Jul 28, 2024 6:06 pm
A fair warning on my DMing style seems to be in order, since it is a bit "old school" compared to the way the hobby has gone since it mainstreamed.
I'm a very "anything goes" kind of DM. No concept is off-limits, no line is uncrossable. I have no quarrel with the concept of safe spaces in general, but this isn't one of them. As such, most of the safety tools discussed on the site aren't likely to be very applicable here. Most of the time I couldn't even dream about giving a content warning because the messed up things tend to come from you players. ;) But I roll with them on their merits, I never shut anything down because it's "unthinkable" in any way. Thus, lines and veils would also be incompatible with that philosophy, as would X-cards. I think the best games should make players at least a little uncomfortable - one of the best parts of RPGs is that they present a low-stakes way to confront our demons (literal and metaphorical) without the pressure of significant real world consequences.
Now, all of that said, the lack of safeguards in content existence isn't meant to translate into a lack of decorum when it comes to presentation style. If unspeakably lewd, lascivious, gory or sadistic things are happening, we'll describe them in the minimal amount of detail necessary to get the point across, or allude to them through "fade to black" entirely. If something gets overly gratuitous, I reserve the right to ask you to edit the post and tone down the delivery somewhat. It doesn't have to be so clean that you could safely read it at preschool story time without objection, but it should at least be something that wouldn't make you shrink back in your seat if it were being read to a jury in court. In terms of American film ratings, think PG-13 preferred, R tolerated, NC-17 forbidden.
The one thing I do want to endorse wholeheartedly is the Open Table policy - I'm well aware that what I'm describing up there is liberating for some, but terrifying for others, and the PRIMARY motivation for participation in any RPG should be entertainment and recreation. If you ever come to the conclusion that these "wild west" philosophies are not your cup of tea, no hard feelings at all - as long as you don't judge me about it, I won't judge you. All I would humbly ask is that you tell me you're leaving so that I don't have to wonder what happened to you.
Commentary on this is welcome in the OOC thread, if you want to talk about any of it.
I'm a very "anything goes" kind of DM. No concept is off-limits, no line is uncrossable. I have no quarrel with the concept of safe spaces in general, but this isn't one of them. As such, most of the safety tools discussed on the site aren't likely to be very applicable here. Most of the time I couldn't even dream about giving a content warning because the messed up things tend to come from you players. ;) But I roll with them on their merits, I never shut anything down because it's "unthinkable" in any way. Thus, lines and veils would also be incompatible with that philosophy, as would X-cards. I think the best games should make players at least a little uncomfortable - one of the best parts of RPGs is that they present a low-stakes way to confront our demons (literal and metaphorical) without the pressure of significant real world consequences.
Now, all of that said, the lack of safeguards in content existence isn't meant to translate into a lack of decorum when it comes to presentation style. If unspeakably lewd, lascivious, gory or sadistic things are happening, we'll describe them in the minimal amount of detail necessary to get the point across, or allude to them through "fade to black" entirely. If something gets overly gratuitous, I reserve the right to ask you to edit the post and tone down the delivery somewhat. It doesn't have to be so clean that you could safely read it at preschool story time without objection, but it should at least be something that wouldn't make you shrink back in your seat if it were being read to a jury in court. In terms of American film ratings, think PG-13 preferred, R tolerated, NC-17 forbidden.
The one thing I do want to endorse wholeheartedly is the Open Table policy - I'm well aware that what I'm describing up there is liberating for some, but terrifying for others, and the PRIMARY motivation for participation in any RPG should be entertainment and recreation. If you ever come to the conclusion that these "wild west" philosophies are not your cup of tea, no hard feelings at all - as long as you don't judge me about it, I won't judge you. All I would humbly ask is that you tell me you're leaving so that I don't have to wonder what happened to you.
Commentary on this is welcome in the OOC thread, if you want to talk about any of it.