuring smooth and open communications between Storytellers. The overarching metaplot of the game is designed by the Head Storyteller, though other Storytellers are encouraged to work with it as well. The Head Storyteller is the final arbiter of any rules disputes that become deadlocked in discussion or for which no clear majority consensus can be reached. In all other ways except for the running of an NPC group, the Head Storyteller acts as a Venue Storyteller and carries the same responsibilities.
  13. The Chat Administrator has the responsibility of keeping the peace on the chat, and making final decisions regarding advanced punitive measures and overall chat policy. The Administrator is in charge of hiring, disciplining and firing Storytellers, and handles any disputes that cannot be peacefully resolved by Storytellers or the players themselves. The Administrator presides over any hearing to ban a player for excessive misconduct, and makes the final decision. In the end, the Administrative role is not one of total control or power-- it's just the responsibility to make sure everybody plays nice.