↳ General Rules ↴
↻ Literacy: The goal of this guild is to be represented as a semi-lit to literate guild, where advanced literates can take it easy. The word count for all posts is 400 words minimum. This allows for enough information to be given in the posts so other roleplayers can easily reply. I understand that a word count minimum may make some of you upset, but as I stated, this guild's aim is to be represented as semi-literate and up. It isn't fair for some people who put a lot of effort into their posts only to get a couple of sentences in return. There is a website you can use to keep count of your words - Word Counter - and My Writing Spot uses a Google Account to save all your posts and also keeps count of your words. Plus you can access it anywhere! Note: song lyrics in a layout do not count towards the word minimum. Any text in your layout doesn't count either, so there's no point in filling your layout with quotes, song lyrics and the like as they do not count. This rule also extends to double-checking your spelling. Most browsers have a spell-check add-on or plug-in, so please make good use of it. Please make sure you use full stops and commas properly, as well as capitals in the right places too. For example: 'a sentence, that, looks like this. along with this. poor use of, full stops and commas.' isn't acceptable semi-lit grammar. Another example: 'Is If A Sentence Looks Like This.' No dice, Captain Capitals. Likewise, please DO NOT use fancy text in your posts as well (fancy text in the layout is okay).
↻ Posting: A layout with your characters picture no bigger than the size limits along with their name is as simple as I will allow. If you want to make a pretty layout, go nuts! Just remember the image size limit to ensure posts do not stretch the page. Please use "bold words in quotations" or "coloured words in quotations" (or both) for speaking so people can clearly read what your character says, and 'italic words in quotations' for thinking. Please remember that if a character is thinking and their words are italicised then your character can not hear or know what they're thinking. Do not have your character "mind read"; it's just simplified god-modding. Please use size 10 or size 11 for your post text - layout text sizes are excluded. Also, common knowledge here, don't use bright colours for post text. We can't read blinding, bright colours. You will be warned if you use a font too bright or too pale.
↻ Activity: Because this is the third time this guild has been rebuilt thanks to inactivity, this rule will be obeyed. You must be active in this guild, whether it's posting once a day, or once a week - unless an absence is otherwise stated. If you cannot follow this guideline, then you probably shouldn't be in this guild. If you are going to be away from Gaia for over three days, then post in the Absence Thread to let everyone know. Warnings will be issued for inactivity. The first warning will be issued at the two week mark, with a three day grace period to get a post out or notify us about why you're not posting. If after the first warning no posts or notifications are seen, another warning PM will be sent, with another three day grace period for a post or notification. If once again we do not hear from you, your threads will be deleted in two days of the final notice. They will be moved to a holding thread until we hear from you, and only once all three warnings and the final two days are up, your threads will be deleted.
↳ Master & Slave Profile Rules ↴
↺ Profiles: All profiles will be posted in the appropriate thread and profile layout. All profiles will be accepted. If we (the mods) find a problem with your layout; wrong coding, colours are unreadable, we will send you a PM about it, asking you to change these problems. If you ignore the PM and do not make the changes, we have the right to delete that profile. I don't want to delete any profiles, so please make sure you only use the skeletons provided by the guild, and only use colours that aren't blinding or too pale.
Important Rule about Profiles: Profiles labelled as U/C or are posted unfinished will be removed and placed in the Archives/Under Construction forum in code form. The option to make use of the Work In Progress thread is preferable, as you can post your incomplete profiles there for up to 40 days if need-be.
↺ Pictures: You may use real images in this guild, but please no celebrities. If you can find stock models that would be perfect. I don't want to see famous faces in here. Anime would be prefered, but there is nothing wrong with reals. With all pictures though, please make sure they are respectable. We have the right to delete any images we find show too much skin or are too sexual. Do not use images that break the Gaian ToS; we want this guild to stay put, right?
↺ Characters: There should be no Mary Sue's or Gary Stu's. People are not perfect, and they surely won't be in this guild. Everyone has fears, weaknesses, and strengths. At the same time, people are not perfectly flawed. Do not expect someone to change their character to conform with yours. For example, do not make a hetero male/female that has a phobia of females/males and expect them to be paired with a hetero Master/Mistress. This just does not work. If we find a problem with your character we will PM you to ask you to change them. Again, if you ignore the PM and do not change what we've suggested, we have the right to delete your profile. Do not God-Mod. Your character is not the strongest in the world, and you cannot just go around killing people or other characters because your character wants to. Likewise, you cannot have every power in the book and them some. Keep it simple and believable. God-Modding will not be tolerated. You want to kill someone? Discuss it with your roleplay partner/s.
↳ Other Rules ↴
↻ Romance//Violence: Romance and violence are allowed and extremely encouraged. HOWEVER, I do not want this guild deleted after all this hard work of rebuilding it - again. If you become too graphic in your posts (detailed talks of sexual acts, extreme gore in kills), you will be warned and made to redo your post. If you fail to do so, you will be removed from the guild. Just time-skip. Please, for the sake of the Gaia ToS. This rule also applies to swearing: keep it to a minimum. Keep it gentle for those who may not be as old as you are, and don't drop the F-bomb every other word. Swearing is okay, but in moderation. Remember, follow GAIA ToS - I mean, you did agree to that when you joined, anyway.
↻ Availability: There are times when we have problems with the balance of characters. If myself or one of the mods believe that there is too many slaves or masters, we have the right to put a ban on characters. I hope we won't have to do this, but if we are seeing too many of one kind - slaves, masters, neko's, vampires etc - we will put a ban on them until things balance out..
↻ The Slave Business: This bit is mainly for those who have never been in a Slave/Master guild before, but it doesn't hurt to brush up on the basics. The Slave Trade in this world is perfectly legal, and is not frowned upon. Owning a Slave from Hôtel des Esclaves is associated with being rich and of the highest social status there is. The Slaves from this Hotel are the best in the land, and there is no social stigma for having one of these pristine slaves. Along with all this, all slaves must be purchased upon meeting them and connecting with them, otherwise you have to walk away and forget them; dates are not allowed at the Hotel as it is seen as solicitation of their slaves and taking advantage of their services. Likewise, slaves cannot leave their rooms UNLESS they are property of a Master/Mistress; no exceptions.
