Bylaws, Policies & Practices

1. Definitions

   The following definitions pertain to the whole of this document:
   1. "The game" refers to the chronicle "Where the Water Meets", which will be follow the system rules put forth in the White Wolf Mind's Eye Theatre book "The Shining Host" and it's supplements, the house rules dictated by the Story Teller and his staff, as well as these Bylaws, Policies & Practices.
   2. "Player" or "Players" refers to the individuals who portray the characters within the game.
   3. "Character" or "Characters" refers to the individuals who are portrayed by the players.
   4. "Mundane" or "Mundanes" when used in regards to a person or people refers to those who are not associated with the game, either as players, actors or as narrators.
   5. "Actor" or "Actors" refers to the individuals playing non-player-characters (NPC's)
   6. "Narrator" or "Narrators" refers to the individuals comprising the Story Tellers staff, they may also be referred to as "Assistant Story Teller(s)" (AST).
   7. "Head Story Teller" (HST) or "Story Teller" (ST) refers to the individual who is in charge of the game as a whole; the welfare and safety of players, actors, narrators or mundanes, as well as the general functioning and running of the game and accordance to the system rules, house rules and Bylaws, Policies & Practices. The ST may delegate any of his responsibilities to his staff as he sees fit.
   8. "This Document" refers to the Bylaws, Policies and Practices themselves.

2. Statement of Intent of The Document

   This document is intended to provide guidelines for conduct, safety and participation in the game by players, actors, narrators and storytellers alike. This document is by no means complete, but it is hoped that individuals participating in the game who agree to and sign the accompanying waiver have read and understand the word and spirit of this document and will act according to its guidelines in a fair and reasonable manner.
   This document may be appended and modified over time as its usefulness and relevancy is evaluated by use and adherence. In such cases the amendments or changes will be presented to those individuals participating in the game for their consideration and approval by a two-thirds majority vote.

3. The Eight (8) Cardinal Mind's Eye Theatre Rules

   Here are the rules of Mind's Eye Theatre (MET), the only rules that absolutely must always be obeyed. These are common sense rules to keep everyone safe and happy within the game: other players, yourself, strangers in the area and even the police.
   These rules are designed to limit the opportunities anyone has to destroy the fun of the game. They are not intended to limit game play or cut down on your fun; they are just here to make sure that you play sensibly and safely.
   1. It's Only A Game
      This is by far the most important rule. If a character is killed, if a plot falls apart, if a rival wins the day - it's still only a game. Don't take things too seriously, as that will spoil not only your fun but also the fun of everyone around you.
      Leave the game behind when it ends. Playing a changeling is a lot of fun; spending time talking about the game is great. There comes a time, however, when you need to leave the game behind. Don't call the local duke's player at four in the morning to try to badger some dross out of him unless he's told you that you can (and then maybe the duke needs to take a step back himself).
   2. No Touching
      Never actually have physical contact with other players. No matter how careful you are, accidents (and misunderstandings) do happen, and someone will get hurt. Rely on the rules of the system to cover physical logistics.
   3. No Stunts
      Never climb, jump, run, leap or swing from anything during a game. Keep the "action" in your action low-key. If you can imagine you are an eight foot-tall blue troll named Onyx, you can certainly imagine that you are leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Avoid attracting the attention of people who are not playing, and use your imagination to its fullest.
   4. No Weapons
      Fake and real weapons of any sort are absolutely forbidden. Even obviously fake or silly toy weapons are not allowed. Such props give other people the wrong impression as to what you are doing, and in the dark could conceivably be mistaken for real weapons. Use item cards to represent weapons instead.
   5. No Drugs or Drinking
      This one is a real no-brainer. Drugs and alcohol do not create peak performance. They reduce your ability to think and react, meaning that, among other things, your role-playing ability will be impaired. Players impaired by drugs or alcohol use are a danger to other players, and to the game as a whole. There's nothing wrong with playing a character that is drunk or stoned, but actually bringing such stuff to a game is in bad taste at best, illegal at worst.
      In the event that a game is held at an event where alcohol is served, then by all means, have a drink. But remember to drink in moderation or remove yourself from game (or you will be asked to leave) if you do get drunk more than would be acceptable. If you do drink, especially in excess, please have a designated driver assigned. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the player to be prepared and to be considerate of others and the law.
   6. Be Mindful Of Others
      Remember, not everyone you see, or who sees you, will be playing the game. A game can be unnerving or even frightening to passersby. Be considerate of non-players in your vicinity, and make sure that if you are in a public area, your game play actions are not going to alarm anyone. Just as in the game, there are a lot of mundanes out there, and their disapproval can get a game shut down as quickly as Banality can smash a freehold flat.
   7. The Rules Are Flexible
      The HST and his staff reserve the right to create house rules (sometimes in mid-game) and will try their utmost to keep them consistent and keep the players informed of any rules changes. Be sure to read carefully and understand to the fullest the house rules for this chronicle.
   8. Have Fun
      Not "Win". Not "Go out and kill everyone else". Not "Amass more treasure than anyone else". Just "Have fun". The object of the game is not to win. In fact, there are not rules for "winning". The goal is to tell great stories, not to achieve superiority over the other players. It's not about how the game ends, it's about the journey and what happens along the way.

4. Admissions Policies

   The following Policies and Guidelines will be used when an individual applies for membership in the game. However, the HST and his staff reserve the right to bar any application for membership for any reason, not just those outlined below:
   1. Due to the mature themes and content of the game, persons wishing to participate in the game will be required to be at least 18 years of age as of the first game session in which they play. Proof of age may be requested at any time.
   2. Persons wishing to participate in the game as players (or other cast or staff) are required to read, understand and agree with the entirety of this document before admission will be granted. The signing of a waiver, outlining this document, will be signed and dated by the individual to acknowledge this, and the individual will henceforth be bound by this document and will do his utmost to fulfill the word and spirit of this document.
   3. Persons wishing to participate in the game will be evaluated by the HST and his staff for suitability and will be informed at the earliest opportunity of his admissions status and any and all reasons for denial of admission. Suitability will be determined by the HST and his staff using the following criteria:
      1. Personal conflicts with existing players
      2. Availability and willingness to participate at both the "per session" and "per plot" levels
      3. Personality and temperament
   4. Persons wishing to participate in the game will not be admitted if verifiable proof of previous criminal activities are presented to the HST and his staff.
   5. Persons wishing to participate in the game will be required to contribute funds or materials to the game for the purposes of photocopies, printing, item cards, bunk cards, arm-bands and other game materials. This may include a $1.00 CDN monthly donation. If the prospective player cannot cover this, then admission may be denied.
   6. Persons wishing to participate in the game must be willing to suspend all disbelief and be willing to imagine just about anything.

5. Player Rights & Responsibility

   The following are the rights of every person, not just players, which are involved with the game:
   1. Players have the right to fair treatment by other players, actors and narrators. In no case shall the feelings, desires and goals of a player be ignored in the favor of another.
   2. Players have the right to express their own opinions, but not at the expense of other players feelings and opinions. Agree to disagree if you must, but do not force your opinion upon an unwilling party.
   3. Players have the right to have their concerns heard by the HST and his staff. Please approach either the HST or a member of his staff as soon as a problem arises. There is nothing that the HST or his staff can do if they do not know that a problem exists.
   4. Players have the right to be safe, physically and emotionally, while playing.
   5. Players have the right to develop their own storylines and plots within the scope of the game, but should advise the HST and his staff of such, either as a part of a players written between game actions or in person.
   6. Players have the right to interact with others players (within the bounds of this document, the system rules and house rules) or not at all if they so choose.
   7. Players have the right to have fun and imagine whatever they want without criticism from others, except the HST and his staff who may at their discretion alter that which you have imagined, with your permission, to suit the game as they see fit.
   8. Players have the right to be as involved as they wish, and will not be forced into any situation(s) they express a desire to not be involved with. (In no way can this article be used to exit a situation after it has started and been agreed to be participated in. For instance, if you enter combat your characters death is a possibility and this article cannot be used as a "fair escape")
   9. Players have the right to fair and impartial arbitration of disputes between them and any party in regards to actions, events and decisions within the game.
   10. Players have the right to question the rulings of the HST and his staff, but not to interpret either the system or house rules or the contents of this document. If you do not understand something and require clarification, please consult either the HST or a member of his staff.
   11. Players are responsible for their own behavior and safety (physically, mentally and emotionally).

6. Character Sovereignty

   The following articles pertain to those characters portrayed by players, or player-characters (PC's)
   1. The concept, statistics and history of a character belong to the player who created them (unless the concept and/or history are in violation of a trade mark or copyright, in which case ownership reverts to the appropriate agency holding said trade mark or copyright). At no time will the HST, his staff, or any other meddle with or change these things without the player's permission. If the HST or any member of his staff have reasonable evidence of the character's statistics being illegally generated, the HST or any member of his staff may alter them to reflect legally possible statistics as per the system and house rules, and the player will be informed of any corrections and/or modifications.
   2. The decision of a character to participate in plots and storylines is solely that of the player of the character. At no time will a player's character be forced into a situation in which the player does not wish to be involved. (Please refer to D-8. for further information)
   3. The character of a player who is not present at the time is also not present or available for interaction with by other characters. If express permission to use said character is given to any other, the player accepts any and all consequences that may befall the character.

7. Responsibilities of the Head Story Teller and his Staff

   The following are the responsibilities of the HST and his staff to the players of the game:
   1. The HST and his staff are responsible for the maintenance and application of plots and storylines they generate, and of elements of player created plots and storylines that the player has asked the HST or member of his staff to maintain or apply.
   2. The HST and his staff are responsible for relaying information about the game, such as time and location as well as additions and changes to system and house rules and this document, in a timely fashion to all players of the game.
   3. The HST and his staff are responsible for availability and fair distribution of game materials (other than that of "The Shining Host" and its supplements published by White Wolf).
   4. The HST and his staff are in no way responsible for the behavior or safety of individuals, but are responsible for the punishment of aberrant behavior and disregard for safety.

8. Personal & Group Safety

   In order to keep the game safe, the following policies will hold:
   1. In no way shall a player, actor, narrator or storyteller violate any public regulation in regards to safety.
   2. No player, actor, narrator or storyteller will abuse another (verbally, physically, mentally or otherwise). This is a zero-tolerance policy.
   3. All safety regulations, guidelines and policies of the location of a game session will be obeyed at all times.
   4. No player, actor, narrator or storyteller shall endanger another person or group in any way at any time.
   5. All players will abide all laws at all times.

9. Consequences & Punishments

   Should any player, actor, narrator or storyteller fail to consider or follow the word and spirit of this document, the HST or any member of his staff may apply any of the following consequences and punishments as he sees fit. Note however that this is not necessarily a progressive scale of punishment, but that the HST or any member of his staff may apply any of these, or multiple if the circumstances warrant.
   1. Strike - An individual may receive a strike, or warning, three (3) times per session. A strike is just a warning that the individual has done wrong and needs to correct the problem or further actions may be taken upon receiving his third such warning.
   2. Penalty - An individual may be penalized and have all XP that may have been earned that session nullified. Three (3) such penalties may indicate that further steps may be required.
   3. Reprimand - An individual may be reprimanded and have all unspent XP taken away. Three (3) such reprimands may indicate that further steps may be required.
   4. Booted - An individual may be "booted" (sent home) from a session. Three (3) such "bootings" may indicate that further steps may be required.
   5. Exiled - An individual may be exiled from the game entirely, not to be allowed to play in the game ever again.

10. Mundanes

    Should any player(s) encounter any problems with mundanes the resolution of the situation is the responsibility of the player(s) involved. The player(s) involved in the situation are advised however to let the HST or any other member of his staff know about the situation so they can help resolve it if the player(s) require help, and to help them create guidelines to avoid a reoccurrence of the situation in the future.
    This also means that any cost of damages or fines levied on an individual are the responsibility of the individual, although extenuating circumstances will be evaluated to determine point of blame if there is doubt.

11. HST Supremacy

    The HST always has the last word in regards to the interpretation of this document or any rules, be the system or house, and any other documents regarding the game. The HST's word is law.

12. Disclaimer

    This document, acknowledged by the signing of the accompanying waiver, holds and binds the signer to follow the bylaws, practices and policies laid out here in full in word and in spirit. No player, actor, narrator or storyteller shall participate in the game without reading, understanding and agreeing to this document.