Fox Hollow Community Roleplay Rules

A. Roleplay Definitions (Alphabetical) 

1. Alternative Characters – Alternative Characters, colloquially known as “alts” may be used to further your RP. A titler or some kind of form to differentiate them from your main character is required. Your alternative characters and your main character should generally limit interaction where possible. Do not use alternative characters in any way that would give yourself an advantage, such as multi-client logging alts to give yourself a security detail.
   1. An example would be Johnny punching Jack in the jaw with his robotic arm and immediately knocking him out without Jack being able to respond to the action. Both the robotic arm with superhuman strength and not giving Jack the ability to respond would constitute Powergame.
2. Child Character – A child character is any character under the RP age (NOT Second Life age) of 18. Rules vary depending on age group, as defined in Section D.
3. In Character – Conversation, information etc obtained by your character during interaction with other players’ characters. This information can be used by your character.
4. Metagaming – The act of using information obtained out of character in character. For example, if someone messages you on Discord saying to help them because they’re being robbed in Forgotten Sea, your character arriving to save them would be Metagame unless they had also been informed In Character of the robbery.
5. Non-Player Character (NPC): A Non-Player character or NPC is any character in the RP not controlled by a player. NPC’s are most commonly random bystanders who can be used to call 911, man a store, etc. NPC’s are permissable so long as they act to aid a player in their RP, and not to initiate the RP. For example, a NPC bodyguard is okay if your character’s backstory permits it, but that bodyguard should only be acting defensively. Consent rule applies and players can elect not to RP with your NPC’s if they deem its unreasonable.
6. Out of Character – Conversation, information, etc obtained as you, the player. This is information your character won’t know.
7. Powergaming/”Godmod” – Powergaming, otherwise known as Godmod in some circles, is the act of forcing your actions on another player. This includes acting on other players and not giving them a chance to respond, or having unrealistic character attributes that makes acting against your character impractical/impossibile.
8. Roleplay – Roleplay is the simple act of playing a character in the world that is Fox Hollow, and interacting with other characters. Please note while other people are controlling other characters, these actions are their characters, not their own. Just because someone’s character is rude to your character doesn’t mean that that person is trying to be rude to you.
9. Voiding Roleplay – The act of through consent or admin intervention disregarding a roleplay and making its outcome non-canon, thus the ‘void’ in voiding.

B. Ground Rules

1. All Roleplay takes place within the context of Jasper County in the State of North Carolina within the contemporary United States in 2022. Character backstories, technology, etc should reflect this. Sci-fi, fantasy, and medieval character backstories (to name a few) will not be considered canon.
2. Consensual Roleplay – All roleplay between parties should be consensual in nature. This is either through direct consent or implied consent via multiple consecutive posts of interaction with another player.
   1. Moving to void a roleplay because the roleplay isn’t going in your direction, such as trying to void a police pursuit after you’re caught or trying to void a RP where your character is kidnapped by the mob purely because the RP isn’t going your way isn’t permitted. Try and work out an amicable solution with the other party before involving staff.
3. Roleplay can only be voided with consent of all involved parties, or a staff ruling regarding a potential or actual rules violation.
4. All actions by characters should not override the fact that Fox Hollow is a moderate sim. Crime is permissible and encouraged, but especially gruesome scenes may be asked to be tuned down for the wider audience.
5. Taking In Character Attitudes Out of Character – People play characters. These characters may not always agree with other characters. Please keep in mind that character’s actions against you do not and should not perpetrate any issues with you as a person, or out of character. Please do not direct such complaints to staff unless you suspect another rule is being broken. They should be handled in character.
6. Real World Events: While based in the contemporary United States, we are aware that many come to SL for escapism from current real world events and tragedies. Most people on SL do not want to roleplay the current ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, for example. This is a touchy subject all around as it’s hard to roleplay a small town in the U.S without acknowledging these events, but we ask you be mindful that others may not want to roleplay them.
7. Fox Hollow identifies as a “Heavy” roleplay sim, though we try to be open to all players and backgrounds. There is no set rule on what defines “Heavy” roleplay, however we do ask all players to use proper punctuation, grammar, and spelling in roleplay. Emoji and smiley faces, for example, shouldn’t be used in RP scenes.
   1. Gestures, generally, have no place in serious RP scenes. If you are asked to stop using gestures by anyone in the RP, please do so.
8. Roleplaying Injuries – Characters are expected to roleplay injuries, mental and physical, to completion of the RP with hospital staff or otherwise. Hospital staff or EMS must consent to voiding continued roleplay of injuries. Both parties may agree to speed up the recovery process to avoid anyone being in a wheelchair for 6 months, but it should not be completely voided without consent.
   1. Characters can not “NPC” check-out of the hospital, or jail, for that matter. This requires interaction with the appropriate agency.
9. Character Kills (CK) – Character’s may, generally, only be killed off with the consent of the player controlling the character. Sometimes your own actions can count as that consent though, such as committing a string of murders then getting caught by police will generally be construed as your character’s looking at life in prison.
   1. Expectations in terms of consequences and death/injury are best discussed with the other parties in the RP so everyone is on the same page. Generally, though, staff won’t force outcomes on a character unless they acted extremely recklessly then tried to scrape off with minimal or no injury.
10. Special Characters – Players should not play characters that are real-world celebrities such as major politicians, celebrities, etc. Players should also avoid creating “Mary Sue”-like characters who have an exceptionally ludicrous or unreasonable backstory for our setting. Such characters include things like special forces characters, current or ex-spies, astronauts, MMA fighters, ultra-rich characters etc. These rules keep a fair play environment for all and avoid several ‘overpowered’ characters from controlling the RP. If you insist on playing a character with a background or abilities in this category, consult with RP moderation first.
11. If you are driving a Vehicle in Fox Hollow or a passenger, you are always In Character, No Exceptions.
    1. Vehicles approaching a road blocked due to a roleplay may, while staying courteous to the ongoing RP, edit their vehicle around the RP to avoid being blocked for an extended period. For example editing your vehicle around a vehicle accident to avoid being stuck behind it for a period of time. If this is a Checkpoint or similar scene where vehicles are all being stopped, you may not edit yourself around it.
    2. Vacant vehicles are in character and are open to things like theft RP if unlocked, please check your settings on your vehicle.
    1. If your vehicle is not yet registered with a plate from Fox Hollow or any community listed below, it should not be driven unless you want to be stopped and ticketed for no registration if seen by law enforcement. Default Plates from PSC/NTBI/etc are not acceptable unless you are pending receipt of your new plates(eg have already submitted the application at the DMV).
       1. Communities Fox Hollow recognizes licenses and plates from within your first 30 days of residency, or if you are visiting only are listed below. You should apply and get your plates within 30 days of establishing residency per North Carolina State Law.
          1. Cedar Creek, Bloomfield, Woodland, and any town using Apex TownControl for Licenses.

C. Child Characters

1. Child avatars should not be performing unrealistic actions for their age group. Toddlers should not realistically be surviving in the wilderness and babies should not be driving around public roads in toy cars. If you want to roam town and relax, please use a OOC tag and be courteous to others roleplay.
2. Child avatars under RP age 13 should not be committing major crimes such as grand theft auto and arson without a very good reason and ideally staff permission. Common sense applies; Stealing your parents car at age 12 is reasonable, setting buildings on fire and lockpicking and stealing other people’s cars at age 8-12 not so much. Capitol crimes like attempted murder and murder should not be committed by any child avatar under age 16.
3. Child injury, trauma, and death is a very touchy subject with most. Please ensure you have explicit permission from all involved (including first responders) before roleplaying injuring a young child in any substantial way, or involving them in grotesque or dramatic criminal RP such as interjecting a child avatar into a shootout.
4. Child avatars under RP age 10 should not be out in public without some form of NPC or player guardian. Special events such as a child running away may be approved on a case-by-case basis by roleplay staff. The guardian if NPC’d should act in the best interest of the child and not let the child commit any crimes or questionable activities.
5. Other players may ask a child avatar OOcly to leave a gruesome or uncomfortable RP such as a major crime scene. Having child avatars there can be troublesome to some RPers and this should be respected by the child avatar.