Rules

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The rules are as follows (and are subject to change):

By signing on to the server and creating a character, you agree to follow the rules, regardless of whether or not you read them. Not following any of the rules can get you kicked from the server either temporarily or permanently.

Remember that above all else, a GM's word is final, and you should always follow their direction. If you have any comments regarding the GM's word, or if you disagree with it, FOLLOW IT WITHOUT ARGUING (so as to avoid any unnecessary drama or further issues). After which, feel free to contact Grakor with any concerns, if necessary.


Respect

Be respectful. At all times. This is not optional. Show respect to your fellow players, regardless of their faction or affiliation. We are all playing this game to enjoy it, and being rude or disrespectful to another player does not enhance anyone's enjoyment. If it enhances your own enjoyment, you undoubtedly do not belong on this server. Being respectful is easy enough if you think about it. Even players that you dislike or seem unable to get along with can be treated with respect. When all else fails, the IGNORE filter is in place for a reason.

Respect GM requests and decisions, and treat them as final. Do not argue over kicks, suspensions, or bans unless you HONESTLY feel it was a case of mistaken identity. In that case, you may contact Grakor and make your case. If it is determined that it was not a case of mistaken identity, then do not argue further.

If you are not the person who was suspended, do not appeal kicks, suspensions, or bans. This is the business of the kicked/suspended/banned player ONLY. If you insist on speaking on the behalf of someone else, you will be suspended. Don't do it. Also, if you were banned, and you come back, you will be banned AGAIN. Don't look so shocked.

Defiance of GMs also lies under this rule. If a GM tells you to do something, DO IT. Even if you don't agree with it. If you have a concern, bring it up with Grakor via PM.

Not exactly sure what 'being respectful' may mean, exactly? Take a look on Wikipedia for a more in-depth explanation!


Tolerance

We intend to keep this server as friendly and open-minded as possible. For that reason, do not harass other players, and refrain from making comments or jokes that are, or might be seen as, derogatory to a particular race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. This is not acceptable in ANY OOC channel.

Any racist, sexist, or other derogatory OOC chat will lead to disciplinary action, which can include banning. There will be no warnings issued.


Language

No cursing or vulgarity in any public chat channel. Try to keep everything reasonably PG-13-rated. Being as how everyone automatically joins LFG, as an example, it really doesn't need publicly-inappropriate content. This also goes for the forums. Any OOC discussion that is R-rated and up needs to go in the Adult channel (type /join Adult). Again, derogatory comments will not be allowed in this channel, either.

These topics in ANY OOC channel (even /Adult) will result in a kick or ban

  • Rape
  • Racism
  • Drug use

We also request that things like OOC politics and religion not be discussed directly on the server or forums. There are plenty of places to have intelligent conversations about these topics on the internet, and we have no interest in the OOC drama it inevitably breeds. We don't mind if you discuss it elsewhere but leave this baggage at the door when you come to CotH.


Maturity

Specifically, the ability to deal with issues in a rational, reasonable, adult manner. It means being able to have the clarity of vision to be critical and honest with oneself, and to act based on the greater good rather than the personal good. It means being able to rise above pettiness, and to recognize that some conflicts are simply not worth getting into. A mature player knows better than to get involved in a confrontation with someone who is griefing them or engaging in some other irritating behavior. Players in this community and on this server should be able to put their pride aside and respond appropriately. You should also be mature enough to realize that, due to the general lack of restrictions with RP, you may encounter or stumble across some R-rated events (whether it's language, violence, intimacy or something else).


Role-playing

All players on this server are expected to be familiar with the history of Azeroth. While some of us take this to a level bordering on the encyclopedic, a working familiarity with basic timelines will suffice. In addition to this, all players are expected to have a character concept that makes sense within the context of Azerothian history. This concept should be readily communicable through the player's in-character words and actions, and players are expected to remain in character a majority of the time. Public character channels, such as /say, /emotes and /yell should be in character (IC) as much as possible, but out of character (OOC) chat is permitted as long as it is clearly defined, such as by double parenthesis ((as such)). Be aware that people usually dislike this, and will ask you to stop if you speak out of character in a channel reserved for IC communication. Guild channels will be defined by their guild leader.


As Grakor puts it:

"We don't need characters from other dimensions, worlds, etc. or characters that are out of place and make no sense with the current, established lore. Warcraft lore is already fairly diverse, so I don't see why players would need to branch out of the many possibilities it offers." Furthermore, do not make a character that is "more powerful than everyone else." It definitely won't fly, and if it were allowed, everyone would likely have their characters be "all-powerful." This includes claiming titles for your character that you have not earned through roleplay on this server. As one example, do not make a character claiming to be the leader or high-ranking officer of an established organization. It won't fly. Furthermore, don't make a character with relations to any key lore figures. A good character doesn't need to rely on the importance/fame of established figures.


Types of RP

Generally, any type of RP is allowed, AS LONG AS EVERY PARTICIPANT IS COMFORTABLE WITH IT. If it may not be appropriate in a public setting, please take it to a more private locale. On that note, everyone should keep in mind that if you are in visual range of another player (and visual range is actually increased on this server), then they will be able to see and hear all emotes and /says. That said, just because every RP is allowed does not mean that you should go out of your way to create characters solely for adult situations. Characters that are created purely for sexual RP, or those whose theme is heavily based on it (such as prostitutes) will be rejected. This can come with a ban or suspension in certain cases. Our server caters to a wide age-range, and adult RP is not always appropriate.


Keyboard skills

All players on this server should have a high degree of competence in typing. This is a roleplay-centric server, and as such we need to have high standards of personal expression. Capitalization, punctuation, and spelling all count. Nobody's perfect, but everyone is capable of improving. Emoticons are not an acceptable substitute for a well-posed emote. Please try to type out words, such as "you" rather than "u" and "thanks" rather than "thx". You are expected to use proper spelling and grammar in the official OOC channels (/Chat and /LookingForGroup) as much as possible. If you are asked to stop abusing the language more than once, you will be kicked and directed to this rule.


IC/OOC Separation

Azeroth is a tough, nasty place, and a lot of our characters are tough, nasty people. This is fine, and can make for some really good roleplay. But let's make sure that people understand the difference between in-character and out-of-character interactions. This is why use of parentheses on OOC stuff is so important. You are not your character. Make sure that a player understands that you are roleplaying something potentially negative, and avoid that kind of roleplay with people you don't know well. Be prepared to explain yourself (OOC /tells are a great way to do that). Essentially, your right to roleplay your character stops as soon as it negatively impacts someone else. See How to Avoid OOC Drama.

This can also apply in OOC situations & on the forums.


Humility

Here's something to think about. When you read a book, you're reading a story about one or two or more characters, usually. These characters are the central focus of the story, and though they may meet other characters, typically the main characters remain the focus of the story. This is a pleasant and useful device in fiction and storytelling, but it doesn't work in real life, and it becomes a bit clumsy when applied to World of Warcraft. Each of our characters are central to their own stories... and everyone else's character is central to theirs. Nobody else loves your character as much as you do. When coming up with a story for your character, remember this. Other people may not get involved. Other people may not care. Other people may not comply. Part of being a mature player is recognizing when your character isn't supposed to be the center of attention. Sometimes other players' characters need to shine, and it is your honor and privilege to stand aside and give them room in the spotlight. Heck, play along. Find a way to fit into THEIR story now and then.


Godmoding

No godmoding, metagaming or powergaming.


Introductions

Please post an introduction in the Introductions forum (you need to be logged in to access it). Be sure to check the Introduction template as well as any other stickies within that forum for more information!

I was hoping this next part wouldn't have to be mentioned, but it seems it does. PLAGIARISM IS TAKEN EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY HERE. If we discover that you ripped a story from elsewhere on the 'net and posted it in your introduction, you will be banned.


Faction NPC Deaths

If you kill any faction NPCs, do not be surprised if you find yourself, at the very least, hostile to said faction. Striking down a member of a faction would certainly be enough to make you hostile to them (if you aren't already) ICly. Remember, ICA=ICC, even if you are "just bored". Keep in mind that this goes hand in hand with the Guard Abuse Policy.


Exploitation

Exploiting server bugs for personal gain (including, but not limited to, buying items that are glitched and have no buy price, then selling them to a vendor for gold) is a serious offense, and can lead up to and include banning. Please report any you may come across.

In addition, this also includes abusing the FFA PvP flag.

Furthermore, I didn't think this would need mentioning, but this also encompasses using any hack/cheat programs on the server.


Plagiarism

We do not accept plagiarism here. If you try to post something and claim it as your own and we discover it is from another site, you will be punished. CITE WHERE YOU PULLED ANY INFORMATION FROM ELSEWHERE! Preferably at the top of your post. The original author does not deserve to have their hard work being paraded around as being written by someone else. Furthermore, it's proper to ask permission of the original author first before posting their work elsewhere, even if cited!

As mentioned before, if we discover you plagiarized the story in your introduction you will be banned.