We're coming together on the internet to have fun and tell a story. Safety is the foundation on which imagination is built. So, I use the following safety tools to create and maintain an environment that lets my players, and my self, feel safe enough to play as hard as possible!
When you use a safety card, it is completely anonymous. When a person places a safety card on the table, you should follow the rules of the card without asking who placed the card or why the card was placed. Cards are integrated into Avrae. There is a safety channel in the Yello Duzz D&D discord, and here are the commands and how they work:
!safety = information on Avrae's safety tools
!stop = Plays a stop (otherwise known as X) card. The Stop Card should be played when a player is uncomfortable with a scene. The group should immediately stop the adventure, and work out the issues as a group.
!go = Plays a go card. The Keep Going Card should be played when a player feels comfortable with the scene, and is okay with continuing the adventure. The group should continue the adventure as per normal.
!slowdown = Plays a slowdown card. The Slowdown Card should be played when the pace of the adventure is too fast. The group should slow down and pace the adventure a bit slower.
!faster = Plays a go faster card. The Go Faster Card should be played when the pace of the adventure is too slow, or the a player wishes to pass over a bit of content quickly. The group should pace the adventure a bit faster.
These are the lines and veils included in all of my games. I will account for everyone's needs and preferences on a case-by-case basis in my adventures.
These will be adjusted on a per-adventure basis. IE, some of these veils may be moved to Lines/Hard Boundaries.
Lines / Hard Boundaries (Not happening)
Sexual abuse
Child Abuse/Exploitation
Abuse of domestic animals (such as pets)
Real life imagery of destruction of objects/buildings, and destruction wrought by fire
Real life religion & real life politics
Veils ("Screen fades to black")
Consensual sex (mentioned only)
Tortured (mentioned only)
Self-Harm due to negative events (mentioned only)
Sitting and staring into a computer is much more strenuous than it sounds. So, there will be a break in the middle of every session. If any string of content is intense or overwhelming, or we've all just had a little too much to drink, more breaks can be added. especially for longer sessions.
Stars and wishes are used to reflect on the session and communicate feedback in a positive and forward-facing way. At the end of the game, go around and get everyone to state a star and wish. Stars are things that the participants really enjoyed and loved about the game. This could include a particular moment of roleplay, an encounter created by the GM, or anything else that stuck out as something awesome during the game. Wishes are things that the participants would like to see in future sessions. This could include particular interactions between characters, potential story moments and development, or anything else that could make the game even better in the future.