Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza

Hello Everyone,

Following consideration after seeing how the Roleplaying Code of Conduct and TR Helpdesk have been received/implemented, some member feedback, and a few concerns about post content, we have decided to revise the CoC. As always, our goal is to foster an environment that allows for maximum creative freedom, while still providing a safe and happy place for everyone to play. While at first glance this may seem like a large number of additions, none of them are new rules. These changes were made in order to include some additional guidance and resources, and to ensure it's clear what everyone - members, threadrunners, and the admin team - are responsible for when it comes to the RP CoC. The revisions also aim to clarify the fact that the RP CoC does constitute enforceable rules, and to formally incorporate the sections of the TR Helpdesk concerning thread rules, enforcement of thread rules and the use of Content/Trigger Warnings into the RP CoC. We also recognize that it may have been unclear that the guidance for TRs regarding thread rules in the TR Helpdesk should be considered enforceable rules, and hope to alleviate this confusion.

Please read these updates carefully and familiarize yourself with the revised RP Code of Conduct. By participating in RP on the Plaza we are all agreeing to adhere to this code and (in the case of TRs and the admins) to enforce it. The OP of the old TR Helpdesk thread will remain as-is to maintain a record of the original document, but the new version will be in effect from the time of its posting forward. The old thread is now locked, and this new thread will be made global for a week to ensure everyone sees it, then take up residence as a pinned post in Admin Messages!

Please don't hesitate to reach out to the admin team if, after reading through all of this, you have any questions, feedback, or concerns!




Character Rules
- Characters must be a(n) (dwarf, elf, orc, etc.) character
- Playing as (xyz character/type) not allowed/reserved (e.g. as a Nazgûl, Balrog, Maia, named Tolkien character)
- No playing named characters from Tolkien
- No playing a character someone has already claimed
- Only one character per person allowed in this game/round

Roleplaying Rules
- No godmoding except by (xyz)
- No joining (xyz) story except by invite
- put 'Private' at the top of your post if you don't want others to join
- please respond to GM prompts/GM prompts only
- white out OOC/OOC directed to (xyz) thread
- please follow (xyz) timeline of events
- Do not assume someone else’s backstory
- State your (character name/species/pronouns/location/which storyline you are in etc.) at top of each post
- (xyz) characters to post in (this) colour
- Please include Content/Trigger Warning at the top of your post for: (violence; gore; assault; verbal attack; etc)
- please agree to edit or white out your post if anyone finds your content distressing

Posting Rules
- Posts must be over (###) characters
- Wait for (2 other people, 24 hours, etc) before posting again
- Don’t post in (specified font colour or type) unless you are (XYZ)
- Please do not use (bright colors, neon, xyz color(s) etc) as they are difficult for some people to read
- Please add alt text below any images





Outside of the plaza General Rules and the previous sections of this Code of Conduct, it is up to threadrunners to set and enforce rules in their own threads. This includes any rules you may wish to make regarding canon characters in your thread(s). The Roleplaying Threadrunners' Helpdesk is a great place to find suggestions and ask for help if you aren't sure what to do!



It is up the the threadrunner to enforce their rules. If someone breaks a rule in your thread, your first action should be to ask them to correct the issue, either by self-editing their post or taking note of the rule in future. If the person does not comply, you may come to the admin team and request we make the edit/remind the person that the TR has set the rule. If the person continues to violate the rule, you as TR have the discretion to eject them from your thread. If you eject someone and that person attempts to return to the thread, you may then come to the admin team and ask that we enforce the ejection.



If you realize after the fact that you have forgotten to put a rule in your OP- for instance if someone posts with the wrong type of character, or doesn't include a CW, etc., and you realize only after they have posted that you forgot to include that rule, you can of course edit your OP to put in the forgotten rule. However, it is your responsibility to notify the participants of your thread that such a rule now exists, and posts prior to your institution of that rule should not be counted against the poster(s). You can, of course, ask them to edit their post, but only posts made after you notify the thread of the new rule will be considered in violation of that rule.

Once you have decided to change or add a rule and edited your OP, you must make a post in the affected thread stating that the rules have been updated, and the date from which the changes are effective (e.g., 'From this post forward,' or 'on July 6,' etc). This date cannot be earlier than the date/time of your posting the announcement, but you are free to give advance notice of a rule change coming into effect after your posting. This post in the thread is the only required notice, however if there is an OOC thread related to the thread whose rules you are changing/updating, you may want to post a notice there also to ensure maximum awareness.



The use of CW/TW is at the discretion of each individual poster, or at the discretion of a TR choosing to put a CW/TW requirement on their thread. If a TR chooses to instate a CW/TW rule, it is, like any other rule, enforceable by the admins through the above resolution scheme. However, we will not be independently combing the plaza for posts we think require CW/TW. There are so many different opinions on what content needs a warning, and so many of them are personal to each individual, that this would be an impossible task for the admin team. If you are not the TR of a thread and happen across a post you believe should have a CW/TW, your first action should be to speak to the poster or/and TR. Use the 'report' button only if you believe a post violates Plaza rules.

For those unfamiliar with CW/TW: Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings are headings used to warn the reader of potential distressing content that follows. This can include such things as strong violence, sexual content, sexual abuse, physical abuse, self harm, body dysmorphia, suicide, suicidal thoughts/other mental health issues, death, and other sensitive topics. A Content Warning is generally used when the person posting the content wishes to warn others of what is coming, but doesn't feel the content is necessarily likely to be triggering- that is, to cause severe emotional distress in someone who may have past trauma associated with the subject matter, which may include PTSD. A Trigger Warning is generally used when the person posting the content thinks that it is likely to be triggering to someone who has past trauma or/and PTSD associated with the subject matter. As mentioned above, these are fairly subjective and highly personal/individual definitions, and it is up to the poster to decide if they want/need to include a warning, and which type of warning to use. Threadrunners may or may not choose to define what type of warnings should be used for what content in their threads. For further reading on CW/TW, here are some resources that may help. These are not exhaustive or the end-all be-all surrounding CW/TW. Self-Defined's Content Warning Guidelines, University of Michigan, TW Guide tumblr

I have been meaning to post this for a while now, but I keep forgetting because I am a Woman of a Certain Age™

If memory serves me I mentioned in the Imladris OOC? that if a thread has some sort of roster or list of things that need to be updated on a (sort of) regular basis that it would be a good idea to have a placeholder post after the OP. The TR can edit that whenever they need to and add and remove people/things from the list without anyone worrying is the latest edit rule related or the TR just updating the roster. Although, now the TR has to announce in the thread when they amend the rules, this is still not such a bad idea. The placeholder post has really proven to be a great idea for the HoH where every so often I add links to the repository.