Group Rules

The Windswept Valley is a Mature group

We're all adults here, and all members are expected to act like adults.

• Players must be at minimum 18 in order to join.

• Opinions expressed IC through character literature/roleplay/art are not representative of the members of WSV.

• A mature rating is not a free for all - Explicit and NSFW topics are still STRICTLY prohibited.

• Swearing is allowed, but remember to read the room. Majority of the admin team have the mouth of a sailor but that does not mean it's a free pass to swear up and down.

Social Etiquette

It's easy to say "Be kind and courteous to others" in a general sense, but it needs be stated that WSV staff and players do not tolerate the following behaviour including (but not limited to): 

• Bullying

• Harassment

• Exclusion

• Inflammatory or Malicious actions

• Forcing/Pressuring other members into ships/plots

• Asking/Pressuring other members for free art/content

• Usage of slurs and derogatory terms are strictly prohibited and are subject to immediate removal from the group.

• The Discord server is made to be a safe place for players and staff alike, so please refrain from venting/oversharing in public channels.

• Similarly, do not use WSV channels to defame or "throw shade" at other groups/players.

Roleplay Etiquette

Like many groups with a focus on roleplay and collaboration, WSV discourages:

• Powerplaying

  • • The act of forcing other characters to behave/act a certain way without the owner's permission, or assuming the actions of another character (or even environment) to further the plot/narrative. Please always check in with your roleplay partners to see if they are okay with something your character would do, especially if it involves their character.

• Godmodding

  • • Godmodding is creating or "levelling up" your character in a way that doesn't make sense for their background/the setting/the situation, usually to give said character an advantage. Consider what is appropriate for your character to know/do, nobody is ever "untouchable".

• Retconning

  • • Like the old adage "No takesies backsies!" WSV is an rpg that runs in real time with multiple players, therefore events that happen are very difficult to walk back. This is different from players plotting but not following through, retconning concerns events and actions that have already happened.

• Metagaming

  • • Metagaming is when OOC knowledge bleeds into IC actions/behaviour/thoughts. Remember that information about the world may be known to us as players, it might not be known to our characters. 

There are many definitions for each, but only the most basic are listed here.

All members are expected to uphold the group's rules & etiquette

For minor issues, WSV operates on a strike based system. A member can have no more than 2 active strikes at a time, the 3rd active strike results in removal from the group (and in most circumstances, a ban). If you are given a strike, you will be notified of when and what caused the strike to be issued.

Strikes will be deteriorate automatically after each season of non-incident. This means that if you have 2 strikes, 2 seasons of non-incident must pass before you have a clean slate again.

Strike records are kept private and are only known by staff and the player they are associated with.

Discord

The WSV Discord is a private server meant for the comfort and safety of our members. 

• Entry into the server is invite-only, meaning new members are accepted alongside corresponding group openings.

• Being part of the Discord server is mandatory as this is our primary avenue for quick communication with players (Tickets & Announcements)

• Constant participation within the server is NOT mandatory (though we would like to say "Hi" from time to time!)

• Please respect the channels and those within them! Acknowledge your fellow players and their conversations before jumping in, and please try to stay on topic within each channel - Kalyflower loves you.

Advertising

Actively or Passively advertising on The Windswept Valley deviantART page or Discord server is strictly prohibited.

• Active advertising may look like: posting a commission sheet into the general chat, making a post that you are open for commissions, etc.

• Passive advertising may look like:  sharing a completed YCH and mentioning there are still open ones on the sheet, sharing an adoptable design and including the price, etc.

• Players found doing this will be given a warning and the associated post will be removed.