| Guiding Principal: |
| If you read nothing else on this wiki, read this: This is a roleplaying game. It is not an arena game, a wargame, or a mathematical exercise. We are here to share a story, and the rules are a framework to support and develop that shared story�the story is not a framework for the rules. If you cannot suspend your disbelief enough to immerse yourself in the game world, using the rules as a vehicle�rather than the reverse�then Lost in the Snow is unlikely to be fun for you. |
Source Material
This campaign operates on the Pathfinder system. Nearly all published Pathfinder material is available through the SRD site. As it is generally the most current resource, this website will be the final arbiter for rules questions requiring a hard-and-fast mechanical answer.
Disputes
I try to be flexible with regard to whether a particular rule or mechanic is working or not, and try to work to accommodate both my own preferences and my players within the structure of the game. However, rules can be a touchy issue. I fully support and encourage calm and intelligent discussion of game system elements, but will not tolerate abrasive behavior, tantrums, screaming matches, flame wars, abuse of any sort, thought-sniping, or simple arbitrary better-than-thouness, either IC or OOC�period.
If players have a dispute amongst themselves that they cannot solve lucidly, then I can arbitrate it in a private discussion. Any such dispute which becomes problematic to the point of being detrimental to the game or the gaming experience of the other players will result in kicking or banning of those involved, specifically those considered to be the perpetrators most guilty of the disturbance(s). Disputes of any sort should never spill over into public or OOC threads where they may force others to acknowledge the drama involved; ignoring this will result in immediate reprimand and risk of banning on a one-warning-only basis.
Finally, because there has to be, at some point, someone who simply has the power to end discussions and conflicts, players do not have "disputes with the GM;" my word will be the final word on any subject that does not involve a site admin or moderator. While I freely invite suggestion, constructive criticism, commentary, praise, queries, doubts, and opinions, once I have delivered a judgment on any given subject, I expect that subject to thereafter remain closed unless new information later justifies a revisitation.
Player Conduct
Players are expected, at all times, to treat one another with courtesy and respect. As mentioned above, complaints that cannot be peaceably resolved should be sent privately to me. While trying to approach someone via rMail may be tempting, you should consider not only that talking differences out in-game creates a better record for all parties involved, but also that it's easy for an argument to cost you your rMail privileges or create other problems, under RPoL's site policies, if someone decides to complain.
In character, PCs may have differing opinions, motivations, beliefs, etc. Internal party conflict can be a powerful story-building tool, but it can also make other players who do not wish to participate uncomfortable, or fester into genuine OOC conflict between players. Not everyone can (or will) handle IC tension maturely or responsibly. In situations where it becomes appropriate, players who mutually desire and agree to play such tension out may do so, as long as it does not become a detriment to the experience or functionality of others. If an IC conflict seems to be stagnating or blossoming into something damaging, then players will be required to work with me to resolve it quickly and amicably, for the good of the group.
Though it is mentioned above, I will again make provision here specifically against thought-sniping. "Thought-sniping" here will be defined as any IC action, including but not limited to personal or private thoughts, which are visible to fellow readers and directed with obvious or "subtle but recognizable" hostility at another player or character in such a way that the target cannot legitimately respond. Any such behavior will result in a single warning only, along with immediate deletion of the offending content, followed by instantaneous banning for a second offense. Please note that aggressive or hostile IC thoughts that appear in private lines visible only to the posting player and the GM do not count as thought-sniping, but also be aware that characters with the ability to read thoughts or minds might discover such internal monologue and make use of the information in-game.
Posting Etiquette and Format
For the sake of convenience and efficiency, I require that players follow these simple rules when posting:
- Please select a single text color and highlight all dialogue in that color consistently. Thoughts or internal monologue should be in private lines to the GM and italics, rather than quotes:
"Pick a number between one and ten," Joe instructs, "and if you guess right, you win a prize!" (Private to GM: Please don�t pick seven! I'm awful at this, so I'm honestly all out of prizes...)
Orange is disallowed as a player dialogue color.
- Please separate the upper (in-character) half of your post from the bottom half (out of character), preferably by hiding it behind a spoiler field, and put your OOC actions in orange so they stand out. Label different actions by type.
Joe: Dodging back from the gnoll's javelin, Joe concentrates briefly, bringing his power to bear on the longbow in his hands before returning fire. Before the fletching of his arrow has even fully departed the string, he is already moving across the field, eyes everywhere as he searches for a better vantage point from which to fire his next volley.
<spoiler>Swift: Spend 1 point from arcane pool to add +1, flaming special qualities to longbow (duration 1 minute)
Standard: 1 ranged atk v. Gnoll 2 @ B10; 22 to hit, 4 piercing/3 fire dmg
Move: J9 -> F13</spoiler>
- A one-line post is never okay, especially if it's just a line of colored dialogue with no modifiers. I prefer a minimum of at least one fully developed paragraph per post, but will accept a couple sentences in a short post, if it's appropriate, like in a conversation that's quickly going back and forth between characters.
OK: Joe shrugs, unconcerned. "Sounds great," he agrees, "let�s do it."
Not OK: "Sounds great, let�s do it."
- When speaking in a language other than Common, please make sure to use "Language NAME:" formatting. Like this:
"Alright," Joe announces, "my next sentence will be in Draconic. (Language Draconic: Only those who speak Draconic will be able to understand this.)"
Of course, remember to substitute [] for ().
- Please post all in-character interactions in the present tense. For example:
OK: Joe looks at the door with some trepidation. "Someone should probably check it for traps," he suggests warily.
Not OK: Joe looked at the door with some trepidation. "Someone should probably check it for traps," he suggested warily.
Be sure not to mix your tenses. The reason for all this is that present tense is, in my experience, the standard for most players, and it can become confusing to read a long line of messages when the tense changes between characters from post to post. It's like switching from drive to neutral and back over and over again�keep doing that, and you'll burn out your transmission before you crest the hill, see?
- During combat situations, all players involved must post at least once per 24 hours, or they will lose their turn. Players should never post out of turn. In order to keep things fresh, initiative will be rerolled for all creatures involved at the start of each new round; I will take care of this in the background, so players need not worry about hassling with it.
- Finally, when you have multiple characters, including animal companions, cohorts, familiars, special mounts, and so on, make sure to post separately as each character when describing actions and dialogue. It might seem to you like unnecessary extra posts, but that's what those other profiles are for, and it helps me more easily find things later if I need to.
Image Use
You may link images not proscribed by RPoL's standing site policies, but please be mindful of the image content and do not violate good taste or common sense when adding images to posts. If an image might require a trigger warning, consult me before including it; you may be directed to provide a direct link with an appropriate trigger warning rather than coding the image directly into your post, where it could potentially surprise people.
Stock photos or art you own are best, but if you use other art, please be sure to source it at the end of your post, in a private line to GM if in no other fashion. Do not steal art! It's too easy to link back to the original artist, especially with the power of Google reverse-image search.
Posting Rate, Official Hiatus, Flaking/Flouncing, and Bans
All players should keep an approximation of their times of availability, or which times they are most likely to be consistently online, checking the site, and posting, in their character description where it is visible to fellow players. You can use the GM character description as a guideline.
The official posting rate for this game is once per day. If you are too busy or unmotivated to manage that, then this is not the game for you. Additionally, if you expect an upcoming extended absence, you are required to notify the group via public announcement; a projected return date is preferable, but I realize it is not always possible. Official hiatus longer than 1 month will not be granted; if you must be gone that long, you should probably drop, as the game will have moved on a great deal without you by the time you would otherwise return.
Players who become inactive without warning will usually have their characters taken over by the GM after 24 hours from the time I notice the inactivity. At the end of 1 week, inactive players will receive a notice to respond via PM and rMail. A second warning will be sent after 11 days, and a final warning on day 14. If there is no response by the end of a 2-week period, the vanished player will be considered to have flaked, and will be banned as unreliable. There are few acceptable excuses for such behavior in this age of technology, considering that the vast majority of RPoL's userbase comes from countries where Wi-Fi, public libraries, and so on are freely available, even if home Internet access is suddenly lost or an emergency occurs. In such a situation, it is your responsibility to inform me as soon as you can that that has become your situation.
I do understand that this may sound harsh, but this is why I inform applicants in advance�this way, players who cannot reliably hold themselves to these standards the way I do, myself, have some idea of how loyal and committed our existing group members already are. I try not to be unreasonable about this sort of thing, but I have to maintain some sort of policy, to discourage the type of person who thinks nothing of casually idling out without ever saying anything to their fellow players, or returning the GM's communications. Know that a player ban can be appealed�this is the reason I send rMail notifications when enacting the removal process: So that a banned player (who cannot otherwise locate or reapply to the game) has an easy way to contact me. Appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by the nature of the player's appeal and their previous status in the game.
RAW vs. RAI
Players should know that, while my primary mode is to stick with the rules as written for simple ease of play, I do understand there are times when the rules need to be bent�they are, after all, a suggestion or guideline more than a hard-and-fast be-all-and-end-all. On certain subjects, we may decide together (that is, the group as a whole) that the developers probably meant something a different way, and choose to move forward with that interpretation in mind. Not everyone will be happy with this, but I expect dissidents to abide by the group's decision on such matters. "Rules-lawyering" will be tolerated no more than will "munchkinning"/min-maxing, as both leave a bad taste in the mouths of everyone but the proponent.
We may also decide to create our own materials to use for the campaign�player-made spells, magic items, or drawbacks, for instance. This is more than encouraged, so long as concepts remain acceptable and reasonable, and ideas can be discussed fairly, honestly, and politely.
Decision-Making and Game Flow
Some groups have a natural leader who makes decisions, while others like to discuss among the group and vote on options. I don't mind either option; however, in the interest of keeping the game moving, we cannot have endless debate. After a reasonable interval, if the players or characters have not reached a decision, I will poll everyone and take a vote. The option supported by the majority will win, and the game will keep moving.
Adult Interaction
Interactions between characters that include adult content, such as that of a graphic sexual nature, must be restricted to private messages between only the players involved; such PMs must be clearly marked in their title with a capitalized [ADULT] tag, so that parties with access to the PMs who wish to avoid reading them can easily spot them. If a game thread or private message seems about to develop into a scene of an adult nature, then further interaction must be remitted to an appropriate PM before continuing.
For players whose characters are involved in scenes which do/will/may contain adult content inclusive of one or more NPCs, whether spontaneous or preplanned, please consult me ahead of time, if possible.
Please also keep in mind that adult interaction is as much a tool for character development as any other device. Graphic depictions of sexual interaction or violence, etc., can never be pointless. They must always demonstrate some sort of worthwhile evolution for the characters involved, or they cannot happen, at all. Consider this before pursuing an interaction that may have the potential to enter such territory.
Player Edits
If you must edit a post�whether to correct a statement or misspelling�please include a private line to GM indicating what changes you made and why. If another post has already been made, by any player or GM, I strongly prefer that you not thereafter edit any previous post.
Non-Player Characters
There will likely be quite a collection of NPCs accrued over the course of the game. These will be loosely divided into major or "influential" NPCs, who possess faces and strong game presence, and minor NPCs, who are mostly identified only by their names and professions (though they still follow the standard rules for dialogue color and so on). Influential NPCs possess plot-relevant, established personalities maintained by the GM; however, minor characters are largely malleable.
This means that PCs can (should they wish) take the opportunity, by consistently seeking out and interacting with minor characters, to transform or eventually "upgrade" them to major NPCs by forcing their development through conversation and similar. I do not discourage this option, and though it may take much time, any such minor character can gradually be brought to the forefront.
All minor (and potentially some major) NPCs are considered fair game for conversion to cohort or follower status (for PCs with the Leadership and similar feats), and most characters not already in a relationship are treated as viable romance candidates for player characters regardless of gender. You can find official rules for PC/NPC relationships here, but you don't need to worry about tracking them�I will take care of that for you (although, be sure to read the house rules!).
Players are welcome to interact with NPCs as available, and even to assume reasonable minor actions on the part of such characters, subject to GM approval. However, heavy or consistent godmodding of NPCs by PCs is not allowed, especially when regarding major NPCs.
Realistic Characters
Players should be advised that Lost in the Snow is not an "easy glory" game. While it's very possible (and probable) that you'll win respect and admiration from your peers and from NPCs�perhaps even quite quickly�it's not going to be handed out the way it sometimes is in generic, quick-and-dirty prefab adventure scenarios. There will be no parades simply because your neophyte character happened to come into town�you'll have to roleplay impressing people!
Because the NPCs will have realistic perspectives and expectations, you'll need to build realistic relationships with them (modified, of course, by time adjustments and other game elements), and those don't just spring up overnight, even following a good first impression. If you want a friendship/rivalry/romance/whatever with any other character, whether PC or NPC, you'll need to work at it the same as you would offline! Approach fellow players behind the scenes and say, "I'd be interested in pursuing X with your character�would you?" At the very least, use negative interactions as character-building tools, too, rather than just viewing them as dark blots that can't be overcome. Cut other characters some slack if they don't fawn over your PC after one handshake or a single smile�surely you don't do that, or expect it from others, do you?
Character Death
Lost in the Snow focuses on player-driven action and plot, surrounding an initial party comprised of countrymen united in purpose by common circumstance and origin. If the PCs die, the primary driving force behind the story dies with them; thus, it is in everyone's best interest to stay alive. On your end, please avoid taking unnecessary risks�know when to run! Remember this is a low-magic setting, and there is no mercy given for those who behave recklessly; the line between heroism and foolishness is perilously thin. Additionally, since hit points are a measure of how good a character is at keeping themselves alive rather than a literal meter for physical punishment, anything that could reasonably kill you in real life will do so here, too, regardless of level or HP.
Divine magic and other forms of resurrection will be present in the game, but remember that this is a moderately low-magic setting, meaning it will not be as freely available as a more typical adventure, and may involve additional costs or conditions. Death will not merely transition to an inconvenience at 9th level.
Experience and Leveling
Characters must rest and study in order to apply the benefits of a new level; they will never suddenly level up all at once in the field or in the middle of combat. Leveling up requires a minimum of 1 full day of downtime. I recommend that players roleplay their PCs as being new or unfamiliar with their most recently acquired abilities until they have accrued approximately one-quarter of the experience needed to reach the next level, at minimum.
Players are required to submit their proposed changes for a newly-acquired level to me before adjusting their sheet. At that time, you should expect questions like, "How are you planning to RP this?" or "Where or to whom will you go to get this?" Consider the feats, rogue talents, magus arcana, domain abilities, or other class features you're about to obtain, and think about how you can implement their development during play. This should be something fun and exciting, not a burden! If you're unsure of precisely what you want or what your options are, ask me in advance of reaching your new level, so you can get assistance with creating and managing entertaining evolutionary goals.
I expect players to keep track of (and notes about) their experience awards and where they got them, in order to avoid as much confusion as possible in the event that we should need to go back and count something up. I will award experience directly in the game thread, and awards will always be rounded up to the nearest 50. It is your job to make note of these awards on your character sheets.