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 will 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 GM Sionnach, who handles all such interactions.

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Intimacy between characters, whether PC or NPC, can be a powerful tool for the development of character, plot, and player writing. Treat it as such. Sex without character development or advancement of the game is pointless; therefore, any and all sexual encounters written within the context of Freehold must, with no exceptions, convincingly demonstrate growth or evolution for all PCs involved. In other words, this is not sexting, nor is it fanfiction; players are still in character, and like all other in-character actions, graphic sex, erotic encounters, and intimacy should contribute to furthering the personality and expansion of the participants. If, at any time, it becomes clear to the GM that the scenario has devolved into, or is intended by the players to be, nothing but sex, the GM is obligated to end the encounter and eject the player(s) to normal game activities, immediately, with a formal admonishment to improve.

The Forgotten Realms setting is a fantasy world. Sexual encounters are possible within the game world that are unlikely or impossible in real life: Nonhuman partners, the involvement of magic, and more fall within the scope of possibility. With this in mind, players involved in graphic sexual roleplay are obligated to inform the GMs of any triggers of which the GMs should be aware, if they have not already done so. This must be done in advance of any sexually graphic roleplay, to allow the GMs to prevent players from accidentally or unintentionally coming into contact with fantasy elements that may upset or injure them.

Passive reactions are explicitly discouraged. A GM is going to great lengths, and possibly leaving their own comfort zone, to provide participating players with a well-written encounter that should assist them in developing their character and their writing. Therefore, it is mandatory that participants take an active role in the scenario, to prevent any sexually graphic roleplay from devolving into a situation wherein a GM is essentially writing pornography for, and without much involvement from, the player(s). This is with the admonishment firmly in mind that a sexual encounter is still an encounter, in game terms; poor writing or low participation will result in little to no experience award, while excellent writing may result in bonus experience. Regardless of any award, sexual roleplaying is still roleplaying, and the goal should always be first and foremost to develop the PCs involved, and never simply to entertain the participants. It is your job, as the PC, to use this opportunity not for personal pleasure, but for visible character development, including internal thoughts/monologue and similar devices, and also to help us keep it a meaningful part of the game rather than turning it into a waste of everyone's time.

Whether or not there's character development in this for your PC isn't up to us; that's your responsibility. When we talk about roleplaying and experience, we aren't talking about giving you points for writing "good sex;" we're talking about accurately portraying, in your writing, your character. What are their thoughts? Their reactions? How do they feel about what's going on? Why? Does being with X make them think of somebody else? Do they remember previous partners or encounters that shaped them into who they are? How does their class or race figure into it? How do they demonstrate or internalize all of that? Use internal monologue; use inner thoughts; use hesitancy and confidence and action and body language and all of those devices to show how your PC feels about the encounter and what is going on in their mind and spirit; what will they take away from it, and why do you choose to have it affect them as you do?

Maybe a particular touch or a certain look or the right words make them think of someone else, whether it's a previous sexual partner or someone they cared about, but who was never their lover. Maybe something their partner does makes them sad, or particularly happy. Why? Use those prompts to give insight into who your PC is/was and how they got to be the person they are, right now. Sex is a story device; don't just have sex, tell a story. As a writer, it shouldn't be funny, it should be an opportunity.

If, at some point, you feel the genuine need to roll some dice (whether it's to help you, as a writer, decide how well/poorly your PC handles something, for instance, and so on), the proper skill check would be Perform (sexual techniques) for the obvious reasons, or a Constitution check (modified by Endurance, if you have that feat) for other obvious reasons. It's just like any other RP: It depends on what you're doing. Your Strength score will matter if your PC wants to pick someone up; their Dexterity will matter if they get particularly acrobatic. Escape Artist could come into play, or Acrobatics, or Intimidate, or Diplomacy, or whatever. But don't focus on the mechanics; use them to help you, as a tool. If you're unsure how your character might handle something, you can roll dice that seem appropriate, and use the result to help you decide what the character does. If you need help or suggestions, you can always ask a GM, as usual.

If you feel you don't fully understand an NPC or if their reactions surprise you, you should always feel free to ask about why and so on. We'll always do our best to help you deal with it in the context of the situation, as much as we can without spoiling the character. The most important thing is to always keep firmly in mind that NPCs are not video game characters, where you can push A to get what you think might be the "appropriate" scripted reaction; they're just like PCs and real people, and they act like it, so you have to treat them like it. All of them will be different, so it can be confusing, but it shouldn't be more confusing than real life. If you know how to interact with people in the real world, NPCs should present no problem for you, so long as you think of them with the same perspective.

Finally, you can be at ease knowing you aren't the first to participate in an Adult-rated interaction, so you needn't sweat about breaking new ground. Some players might express reluctance to go somewhere others have not already gone, so we want to make it clear that graphic sexual encounters (and their accompanying character development) have already occurred in Freehold. You're not making anyone uncomfortable by opening a door that hasn't been opened yet, so you shouldn't feel like that's a barrier for you.

If you have questions, concerns, issues, or hesitancy about adult interactions, you should always feel free to approach a GM! It's worth stressing that, since we're not doing this to titillate ourselves, it ends when you want it to end, and you should tell the GM if at any point you become uncomfortable with continuing or wish, for whatever reason, to change the nature of the encounter or to stop altogether. Adult interaction is something we make available to mature players, but participation is never mandatory.