Below you’ll find all the things you need to know about becoming a mod, what it means to be a mod, and the application to fill out to be considered!
[What are mods?]
Mods are outstanding members of the group who perform tasks on behalf of admins, often to assist them or other members, and maintain the group itself. They do not have access to group-wide plot information, nor can they normally edit character cards, access notes, etc. Mods may pick up tasks such as being a part of HR, handling EXP submissions in the Discord server, performing investigation rolls, answering member questions, and helping out their specific Tribe admin with things for their Tribe (ie. assigning apprentices, handling announcements, running small events, etc).
The key differences between admins and mods are that admins actively run the group, while mods assist in improving group experience and assisting admins in their roles. While the admins will usually go to mods for advice and opinions on certain matters, mods do not always get a say in how to run the group; they don’t have access to everything behind the scenes, and will not always have the necessary information to make appropriate informed decisions for the group. Mods are held to higher standards than members, but this should not be seen as a power grab or as if they are “above” members- we’re all a team, looking to improve this group and make it fun for all of us!
Mods will be given one high ranking character within the Tribe they help run, often the Gold/Deputy, though sometimes a mod may have the Silver/Leader position depending on circumstances. Mods will only have their hands in one Tribe at a time, though they may help any admin with tasks where necessary, and will be a part of the overall admin/mod team.
Members who apply for mod positions, when any are open, will be put into a “pool” of applicants to be considered during the opening. Openings do not last for any specific period of time, meaning that an admin will only select a mod when and if they feel there’s an applicant who will fit the role.
[What are mod duties?]
Duties will vary depending on a mod’s comfort level performing certain tasks and what their admin feels comfortable assigning them, but the most common are as follows:
❖ EXP Counting (Discord-only)
❖ Investigation rolls
❖ Answering questions
❖ Running events
❖ Making announcements
❖ Asset making
❖ HR duties
❖ Participating in admin/mod discussions
❖ Plotting with their admin
❖ Coordinating with head ranks
❖ Organization
❖ Special Projects
This list is not all-inclusive, just an idea of what to expect upon being offered a position! While no specific duties are required for any mod, mods are required to help out where they can and pick up as many tasks as they feel comfortable with. It is not enough to simply participate in the occasional discussion- this is a job, and mods are expected to work and be active contributors to the group. Any mod who is brought on is subject to being spoken with about the amount of effort they are putting in, and we may find it necessary to replace mods we feel are not pulling their weight (though not without warning and ample opportunities to correct this behavior).
[How do I become a mod?]
Anyone who meets the following requirements at minimum may apply to be a mod, provided we have an opening!:
1. They are a member of the group
2. The member has 0 strikes currently attached to their name (please ask if you are unsure!)
3. The member has an eligible character or can create one if selected (eligible characters being any aged 15 moons or older; otherwise, the member must be able to create and afford to bring in another appropriate character within the allotted time frame- eligible characters do not have to currently be in the Tribe they’re applying for, and will receive a Tribe change free of charge if selected!)
An interested member will look through our open positions and decide from there which Tribe(s) will be a good fit for them to be a mod for! Remember, you’re not only applying to be a mod in the group, you’re applying to be the mod for a specific admin!
When selecting mods, the decision is 99% up to the admin of that Tribe- however, no decision is made without discussing with the other admins and, at times, the other mods. We want to make sure the existing team is comfortable with anyone we bring in! Here are things we typically consider when selecting a mod:
❖ Activity level
❖ Group knowledge
❖ Overall contribution level
❖ Other admin/mod experience
❖ Tribe-specific knowledge/ideas/inspiration/passion
❖ Member relationships
❖ Recommendation letters
❖ Character application*
*This is the least concern- we are almost always willing to make something work, and if we feel you’ll be a good fit, but your character(s) might not, then we’ll usually have a discussion about this before proceeding!
[Who can write a Letter of Recommendation?]
Reference letters may be written by pretty much anyone in or outside of the group who can vouch for your capabilities as a mod (barring existing or outgoing admins and mods). You can have as many reference letters as you’d like when applying to a position, however, the people you choose should be writing about your credibility, the abilities you possess that they believe will be beneficial to hiring you, etc. They should speak to their experiences with you, preferably in previous or existing roles as an admin/mod/etc, and a name must be attached to the letter to be credible (aka no anonymous letters). We will not accept reference letters from anyone who is banned from Havensake.
Reference letters do not expire, however, we do recommend using more than one, and not reusing the same letter(s) for longer than six months.
[Can I retain my head rank(s) if I get a mod position?]
Mods are allowed to have two head ranks alongside their leader/deputy character. If a member has three existing head ranks and none of those characters becomes their deputy/leader character, then the mod must give up one of their head ranks upon accepting the mod position.
[How can I apply?]
Whenever we have an open position(s), you may note the group with the following form filled out (either within the note itself, or a link to sta.sh/Docs/etc), and if everything looks good, you’ll be added to the pool of candidates for whichever position(s) you applied to!
Please note that some questions must be filled out per Tribe you apply to- you’re more than welcome to only answer once for the general questions, but it’s imperative to have different answers for the Tribe-specific ones!
To withdraw or make edits to your application, simply re-note the group!
Usernames: (Your dA username + your Discord tag, ie. spacepurrs + nerdykawa#1850)
Name/Pronouns/Age: (Age can be specific or a range- <18, 18-21, 21-25, 26+)
Tribe(s) Applying To: (Which Tribe(s) are you applying to mod for?)
Member Since: (Date you joined the group)
Timezone: (ie. GMT-6; Not sure? Google, “What is my timezone?”)
Previous/Existing Mod Experience: (What other group(s) have you modded? How does this experience apply to the position you’re interested in?)
Self-Summary: (What are your strengths and weaknesses? What qualities do you have that would make you a good mod? What areas do you need to improve on? What separates you from other candidates?)
Reference Letter(s): (You must have at least one!)
General Questionnaire:
❖ How would you describe your work style? How often do you plan to contribute to the group?
❖ What are you most passionate about in relation to Havensake? What is it that makes you want to be a mod?
❖ What tasks do you see yourself performing on the mod team? What are the tasks you’re less comfortable with or wouldn’t want to do as much?
❖ How much do you contribute to conversations? How willing are you to compromise, and what would a conversation with you look like in regards to group conversations?
❖ Mods are expected to communicate with their admin on a relatively regular basis. How often do you respond to messages? Are you someone who takes initiative and is willing to come to your admin with comments/questions/concerns without first being prompted? Or are you someone who usually waits to be asked to help first before offering?
❖ In situations you're biased in (as is everyone) how can we know you'll maintain your fairness despite feeling strongly one way?
❖ How well do you work on a team? Are you a natural leader (able to ask questions, prompt discussions, or take initiative) or are you a follower (listening to others, go with the majority, etc.)?
❖ What do you do when something doesn't go your way? How do you handle things when you get frustrated or upset?
❖ Name one or more situations in which you have helped another member in the group, or otherwise went above and beyond as a member of the group.
❖ Two members have been bickering, but now their fighting is getting out of control and it's making everybody else uncomfortable. You get on the discord and see this happening! What do you do?
❖ Have you ever been formally disciplined by the Havensake admin team? If so, what for, and what have you done to rectify the behavior that led to it?
❖ What are your favorite things about Havensake? What improvements do you think could be made to the group? How would you contribute to those improvements as a mod?
❖ Do you currently or have you ever had a head rank in the group? If so, how have you contributed to the Tribe(s) you have a head rank in? If not, what tasks would you perform as a head rank to maintain the activity of those in your rank? What experience do you have running events?
❖ What should we know about working with you? What could the admin team do to make working with you more successful overall for all involved?
Tribe-Specific Questionnaire:
❖ What is your favorite thing about the Tribe you’re applying to? How would you contribute to its success and future moving forward? What do you think could change to make it better?
❖ How is your relationship with the Tribe admin? How well do you see yourself working with them? What do you think would improve your relationship?
❖ What ideas do you have for your Tribe? Would you like to run specific events, craft a certain plot, etc?
❖ Your admin, heads, and members of the Tribe are all sure to be nervous about these changes. How do you plan to make your transition as smooth as possible, while reassuring members and promoting activity?
❖ Which character(s) are you applying with? How would they be in this role, and how would you see them moving forward as they get more comfortable with the admin character and their role? What makes them a good fit for the position, and what would they need to improve on? (Please include bio/ref links to every applicable character- their entire bio should be complete if they are a new character!)
Other:
❖ Do you have any final thoughts? Any questions for us? Anything that didn’t fit into one of our questions? Let us know here!
Thank you for your interest! If you have any questions about the application process, please feel free to reach out to the admins!