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Game List The game will be played by email, on a specially set up email list.

In addition, there will be three other lists:

Chat list - for all Out Of Character (OOC) discussions of the game.
Secrets list - for posts between you and the GM (perhaps one or two of you, and the GM). This list provides a back up for all the secret plotting that will be going on. You'll be able to post to it, but the posts will be hidden from all but the GM.
Pregame list - for all the threads that will run, before a character enters the main list.

Game Information
Information that relates to the game Time Under Chaos, I shall be supplying on the OOC list.

Please make sure that you read and understand the Posting Guidelines.

Also, so that you understand how the game will be run, please read the Roleplaying Commandments

Flexibility
There are many types of flexibility in this game. I'm prepared to work to accommodate different posting rates, for example, and will help you move to a place where you can take a scheduled break (for a holiday, for example) without disrupting the game. For this to be done successfully, I'll need flexibility from players too!

There's also flexibility in how you post - whether it's long narratives, or short and pithy. Both work; I love long narratives, but I can be equally happy with quick dialogue posts that keep a plot bouncing along. Essentially, whatever rocks your boat.

You may also find I'm giving you a measure of freedom in shaping your posts. That'll be more familiar with people who've played in my games before. I am in control, and will demonstrate that when needed. But ... you're a hand-picked bunch of mature players; I'm not expecting munchkin behaviour. I trust you. I'm expecting everyone to work together, and to advance the game for everyone's enjoyment. So we'll proceed on that basis.

Character Creation
All PCs must be created according to the modified Character Creation rules. Once created, the character should be submitted along with an application to the moderator. Once the application process is done, a new player can expect a time of audition on the pregame list before being introduced to the regular list. Threads on the pregame list are more tightly controlled and moderator directed than those on the main game list as the moderator assesses the character's (and the player's) suitability to the game.

NPCs
I try to create vivid and complex NPCs, and I love it when players do the same. I believe it builds up the richness of the game - and I'm quite happy to let players run those NPCs and have them interact with other players. You can develop plots that use them in connection with your main character.

A few points to bear in mind:

1) NPCs are fair game for me. If you've made them, I can pick them up and play them and I can, if I choose, kill them.

2) Other players can kill player NPCs in the right circumstances. It would, however, be considered polite to discuss this with their creator before so doing (unless their creator has been lost in the mists of time and their player is, to all intents and purposes, me. In whch case you should discuss it with me).

3) Other players can play your NPCs if you and I (as GM) agree.

4) If you want to protect your NPCs at all, give them points. You can discuss this with me, but not at exhaustive length. I want to put my time into running the game rather than discussing the minutiae of what weapons the third guard from the left is carrying (and how many points they cost). A general outline will be fine.

5) Your NPC is either onstage with your PC, or chatting with another PC (under your or my control). Your NPC will not go off and have adventures on his/her own, GM'ed by me. I don't have time to run plots for back-up characters, now matter how amusing and attractive they are.

Leaving the game
From time to time, people may leave the game. This may be for personal reasons such as a change in job or life circumstances, or may be because, for one reason or another, there has become a mis-match between game and player, or GM and player. This is something that will, we trust, always be concluded amicably. Discussions will be conducted privately, and an appropropriate announcement will be made to the OOC list.

When a player leaves, they may state their wishes as to what should happen to their character and where possible, the GM will respect this. However, players (or rather ex-players) should accept that there is no obligation on the GM to carry out those wishes if to do so would affect the game detrimentally. Once a player leaves, they have no further control on what happens to their character.

Other points
I'm happy for players to work with other players to create back story or even do some mutual plotting. But I will squelch anything that interferes with the main game arc. Remember, I know things that you don't ... and even though I'm very amenable to allowing players freedom, I will intervene if this contradicts something that I know to be true (or untrue) even if you don't.

For this reason, if you have a major plan for something you would like to do in the game - either solus or working with other players, please run it past me first. That saves the pain of having to withdraw posts.

Any questions about the stuff I've posted here, or other aspects of the game ... ask me.

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