Rules
Sim Rules
1. Be respectful
Of staff, of other players, of their feelings and their time. We're all here to have fun and escape reality. Let's not lose sight of that.
2. Linden Labs TOS
Goes without saying that if you risk LL nuking the sim you're gone. We're not playing games with this one.
3. Communication
We're all adults here and can act accordingly. If there is an issue with another player or a scene we truly believe that people can approach such disagreements respectfully and find common ground and resolution. We're all here to have fun and things don't need to be too serious. If however players cannot work things out themselves feel free to open a player issue ticket and staff will help how we can. Part of communication is also being clear, if you believe a scene is heading in a certain direction make sure others in the scene are aware of your limits, be it time, or content. Something else that helps clarity in tickets and discussion with staff is logging IM's and local chat. If you don't have logs, it's hard to prove what has been said, or not said. Please log your chat!
3.5 Log your Chat!
Beside the example cited above, storytellers or staff may ask for copies of scenes to confirm details for story purposes or ensure preparations have been properly made relating to Story Requests or in build up to large story arcs. Without logs as proof of the scenes having happened there could be issues with confirming prior events or the existance of things in story.
To log local chat (on Firestorm) go into preferences. Select "Privacy" from the left list about halfway down. Then from the top bar of that menu select "Logs & Transcripts." Make sure "Save nearby chat transcript" is checked. To find where your chat is saved go to "Network & Files" on the left side list a few tabs above "Privacy" and then select "Directories" from the top bar. "Conversation logs and transcripts location:" is where they will be saved, you can open this, or set a new location using the buttons beside the folder path.
4. Character Death or Forced Retirement
We believe in a reasonable right to life while acknowledging a reasonable right to consequence (as alluded to above). No one is safe from death, but players should consider every possible alternative to killing or retiring another player's character before doing so, punishment should fit the crime and encourage story rather than end it. There are fates worse than death. Be creative.
Additionally while no one is safe from death writers have a reasonable expectation of control of their exposure to it's portrayal and can choose to "fade to black (FTB)" graphic content be it death or other reprisal so long as they acknowledge and play the story downstream from the scenes that were FTB'd. We do ask, pertaining to this, that players with such limits have them clearly defined in their profile and make others involved in such scenes aware of them sooner rather than later, per rule #3.
Where forced character retirement is concerned, while the death of a character can (and should, typically) be handled entirely ICly, the forced retirement of a character requires some OOC consideration and should be done through staff either with a story request to inform staff if it is agreed upon by both parties, or moderation ticket if it is a disputed retirement. As the character itself will remain in the world and could, in theory, continue to be played or return to play, there need to be good reasons illustrated to staff to demonstrate that the character should be separated from their writer and sent elsewhere; home, to the sept, to the wall, etc. There needs to be a clear demonstration that most if not all other avenues of ICC have been attempted if not fully applied.
Forced Character Retirement should be announced with the support of staff, and never by the decision of another player alone.
5. Systems Abuse
Players caught abusing or circumventing systems put in place to ensure fair play and integrity of a common story (such as the dice rules, lore, maps, etc) will likely find themselves facing disciplinary action.
6. Group tags
If you can't wear the sim's group tags given during approval when on sim we would prefer you wear no group tag at all. Wearing the group tag of another sim could see staff reaching out to request a change of tag or some other solution to representing other sims while in the play area.
7. Off Sim Roleplay
Any roleplay conducted anywhere but in the established play area of the official sim will not be considered valid. Anyone discovered writing off sim and using that as a part of their story may be disciplined.
Why is story being on sim so important?
Simply put, writing off sim limits accessibility and accountability. Scenes performed on sim in public areas come with the possibility of someone joining the scene which could change how it ends, scenes in private rooms still carry the possibility of intrusion from a liege or house lead (or someone barging in which could cause consequence for them as much as the people in the room!) This also allows for visibility for you as a writer, many people are apprehensive to reach out for 'sim business' if someone is off sim because they don't want to disrupt their private time unless they are already friends which can impede story simply for peoples anxieties.
8. Chat Range and Spying
If you are in chat range of a scene, you have two rounds to post in (this is flexible where large group scenes are concerned) if you have not posted into a scene and you have no intention of posting into a scene and you are asked to leave chat range, you must do so. Listening in on peoples roleplay, beside possibly being rude, could also constitute an attempt to metagame. To use any information posted in a scene, your character MUST participate in that scene, or a scene within range of that scene otherwise the information is meta. If your character would participate by hiding their presence, there are rolls involved if the other writers in that scene attempt to detect your presence (see the rolls page.)
9. Do your best to be a good steward of RP etiquette
If you're unsure what constitutes good RP etiquette please refer to this page, but the short of it is: IC and OOC, keep things separate. Be in character in the in character areas, be out of character in the out of character areas and do not drag one into the other in either direction.
Don't metagame, don't powergame. This is common and simple, if you are unfamiliar with what meta or powergaming please follow the link to the page on RP Etiquette.
Consequences. Players are expected to play out the story that results from their character's choices. Avoiding the consequence of roleplay either by dodging scenes with others or changing characters can lead to limited opportunities for subsequent characters due to a lack of dedication to previous story. This can overlap with rules #1, #3 and #5 depending on how consequence is avoided.
10. Artificial Intelligence
A controversial topic to be sure. From art to artless, from prompt to novel. Artificial intelligence and AI generators have their uses and you will, no doubt find that staff and players both will likely make use of generative AI for enhancement or creation of images on sim. Though some people take issue with it and there are a great many points to be raised about the evils of AI images, there will be no real restrictions on AI images.
AI writing.... While painful to the soul, will not at this time be restricted at Song of Seven Realms for roleplay. If you absolutely must use an LLM to write your posts you are free to do so. However other writers who take notice that you are generating letters, posts, or other portions of player to player interaction are equally free to choose not to expend their effort writing with ChatGPT. Additionally, backstories that are reasonably found to be Artificial Intelligence may be rejected on such grounds unless the creator can show the document history or some other evidence that the backstory was personally written, or only proofread by AI.
All this to say. We would rather have a post from the heart, delays, typos and all, than soulless computer generated story. It might not get you in trouble, but most people won't be pleased.
Character Rules
Appearance
This sim is built in a realistic medieval fantasy style and as such all characters in play must have a grounded medieval style. Cartoon or Anime styled avatars, Anthropomorphic or Animal avatars, and because of LL TOS avatars appearing to be that of a child are all forbidden. Additionally a size guide is available in the OOC area to ensure your character is appropriately scaled to the build and to avoid confusion where child avatars is concerned.
If you have doubts about the avatar you have put together, or need assistance in styling your avatar such as suggestions for stores to shop from, please reach out to staff. We do not wish to deny anyone a chance to play here and will gladly work with people to ensure their avatar is appropriate.
Bastards
Bastard characters are limited to keep region roles balanced and to ensure that one house is not more represented than another through wider connections, as such the only bastard roles open are those named in open roles under the open houses or 'highlight' characters who are the sole members of any given house or purpose.
Lowborn characters may be bastards, but the house they hail from must be approved by staff and will not likely be one of the 'famous' houses such as Lannister, Stark, Bolton, etc. Smaller houses like Lannet, Hornwood, Crane, Liddel etc are more likely to be approved without change as the chances they would have impact on inheritance of a house or the politics of a region outside of the direct choices and actions of the character are minor.
Character Surrender, Abandonment, & Re-rolling
Without special circumstance character abandonment is generally detrimental to the health of the sim and story as such depending of the importance of the character to the sim history and plots in play a character may be recast, people who are guilty of repeated character abandonment WILL find restrictions placed on the characters they can re-roll into going forward. Once a character has been abandoned their fate is entirely in the hands of staff and story team. While we may take suggestions on their fate from the departing writer, we reserve the right to do with surrendered characters what is best for the sim's story.
If your character has died through legitimate long term story there are still (minor) restrictions on subsequent characters.
A. You cannot roll into the same region as your previous character, or a house that is tied directly to your previous house.
B. the pursuit of plots that directly mirror, intersect, or resolve with those of your previous character (such as pursuing the same path of marriage, or revenge for your previous character) without good cause, or direction from other characters beyond your control (such as a liege lord) is discouraged and may be outright forbidden.
Secondary Characters
Every player is allowed one secondary (alternate) character who is a custom creation and is a member of a banner house or lower in station.Secondary roles will not be allowed to hold claim to control of a house, and additionally must be from insignificant houses, or distant lines of significant houses at the discretion of the staff. Some banner houses that might possibly be opened for play in the future may be refused (examples would be Reyne, Frey, Hightower) or an alternative might be offered of a line far from claim to the seat of those houses. (Such as a 2nd cousin thrice removed of house Hightower, or an aunt to the sitting line of Frey.) These roles must be in a region beside that of the main character, and can (if allowed by the head of a house) be connected to an in play house in some fashion. (Servant, marriage, relation through a parent, etc.)
Preference for secondary characters to avoid the responsibilities that may be present in a main role could lead to a forced choice between the two roles a player holds.
Players with "main" characters who are beneath the station of Bannerlord may take on certain named roles that might not constitute a role with full responsibility for story, such as Grand Maester, Kingsguard, or certain Essosian agents / emissaries if the staff believe the two roles together would not constitute an excess of power for, or overwhelming responsibility on the writer.
Rental Rules
Please read before renting!
Rentals are non-refundable, they go DIRECTLY into paying for the sim and are in effect a rewarded donation toward sim maintenance. Rentals are for players with approved characters only. Rentals are on a first come, first served basis, there is no reservation system for rentals. Players should keep decor appropriate to the setting, in (or directly around if appropriate) their rental, and at or beneath the prim allowance. Rentals can be paid to a maximum of 2 weeks to ensure players remain active on sim. Rentals will auto-evict 48 hours after the rental has expired (either by choice, or lack of payment.) Players may have one rental, additional land impact (prims,) if available, may be sold to players already in possession of a rental but are not guaranteed.Players who cannot maintain their rentals at or beneath the purchased land impact who have been previously warned twice will on their third strike have their rental privileges revoked. Any time still on the rental will be kept by the player, but they will be unable to pay into the rental nor purchase another rental on sim. At the end of the purchased time their objects will be returned and the rental will be opened to a new player. Anyone who circumvents a rental ban will receive disciplinary action along with anyone who might have helped them circumvent it.
The only rental tier currently is 80 LI for 250L (a rate of 3.1L per prim)
These rentals are disbursed across all regions of the sim (including Essos) for more opportunity, if we find one region disproportionately lacking in rentals we may open more in a different region as needed but currently the regions are quite even with exceptions for regions that have fewer open roles.