Welcome!

The following are the rules and regulations you are expected to adhere to here at Graymalkin. These rules are set in place to provide our members with a positive experience, as well as to keep the RPG itself flowing nicely. Failure to comply with these rules can result in anything up to and including an IP ban from the site.

Make sure you read and understand them in their entirety.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. DEFINITION OF TERMS
2. REGISTRATION AND GUEST ACCESS
3. INTERACTION WITH PLAYERS AND STAFF
4. GAME CONTINUITY
5. CHARACTER SUBMISSION AND GUIDELINES
6. POST REQUIREMENTS
7. POST GUIDELINES
8. POST FORMAT

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DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Bio: Short for biography, a full listing of a characters appearance, powers, history, etc.
  
• Canon Character: An official character from a movie or film, in this case, from Marvel Entertainment. These are characters that exist within the comics and films, and, while played on the site, are intellectual properties of Marvel.
  
• Character: A fictitious character portrayed in the RPG, either Canon or OC.
  
• IC: In-Character, a post or comment from the point of view of any character or NPC in the game.
  
• IM: Instant Messenger or chat client, a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. A screen name is the name through which others may contact you. Here are some of the popular programs available, all of which are free to download and use:
  
  • YIM - Yahoo! Instant Messenger, the preferred chat client at 1407 GML.
  • AIM - AOL Instant Messenger.
  • Trillian, a multi-chat client with support for both of the above, plus MSN, IRC, and ICQ.
• JP: Joint post, a collaborative post between two or more people. Refer to the FAQ for more information.
  
• NPC: Non-Player Character, any random character which appears in the RPG on an irregular basis. Refer to CHARACTER SUBMISSION AND GUIDELINES for details regarding use of such characters.
  
• OC: Original Character, or a character that is not present in Marvel comics and is the sole property of its player.
  
• OOC: Out-of-Character, a post or comment that is from the mouth or point of view of the player, rather than the character(s) they portray.
  
• PM: Private Message, an in-site e-mail of sorts. These can only be sent to other users on the site. To send a PM, click here. To check for PMs sent to you, click here.
  
• RPG: Role Playing Game, a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters and collaboratively create or follow stories.
  
• Thread: A collection of posts concerning a single subject, consisting of the topic post and its replies.

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REGISTRATION AND GUEST ACCESS

Registration


• When joining the site, your account name must be your first name and, if necessary, first initial of your last name. Do not apply using a character name or random name you thought up.
  
• Please provide an IM screen name, preferably through YIM or AIM. These are invaluable for effective communication on the site. These services are free, and you can download the chat clients using the links under DEFINITION OF TERMS.
  
  
  Participation
  
  
• Understand that this site is intended for mature audiences. Topics involving language, violence, and sexual content will arise. Should you have issues with any of these, it is recommended that you not participate.
  
• Once you have registered, you may post in the OOC section of the site. However, you may not post in the RPG itself until you have a character approved.
  
• You may register and opt not to actively participate in the RPG. You will be allowed to post in the OOC portions of the site and, should you so desire, gain access to the RPG for your reading pleasure. Simply register and inform a member of the moderating team of your decision.
  
• Please note that if you have not either submitted a character or contacted an admin within the first two weeks of joining, your account may be deleted. You may always re-register as needed.
  
  
  Guest Access
  
  
• Guest posting is enabled in the THE BILLBOARD. You may post links to other sites without registering. Please note, though, that all links must be approved by the staff before they will be posted. Only if a site contains offensive, pornographic, or otherwise inappropriate subject matter will it not be cleared. Also, please make sure your advertised site contains a place for us to add our own advertisement to as well.
  
• Not all areas of the site are accessible to guests.

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INTERACTION BETWEEN PLAYERS AND STAFF

• RESPECT ALL PLAYERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. That means respect other people's race, sexuality, religion, and simply respect other people in general. Avoid flaming and engaging in unnecessary criticism. There will be no public humiliation, and we will not allow people to single out others in any OOCs left on site.
• If you have problems with another player, KEEP IT OFF THE SITE! Try dealing directly with the other player via IM, PM, or e-mail to come to a mutually satisfactory resolution. Only if you have tried and failed, THEN may you contact a member of the staff.
• Do not defy administration. Instead, give extra respect to the staff. They work hard to make this role playing game fun and interesting for everyone! If you have something you wish to discuss with them, do so with an IM, PM, or even e-mail. But if the admin makes a final decision, that's it. Period. Constant arguments with admin could lead to punishment, which includes banning.
• Keep yourself updated on any threads posted in the ANNOUNCEMENTS section. These threads contain vital information from the admin regarding various aspects of the site. Check this every time you log on!
• If we find that you have disrespected anyone in any way, you will be banned immediately. No questions will be asked.
• We have unfortunately had to ban players in the past from our game due to their inability to follow the rules or interact with other players respectfully. If the admin discovers that a "new" players is in truth a previous player that was once banned from the game using a different e-mail or IP address to enter the game, we will ban them again, no questions asked. (Don't laugh. This has happened.)

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GAME CONTINUITY

• Graymalkin is a fusion of various interpretations of Marvel's X-Men (including both the original and Ultimate comic book series, the cartoons and the films). However, members should be aware that the RPG's original premise was rooted from the X-Men movies 1 and 2, and that certain canon character histories and previous plots will be tied directly to those films. However, X-Men canon characters who did not appear in the films will not be limited by them and thus players may use various interpretations of the characters (following admin approval, of course). The events of X-Men 3 are considered not to have happened in this game.
• Other Marvel films are also considered part of the game continuity. The events of Iron Man, Daredevil, Fantastic Four 1 and 2, The Hulk Films, and Spider-man 1,2 and 3 have all had an impact on the game universe. Blade and Ghost Rider are not considered part of our continuity. Like the X-Men, we may allow players to incorporate things from the comics and/or tv shows as well, depending on the situations.
• Please note that although we are an RPG based on the characters and stories from Marvel Comics, we’re looking for more realistic stories and characters. References to magic will not be allowed at all. Alien characters or characters with history involving aliens will be approved only on an extremely limited basis and for canon characters only.

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CHARACTER SUBMISSION AND GUIDELINES

• NEW PLAYERS: As with any RPG, there are those players who sign up for the game, post once or twice, and are never heard from again. As a result, newcomers may only begin with one character, either canon or original. After each month of consistent posting, an additional character may be applied for, up to the current character limit.
• CHARACTER LIMITS: In general, players will be allowed to play up to three characters. However, there may be times when permit players to have a maximum of four characters in the game. In order to be allowed to play this many characters, the players must demonstrate a regular amount of posting. A fourth character can only be taken up if the player has demonstrated work above and beyond the requirements, depending on the opinion of the staff.
  
  In addition, a player is allowed only one OC, with the exception of those that are allotted a fourth character. These players may have two OCs. In either case, the remaining slots must be filled by canon characters. A player may not be granted two OCs and then drop a canon. If they revert to three characters, one of the OCs must be surrendered.
  
  
  Character Types
  
  
• CANON CHARACTERS: If you have a character in mind, first browse the Alphabetized List of Characters to make sure that character is not already in use. You must be registered and logged in to do so. Need help finding a character? You have one of two options. The first is to browse our list of available characters. These are profiles that were created for characters no longer in use. If you find one you like, check this page to learn how to reserve a character. Your other option is to try checking the mutant database at www.uncannyxmen.net or at www.mutanthigh.com. They have even the most obscure characters listed, so you're sure to find something suitable. However, since these characters do not yet have a profile, you'll have to fill out one of our blank applications.
  
  Now as mentioned before, although this game follows the X-Men series we do require a sense of realism for certain characters. That means that certain aspects on canon characters will be altered to fit this continuity (such as the removal of magic or demons), but make certain NOT to change the character completely from the original concept. In other words, we would rather you not alter certain aspects of their lives such as sexuality without the approval of admin. Something like this should be discussed with admin first, and you must have a good reason for such changes. There are additional guidelines within the application to help you out, so it should be a pain-free, if involved, process. Keep the RESTRICTED POWERS and RESTRICTED CHARACTER TYPES sections of the rules in mind when submitting a character.
  
• ORIGINAL CHARACTERS (OCs): You also have the option of submitting an original character, or a mutant of your own design. While we would often prefer having the game populated with the already established and intriguing characters of the Marvel universe, original characters are also welcome. Since this character obviously won't be listed anywhere, just go ahead and start filling out the blank application. There are additional guidelines within the application to help you out, so it should be a pain-free, if involved, process. Keep both the RESTRICTED POWERS and RESTRICTED CHARACTER TYPES sections of the rules in mind when submitting a character. Please note: Original character will not be allowed Omega Level powers. And remember Original Characters mean just that: ORIGINAL. They cannot be a related to any existing character or copy of an existing character. In other words, no clones, alternate universe versions or children from the future.
  
• NPC USAGE: Minor NPCs are permitted for casual and infrequent use. Characters such as shopkeepers, people on the street, etc. may be used without clearance provide they create no profound or lasting impact on the game as a whole. A character's family members may also be used without approval. NPCs used for events such as an attack on the mansion, the assassination of a political leader, etc. are prohibited without storyteller or admin clearance. As with any standard character, control of the NPC is reserved for its creator.
  
  
  Character Guidelines
  
  
• CHARACTER AGE: Most characters that are submitted will be students of high school age or in their first years of college. Student characters can be as young as 10 years old, since that is the youngest age that a child can hit puberty and thus gain their powers. There are few exceptions in which a character will not be a teenager: either for characters that are proven in the movies to be an adult or for canon characters that simply work best as an adult (i.e. Gambit, Bishop, or Emma Frost). Characters are not limited to being teenagers, but it may be prudent for players to check with the admin before submitting an adult character.
• RESTRICTED POWERS: The one thing we value most here at Graymalkin is originality and fairness. The following powers are restricted, either due to overuse or difficulty in adapting to an RPG setting:
  • Any number of unrelated powers, such as laser vision and flight, or eyes that glow while a power is active.
  • Animorphing - To be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Flight (Pure) - As long as it is not a plausible side effect of the actual power, but instead stands as power of its own, flight will no longer be approved.
  • Magic (Pure) - We will not allow any character to have downright 'magic' as their power, nor will we accept talking to the dead or powers that go along those lines.
  • Precognition - This is difficult to play with since players cannot foresee what the storytellers will do without trying to steal control of the plot.
  • Telepathy - To be considered on a case-by-case basis for canon characters only.
  • Time-traveling/Time control of any kind
  • Electric Powers - This restriction is because of a massive wave of a electrically based characters, and our desire to have a bit more diversity. For the time being only other electrically based CANON characters will be allowed.
• RESTRICTED CHARACTER TYPES: Although this game is a fusion of multiple X-Men series, we are looking for more realistic stories and characters. Currently, all enemies (i.e. the Brotherhood of Mutants) are NPC only, non-player characters used only by the storytellers during certain arcs. Certain bad guys may, however, be allowed to switch sides and become playable given plausible cause. Also, please take note, that no character with any form of magic will be approved. Alien characters or alien involvement will be allowed on an extremely limited basis and for canon characters only.
  
  
  Bio Requirements
  
  
• IMAGES: No bio will be approved without an image provided for the character. Having a picture added to the bio will enable other players to envision your character completely, making it easier for them to let their own characters interact with yours. These are also used for site avatars to identify you as a player. Visit this thread for more information, and please note that no more than four images per character will be allowed.
• SAMPLE POSTS: We at Graymalkin pride ourselves on a certain level of quality here at the site. As a result, you must include a sample post of your character so we can get a feel for your level of writing before approval. Our standards are not too strict, but this does help to keep the overall quality of the site at a satisfactory level. Here are a few guidelines:
  • Sample Posts must be three or more paragraphs. A paragraph as you know involves 5 or more sentences.
  • Sample Posts must involve character dialog and interaction in order to see the behavior of the character.
  • Sample Posts and the bio in general must be SPELL CHECKED. If we see a lot of mis-spelling we do reserve the right to reject on those grounds alone.
  • As always, plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
  
  There are additional guidelines within the blank application and selecting an available character section.

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POST REQUIREMENTS

• POST LENGTH: All IC posts need to be at least 200 words in length, but should usually aim to surpass that minimum amount. Under no circumstances may you write a single-line post. One-Liners will result in an automatic warning. One-word posts will then result in your being banned from this site. The reason is that these posts are boring and often frustrate the players and Storytellers. When writing, please think of how your character is reacting to things, and write it. People do more than just say lines - they think, remember, feel, etc.
• POST COUNT: A player is also responsible for a minimum of 3 posts per week, per character that he has. Players with four characters are required to submit ten posts per week, with the number of posts per character to be distributed at the player's discretion.
  
  Missing the posting requirement for a week without having notified the staff or having posted an 'Away' message in the appropriate thread will be counted as a 'strike' against you, one for either character you miss the requirements with. After 5 strikes to your characters, actions will be taken which will most likely revolve around you having to give up one of your (canon) characters. We do not enjoy enforcing something like this rule, but it is only fair to all players that ignoring of the rules should have consequences.
• JOINT POSTS: While JPs are not mandatory, due to their longer-than-standard nature, each JP will count as 2 posts towards each character's weekly requirements. Additionally, even when doing Joint Posts (JPs), please make sure they do not solely consist of one-liners being tossed back and forth like a ping pong game. At times, a conversation will run most naturally when each JP addition is only one or two sentences long, but make such passages the exception, not the rule in your JPs. Even while 'only' talking to another character, your character is going to think, feel, hope, wonder etc. - add some of those internal proceedings to give the post flavor.
• ABSENCES: We're not tyrants, and we understand that sometimes life just has to butt in. Should you require a break for any reason--from health, to vacation, to simply wanting some time off--all you have to do is ask. Simply post a notice in the ABSENCES forum and, if possible, write your characters out of any threads they may be in to keep from hampering any other characters progress. If your computer breaks, messages can be posted from cell phones, library computers, workplaces, or any other number of situations. Post a notice as soon as you are able, preferably within the first week, and keep us updated as you are able. Extended absences without such a notice could result in punishment, including the loss of a character.
• READING: While this may not be strictly monitored, it is important for your own sake that you read threads other than the ones in which you are participating. The events in each and every thread that is posted will have an effect on both the mansion and its residents. In order for you to understand the goings-on of the game world and present your characters in a corresponding light, it is imperative that you set aside the time to simply read. After all, where the sense is in joining an RPG consisting of written words when one isn't prepared to read what is being posted? Should you need help finding topics to read, you can always refer to the list of today's active topics to find the most recent posts.

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POST GUIDELINES

The English Language

• This is a high level RPG, meaning that we expect a certain level of writing skills from our players. Don't be intimidated, but understand we want good stories. Please adhere to the common rules of vocabulary (use a thesaurus), grammar (try phrasing your sentences in ways that make people want to read them), punctuation, and spelling (spell check is a MUST!).
  
• Writing in English means exactly that: English. Net speak is not English. LOL's, BRB's, GTG's, etc. are unacceptable and greatly diminish the quality of this site. There are times when its use may be warranted, for example, when a character is sending an e-mail or text in-game. However, frequent and casual use in any inappropriate manner will result in one warning and one warning only.
  
• Plagiarism is an intolerable offense. Should it be discovered that you are using another persons' words or posts, you will be banned from the site immediately. This is non-negotiable.
  
• This site is intended for mature players. As such, topics of sex are to be expected. And while that may be the case, even we have limitations. Thus, we ask for absolutely NO adult forms of media such as pornography or sexually graphic stories. Keep it tasteful.

Character Interaction

• All major plots MUST be approved by the staff. A major plot is defined as one involving three or more players, or one with a profound impact on the game (i.e. attacks on the mansion, assassination attempts, etc.).
  
• In-game rules (such as curfews, dress code, laws, written and unwritten foundation rules etc.) must be followed, or the character will suffer the in-game consequences if caught - and at a school with telepaths around, just how likely do you think getting caught might be? As such, there will be retribution. Please consider this when you compose your posts and JPs. At times, a character might have pushed the boundaries of what a school can or cannot allow too far and too many times. In that case, a leading character (most likely Professor X or Cyclops) will threaten the character with expulsion IC. If you cannot 'reel the character in' after that, the next logical step at a recurring offense will be expulsion. That means, the character will be forced to leave the school. In that case (unless it is part of a plot scheme that has been cleared with the STers beforehand and was approved by the admins), the player will lose the character in question and the character (if a canon character) will be placed up for adoption once again, not to be adopted out to his or her previous player due to the offense of making the character nearly unplayable. OCs will simply be 'sent away' IC and then, be phased out. The characters can no longer be played in our RPG.
  
• NO AUTOING OTHER PLAYERS' CHARACTERS, and this holds true for both combat and non-combat situations. In other words do NOT control other players' characters in any way, shape or form. Do not control the other characters' actions, thoughts or dialogue. Control ONLY your character. Do NOT even control NPCs used by other players, especially the Storytellers. The only one exception to this rule is if your character has the power to control the mind and or actions of another (Mind Control) or the ability to reposition someone (telekinesis & teleportation) and even then you must ask permission before execution. In order to work around this and allow the other players to decide for their own characters later, write your actions as attempts rather than successes.
  
• Generally, players will be allowed to write their own damage, and they should do so in accordance with the situation. Your character is not invincible, and while they can try to dodge as much as they want, eventually, something will hit. A moderator may hurt or even kill a PC if the player fails to account for damage taken during a fight and the storyteller absolutely has to do so. Should a player continuously and unbelievably fail to account for damage taken during a fight, a moderator may hurt or even kill their character.
  
• In the real world, people can and will die. The same holds true for this RPG. And like the real world, dead means dead. A moderator may (at very rare occasions) kill a character (if that character was written into a place they can't escape, and only then, so DO avoid writing your character into such a position, please) or a player may kill their own OC - but death is final. Any resurrections must be cleared through the Moderators and don't expect it to happen unless you have that story line pre-approved by the GM. Players can not kill canon characters without prior consent of the STs and the Admin.
  
• Do not ignore the actions of other players. We all play to have fun, and if you ignore others, then it is not fun for them. Please remember that no one is constantly on guard. Please, allow other characters to surprise your character, pull pranks, etc every so often. Anyone that plays their character as infallible or otherwise omnipotent will receive a warning and could have to deal with further consequences if the problem continues.
  
• Along the same lines of interaction being paramount, we ask that there be no JPing with yourself, meaning a string of interaction between two characters you yourself wield. Spread out your characters and make sure to interact with other players and their characters. If we see you having your characters interact past a passing nod of acknowledgement, you will be asked to take down your posts and try anew.
  
• During plot times, when your character is part of a storyteller thread, do NOT post more than one action-taking post before the storyteller has had a chance to go again. You may post as many 'introspective, thinking/feeling/speaking to people who talked to you' posts as you like, but do NOT post your character taking an attack action and then yet another before the storyteller posted again. Along the same lines, do NOT post the results of the actions your character took, only write him or her attempting to do what they are doing. If they are trying to hit the bad guy or escape or whatnot, tell us what they are trying to do and how they try to achieve their goal, and the storyteller will, in his or her next post, mention which result those actions had.
  
• Even during non-plot posting, please be aware of a little courtesy thing called 'posting order'. In each thread that you don't only occupy with your own character but in which other characters are present as well, people post in an order that is being established as the thread develops. Unless a player goes unresponsive and hasn't shown their willingness to post in a dragging amount of time, it is only polite to adhere to said posting order and allow people to post in the established order. So please wait for people to post accordingly, and if you feel their character has fallen silent on you, try checking for the players on IM to see if they are planning to post anytime soon. Only if you cannot talk to them in person or there is an absence message posted by the player should you deliberately break the established order and post again before them.

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POST FORMAT

Formatted Post

Post with Formatting Code Intact

Optional Inclusions

OOC MESSAGES: An optional OOC: line may be added below the Tags: line for OOC messages. Please use this sparingly and only if additional information or explanation needs to be given for the post. Do not use this OOC line to single out players by 'scolding' them for issues you might have had with their posting. If you have such qualms, use PM or IM to talk to the player you feel has misposted or alert an admin.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES: If your character speaks in a language other than English, please include a Translation: line below either Tags: or OOC:. This will allow us, the players, to follow along and enjoy the post.

Additional Guidelines

TENSE AND PERSPECTIVE: All posts must be made in the third person, past tense perspective. Example: Scott looked around the Danger Room wondering what the sound he had just heard could have been. With a tone that denoted his leadership he called out "Who’s there? Make yourself known or be judged a threat." Scott received no reply, so he headed towards where he had heard the sound, ready to fight whatever threat the room had in store for him.

SMILEY USAGE: Smilies are considered an unnecessary distraction. While permitted in OOC posts, their use is prohibited in the RPG portions of the site. We understand that these may occasionally happen unintentionally. To fix this problem, simply uncheck the "Enable emoticons?" box on the Post Reply or Edit Post pages.

COLOR FONTS: We ask that players do not used color fonts for dialogue or for their entire post, due to the fact that is can be considered an unnecessary distraction.

CONVERSATION: Please use the following methods to denote the respective forms of verbal communication.

• Quotes: "My character is speaking."
• Italics: My character is voicing his thoughts to himself.
• Italicized Quotes: :: My character is speaking telepathically. ::

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Thank you for reading and complying with these rules. Please understand that while we will first attempt to work out any minor problems that may arise, we will take appropriate action when necessary. From here, we would suggest reading through the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). If you still have questions or comments, try contacting a member of the staff.

This post has been edited by Alan on Sep 16 2009, 10:08 PM