Before you can become a full-fledged member of HSOWW-IAUHRP (that seems a bit long, don't you think? Let's see if we can't shorten that a bit!), you need to make sure you read the rules. Rules are essential in any productive society. They provide a backbone for the civilization and allow for order. Here are the rules here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Usernames -No titles in usernames (as in, "Sir", "Miss", etc.)
-Make sure you're comfortable with using that username throughout your time here, because that's the one you're stuck with! (Exceptions can be made, however. Username change requests can be made if necessary.)
-Name format: (First name) *space* (Surname)
-Celebrity names aren't exactly the best choice for you.
-Be original! Originality is encouraged here at Hogwarts, though, try not to go too over the top!
-If you're using your real name, don't advertise that you're doing it.
Canon Characters -It is allowed to use the name and personality of canon characters. However, if the administrative team sees that you are unfit to play the role properly (whether it be you are inactive for long periods of time, your writing is inadequate, or you already have too many characters), we reserve every right to deny you a canon character.
Characters -Make sure your character is original. Create an entirely new one upon your arrival at Hogwarts! We don't want the same exact person running all throughout the corridors, that would be a bit creepy. Think of it as the Gemino charm doesn't work here.
-New characters are required to fill out the application template available in the Sign-Ups! forum.
-Mary Sueing is a no-no. For those of you who don't know what Mary Sueing is, it occurs whenever a character is overly cliché or perfect. Examples of Mary Sueing include, but are not limited to: --Perfect characters (attractive, smart, cunning, popular, skillful, etc.) --Plastic, personality-less characters --Characters suffering from any of the following: ---Facial Scars ---Near death experiences ---Orphan ---Having witnessed death ---Murderer at a young age ---Having an unattractive feature but being renowned as an attractive character ---Rich, famous, powerful (not exactly something to suffer from, but you get the point!)
-Characters with any kind of abusive past (beaten as a child, rape victims, mentally handicapped, suicidal, etc.) are strictly prohibited. They are all touchy subjects and you never know what the other person on the other side of the screen is thinking. Think before you make! Not everybody has to have a disorder to be an interesting character!
-Self-mutilation is a no-no.
Multiple Accounts/Characters -While it is not forbidden to have multiple accounts, we here at Hogwarts like our characters to develop before they go off and make another student. However, having a second character should give you something to do when your first character is stuck in a conversation with somebody who isn't particularly the best at replying immediately!
-There are certain character limits. You're not going to run about with an army.
-All accounts owned by the same person must be registered under the same email address.
-You may apply for a teacher or a House Elf, or any other character that is not a student. In fact, we encourage you to do so! We need more of them!
-There are no post requirements for creating a new character, but be aware that we can and will deny your application for a second character if we deem you unable to juggle both. Develop your primary character, first!
Avatars/Images/Celebrities -No two characters may be played by the same celebrity (the exception being twins, if you can't find a set of twins you like).
-The maximum size for a character avatar is 250x250.
Role Play Setting The role play is set in an alternate universe, meaning the normal events of Harry Potter never happened. There was no Voldemort, no Dumbledore, etc. (Yes, we know there are a few holes here and there, bear with us!) This means that almost any canon character is available for play!
The year is 1991. It is set in the Wizarding World (Hogwarts, Ministry of Magic, Hogsmeade, and the like) and that means when it isn't school-time you are free to roam the world!
God-moding -God-moding is the process of controlling another person's character without their consent. It can be something as small as saying that your spell hit somebody else, or something as drastic as you killing another player without their permission.
-Although you have the power to determine what happens to you, please remember that you should be realistic. Dodging every spell and making everything work for you on the first try doesn't make for interesting role playing!
-Your posts do not concern the actions of another. You post to inform of your character's decisions, not somebody else's. The only actions of another person you are allowed to put into your own post are ones they posted previously.
-Intentional god-moding may be done with the permission of the person in question. If you and another member are going to leave, say, the Charms classroom, and the other member is unable to post at the moment, they MAY give you permission to god-mode your characters to another location.
Navigation -Characters here may only be in one place at a time.
-When your character is entering or leaving a place, be sure to use the color codes so that it is clear and recognizable.
-Posts are to be written in third-person, past-tense.
Thread Making -If you plan on making a thread anywhere, be sure that there isn't another one open with the same time as yours.
-For example, if it's Day 1 - Breakfast, and I want to go into the Great Hall, I'll make a new topic if there isn't another one in there. However, if there is already a topic in the Great Hall labeled "Day 1 - Breakfast" I will post in there.
-When creating a new thread, use this template:
Title: (Insert whatever title you want here) Description: Year, Day, Time
Posting Guidelines -Once again, make sure you write in third-person, past-tense.
-Please try to keep everything PG-13! There are kids on this board, you know!
-Cursing is bound to happen. Just don't do it profusely.
-Grammar is your friend!
-All posts are important. However, if your posts are all less than two lines long, people aren't going to find you very interesting.
-Avoid double-posts.
-If any kind of sexual encounter occurs, stay away from the details!
-Keep the violence to a minimum. We don't want people walking around without an arm, now, do we?
-You can use the post codes all you want! The most common are bold, italics, and underline. --Bold is usually used when stressing a word or expressing anger. --Italics are used when writing out a character's thoughts or a spell. --Underline is mainly used to indicated stress on a word.
-Remember that thoughts are in a character's mind. If you read another character's thoughts and bring it up in your posts (unless you're a mind-reader!), they'll think you're some kind of demon. Don't do it!
-If you have to post out of character, use "OOC:" either before or after your initial post. If you do it before, make sure you type "IC:" afterward so people know you're back in character.
-Another common post code is the color code! Feel free to use it, though going overboard and using a hundred different colors in one post can be a bit distracting.
-Proofread your posts!
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Well, that's about it! If you've made it this far down the page, congratulations! You are ready to be a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Make your way over to the Sign-Ups! section and post an application!
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