Index

Welcome to the CoSC Rules page. This first tab provides a blanket overview of all of the policies and rules we live by here. The various other tabs provide more detailed explanations of the rules, howe they're enforced, and exactly how the CoSC Staff interprets the rules.

NEW PLAYERS: As long as you understand the content of this overview page, you should be good to go. It is recommended that you read all rules, but the Cliff Notes provided here are enough to get you started. (For example, you could: Read the overview now, start a character, and then work your way through the detailed rules while you wait for your first check.)

General Rules

These rules reflect basic expectations on all players who are a member of CoSC.

Roleplay Rules

These rules reflect the basic expectations for conduct in role-play at CoSC.

Character Rules

These rules encompass the very basic policies regarding characters at CoSC.

Administrative Rules

These rules include the expectations and various documents used by staff to ensure consistency of judgement and enforcement across character sheets. Rules in this section don't directly effect players, but they do effect what players are permitted to have in their character sheets.

These reflect the most basic rules the RP uses, and defines elements of conduct that are expected of players.

This file is subject to change without notice. Changes will be announced on the forum when they are made.
The prior version of this page can be found HERE.

Harassment Policy

• Harassment Policy Expanded

Contains further detail on What is harassment, harassment investigation, Unintentional violation, and intentional violation.

Harassment will not be tolerated. Players found to be harassing others, through any medium will suffer a permanent ban from CoSC.

Number of Accounts

• Number of Accounts Policy Expanded

Contains further detail on IP Addresses, Families, Multiple Account Investigations, Ignorance violation, and intentional violation.

Each player (who shall be identified through their IP Address) is limited to a single account. Multiple-player households MUST report (via PM) to Kitsu with the name of ANY and ALL accounts that will share IPs or it will be addressed as a purposeful violation of this rule.

Image Rules

Avatar Rules

Players found in violation with this policy will have their right to use Avatars removed.

Signature Rules

Players found to be in violation with this policy will have their right to use Signatures removed.

General Forum Image Rules

Character Sheet Image Rules

Userpage Rules

{{Player}}

The {{Player}} template must be applied to every userpage. This is done by simply going to your blank userpage and filling out the form (Very little is mandatory) and hitting submit. If your userpage already exists, click "Edit with Form" and fill out the form (any added text will not be harmed).

{{LOA}}

The LOA Template can be used when a player needs to take a Leave of Absence. Failure to apply this template during an absence may result in losses of characters or ranks.

These rules reflect the basic expectations for conduct in role-play at CoSC.

This document is subject to change without notice. Changes will be announced on the forum when they are made.

Limitation & Regulation of Prophecy

Prophecies must be approved before they appear in Role Play by Game Administrators and any other related Leader/Deputy/Medicine Cat Players. Omens must be approved before they appear in Role Play by Game Administrators and any other related Leader/Deputy/Medicine Cat Players. Clouds over the moon at any Gathering can only be announced by Game Administrators .

Plots with any sort of prophecy, visitations by StarClan cats, or the like, must be approved before they appear in Role Play by Game Administrators and any other related Leader/Deputy/Medicine Cat Players.

Posting Rules

• Expanded Posting Rules

Contains further detail on Posting Definitions, When Threads Happen, Where Threads Happen, Traveling Between Threads, and Posting Order

Minimum Post Length

Posts must meet a minimum length requirement of 3 complete sentences with longer posts being preferred. Players who make posts of less than 3 sentences will receive a formal warning. Those who receive consistent warnings may be expelled from the game at the discretion of the game administrators.

Reasonable Self Limitation

A player is expected to keep themselves within reasonable limits. This means that players need to think before they join threads, particularly if they are involved in a large number already, or if they're involved in ones that might change the way their character would respond in the current thread.

When Threads Happen

Every thread must be clearly marked with a Timestamp in the original post. In clan areas one should use the clan-style dating. For Domestics it is acceptable to give the human correlation that is provided in the weather file, but for clarity it is advisable to also include the clan-style translation.

Where Threads Happen

Every thread must be clearly marked with a Wherestamp in the original post. This indication of where a thread happens should use a location listed in the area descriptions on the Wiki. It is suggested that you work to be as clear as possible on the location a thread is happening to avoid confusion.

Posting Order

When you're in a thread, all other people in a thread should be permitted to post prior to you making another post. A thread should automatically be using a posting order regardless of how many or how few players are involved. It is a matter of respect for the other people in the thread and their right to participate equally once they've joined.

In Character Combat Rules

• Expanded IC Combat Rules

Contains further detail on The time things take, Things that take longer than 1 round, Godmoding, and Powerplaying

Time/Combat Rounds

When characters fight in character there has to be a fair way to give each one an equal chance to be involved in the combat. That is accomplished by using a system of "rounds" of combat. A round is a section of 5 seconds In Character time in which each player is given the opportunity to explain their character's actions. When characters fight IC, each player is entitled to a full chance to have their characters respond on behalf of their character. During a round your character can engage in a number of actions, but the string of actions should not be beyond the scope of something that can be done in 5 seconds.

Godmoding

Godmoding is the act of using those things you (the Player) knows but the character does not while playing that character. This includes such things as pulling things out of the thoughts included in the posts of other players about their own characters and things that are referenced in other threads that your character would not be aware of, including items like combat weaknesses. Godmoding is explicitly forbidden by both these combat rules and the CoSC General Rules.

Powerplaying

Powerplaying is a complex thing that will not be defined here, but will instead use the definitions provided in PSA #11. To avoid powerplaying or accusations of unfair conduct in a fight a cat should never completely dodge more than 2 consecutive attacks. While this rule will be taken with a grain of salt, it will be used by Admins as a dipstick to assist in identifying certain kinds of powerplaying. Powerplaying is explicitly forbidden by both these combat rules the CoSC General Rules.

Activity Expectations

• Expanded Activity Expectation Rules

Contains further detail on the Activity Check Policy, and the Activity Expectations

Activity Checks

For every IC Moon that occurs, an activity check will be held for all Player Characters approved and active within the game (Approximately every other month). All users, excluding those with approved LOAs that were filed prior to the start of the check, are expected to post in the appropriate threads with their characters or face OOC consequences such as confiscation of their character.

Character Activity Expectation

Players are expected to be active with each character in at least 1 thread per month in addition to meeting any rank-specific additional requirements their character may have.

These rules reflect the basic expectations for characters at CoSC.

This document is subject to change without notice. Changes will be announced on the forum when they are made.

Characters

The only characters that may be used in role play are those that appear in the Viewer section of the character system. Role playing using unaccepted characters is not permitted. Characters Appearances must always fit the Short Description that was assigned by the Administration. All characters must also comply with CoSC Genetics Policy in which all characters must be genetically possible.

Consent

All Role Play happening on CoSC is intended to be consensual. All players involved and effected by a thread must exhibit willingness to participate and accept the result. "Intense" scenes, such as those that involve fighting, death, or other mature themes, are particularly subject to this policy. ICA=ICC Policy will always take precedent over the Consent Policy in role play, and players will be considered to have consented to the results of extreme actions (such as attacking another or smarting off to their leader) simply by taking them to avoid Retroactive Continuity (retcon) in which RP is considered never to have happened for reasons of poor player judgment.

When using another player's character in a character sheet you must have the player in question contact the approvals staff with a notification of their consent for the appearance prior to submission for approval.

ICA=ICC

The acronym "ICA=ICC" translates as "In Character Actions Equal In Character Consequences". This rule means that your character's actions with have In Character (IC) consequences. By doing something using unsound judgment a player as automatically consented to the results of the scene. If this results in extreme consequences for your character, so be it.

Metaplaying & Powerplaying

The using of information you know Out of Character (OOC) in an In Character (IC) Situation or creating a perfect and untouchable in combat, or controlling another person's character in Role Play without their consent or the consent of the staff to do so.

Character Requirements for Approval

• Complete Character Requirements Document

Contains further detail on Requirement for Staff Approval, Bans Compliance, Expectations of Quality, and Genetic Feasibility

Characters are required to comply with all bans, lists and rules set forth by the game administration. At times these requirements can be somewhat subjective, and the administration of the game is granted the freedom to make those decisions for purposes of what they feel is the best interest of the game.

Slots & Limitations

• Complete Character Slots Explanation

Contains further detail on Pending Character limitations, Ranks Character Limitations, Character Slot allowances, Non-slotted Characters, Special Character Slots, Non-transfer or slot types, and Resolving Violations

Players are limited to certain numbers of characters (as described on the expanded policy page) and must keep those characters in compliance with various limitations and other instructions. Players with more characters than permitted, or with characters outside the given limitations will loose the most recently created/acquired of those characters.

Players are allotted thusly:

• 4 non-elder Clan Character Slots.
• 1 Domestic Cat Character Slot.
• 1 Feral or Semi-feral Character Slot.
• 1 Transfer of a character to the Cats of Camelot.
• 1 Transfer of a character to Caligula's Cabal.
• Unlimited Clan Elder Slots.
• Unlimited (staff approved) Non-player Characters.
• Extra staff character slots are granted based on staff rank.

Ranked Characters are limited thusly:

• 1 character of leader or deputy rank.
• 1 character of Medicine Cat of Medicine Cat's apprentice rank.

Litters Approval

• Litters Department

Contains further detail on Relationship Tracking, Application Process, Submitted Applications, and Kitten Characters

All litters happening to a Player Character, be they "on camera" in the game or "off camera" in a character sheet, are subject to the approval of the Litters Department. This department has full arbitration of the decisions towards all aspects of the litter, including (but not limited to) conception of the litter, size of a convinced litter, and all physical traits they choose to assign for any resultant kittens. The litter approvals department also reserves the right to invoke complications on any queen bearing a litter, including death of said queen, and consent is considered given when the player of the queen places the template stating that they agree to bear the litter on the application.

Vox Populi

• Full Vox Populi Explanation

Contains further detail on Mandatory Status, Conduct, and Keeping VP Current

Vox Populi (VP) is a system that creates a place on character sheets where players can add the feelings of their own character about the character in question. This provides more information about what other characters are feeling, and can provide interesting insights into RP and give a player new ideas for threads and interactions between characters.

These rules include the expectations and various documents used by staff to ensure consistency of judgement and enforcement across character sheets. Rules in this section don't directly effect players, but they do effect what players are permitted to have in their character sheets.

Clan Cat Guidelines

Age Guidelines

Due to CoSC's much harsher take on the warriors world, we interpret Clanner ages a bit differently than most games do. In accordance we have created a help file to explain out age interpretations. The general guidelines being employed in the creation of this guide is that of 1 Moon being equivalent to 1 year of human development. It should also be understood that, due to the lack of scientifically based medical care and vaccines, feral cats lives are nowhere near as long as the lives of those who live as house pets.

Clan Bans

These rules outline things that are specifically not permitted (or permitted based on limitations) by individual Clan.

See Also: TC Bans, RC Bans, WC Bans, and SC Bans

Name Rules

Names are subject to frequent and lengthy discussion in the Warriors Fandom. To clarify the CoSC approach to many of the name issues, all of our policies and practices are outlined herein.

Realm of Experience

Realm of Experience refers to the idea that the Clan Cats experience life in a certain way that differentiates the language they use from that of humankind. It's specifically used primarily to refer to words that lie outside their "Realm of Experience". This means that, because clan cats don't experience life with humans then certain human words would not be amongst those they would know or learn.

Non-Clan Cat Guidelines

Non-clan Bans

These rules outline things that are specifically not permitted (or permitted based on limitations) by for cats outside the Clans.

Coming Soon

• Realm of Experience
• Feral & Semi-feral Age Guidelines
• Domestic Age Guidelines

Overall Character Guidelines

Approvals Process Outlined

This is a rundown of the process that Kitsufox employes when she runs checks of characters. It is outlined as it is so that users who are interested may better understand the process and even employ at least some level of pre-check they do themselves.

Mature Themes

The world of the clan cats is a harsh place, but that does not excuse the players of this game from responsible use of sensitive topics. In accordance we have created this document to explain our expectations and requirements for several sensitive subjects. These guidelines apply to both histories and role play.

Short Description Guidelines

In an effort to clarify and simplify and the confusing subject of color naming. The specific purpose of this policy is to address what each term is considered to mean and how it will translate from the Description into the Short Description. The color words lists given here are NOT all inclusive, but as decisions are made on how to interpret words not already listed here, they will be added.

Kitsu has long made "Public Service Announcements" to address issues that she feels need addressing but dosen't have time to fully update the rules to incorporate. Those items that have been Struck have been integrated properly.

Announcements

1. Multiple Accounts (Integrated with the Expanded General Rules)
2. Genetics Rules (Integrated with the Expanded General Rules)
3. Adoption Policies (Integrated with the Adoptions Department Rules)
4. Children's Online Privacy & Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) Updated 26 May 2017
5. Copyright Updated 26 May 2017
6. Cat Lingo (Integrated with Clan Cat Game Information)
7. Posting Order (Integrated with the Roleplay Posting Rules)
8. Assigned OOC Ranks
9. Acceptable Ways to Edit One's character Sheets
10. Apprentice Ban Explanation (Integrated with Expanded General Rules)
11. Power Playing
12. Mandatory Where Lines (Integrated with the Expanded Posting Rules)
13. New Profile Turnaround Times
14. Short Descriptions
15. Application Bypass
16. Establishing Precedent
17. Character Traits
18. Adoptable for New PC Trades
19. Feral, Semi-feral, & Domestic Ranks
20. Essay on Clan Cat Disabilities
21. Name Save System
22. Express Clarifications Regarding Things Permitted by RP Only
23. Adopting Characters You Formerly Owned Following Confiscation or Surrender
24. Living Off Camera