Rules of playHouse
Rules
- Sections
- 5
- Rules
- 22
- Writing
- Literate
- Moderated
- Staff
The short version
Four things we love
- Respectful OOC behavior
- Literate roleplay replies
- Approved character required
- No one-liners or godmodding
Section 01 · Forum behavior
Community Conduct
Rule 1. Respect other users
All members must treat each other with respect. Insults, harassment, personal attacks, discrimination, and deliberate provocation outside roleplay are not allowed.
Rule 2. Separate character and user
Conflict between characters must not become conflict between users. A hostile character does not mean the writer behind them is hostile.
Rule 3. Discord is the main OOC channel
General coordination, quick questions, plotting agreements, and out-of-character conversations should primarily happen in Discord.
Rule 4. Use common sense
If something can damage another user's experience, start unnecessary drama, or disrupt the organization of the roleplay, ask staff first.
Section 02 · Writing code
Roleplay Standards
Rule 5. No metagaming
Your character cannot know information they did not learn in roleplay. Do not use out-of-character knowledge as in-character knowledge.
Rule 6. No godmodding
Do not control another player's actions, thoughts, injuries, decisions, or reactions without permission.
Rule 7. No powergaming
Avoid forcing impossible outcomes, dodging everything, always winning, or writing results that leave another player no room to respond.
Rule 8. No one-liners
This forum prioritizes novella writers and literate roleplayers. Replies should give your partners enough detail, action, emotion, and material to continue the scene. Extremely short one-line responses are not allowed as the standard for roleplay.
Rule 9. Respect reply turns
When a scene has multiple participants, respect the posting order. Do not skip another writer unless everyone agrees or the scene is clearly paused.
Rule 10. Sensitive scenes require consent
Violent, traumatic, romantic, or emotionally intense scenes require agreement from the users involved. If someone wants to stop, respect that immediately.
Section 03 · Creation and approvals
Characters
Rule 11. Approved characters are required
Only users with at least one approved character may participate in Open Threads. Pending or denied characters do not unlock roleplay participation.
Rule 12. Character Creation is for review
Users may submit characters for staff review. Replies on character sheets are reserved for admins and moderators for approval, denial, or requested corrections.
Rule 13. Canon characters cannot be dropped immediately
Accepted canon characters cannot be dropped until at least two weeks have passed since acquisition. This prevents users from taking a canon, abandoning it shortly after approval, and immediately cycling into another canon.
Rule 14. Second canon claims require activity
A user who has taken a canon cannot take another canon until one week has passed since the first canon was acquired and they have posted in at least three different roleplay threads with that canon. The forum checks both requirements automatically before enabling the second canon application.
Section 04 · Posts, media, and layout
Forum Content
Rule 15. Use the correct roleplay zone
Each Open Thread must be posted in the correct Roleplay World Board location. If the scene happens in New York, it belongs inside New York.
Rule 16. No explicit sexual content
Explicit sexual content is not allowed on the forum. If mature content rules are ever expanded, they will require separate limits, restricted areas, and clear moderation.
Rule 17. Use the safe post editor
Roleplay posts may use the editor toolbar for emphasis, quotes, spoilers, separators, limited colors, links, and images. Formatting must stay readable and must not imitate staff controls.
Rule 18. Images, GIFs, and music must support the scene
Media should enhance roleplay without bothering other users. Offensive, explicit, disruptive, or jump-scare style media is not allowed.
Rule 19. No spam
Do not flood zones, replies, notifications, or posts with repeated, empty, promotional, or unrelated content.
Section 05 · Official authority
Staff And Moderation
Rule 20. Announcements are official
Announcements and events are posted by staff only. Users may read them, but they are not roleplay zones and should not be treated as normal threads.
Rule 21. Staff may moderate content
Admins and moderators may edit, lock, move, or delete content if it breaks rules, disrupts the community, or damages the structure of the forum.
Rule 22. Rule breaks can lead to sanctions
Depending on severity and repetition, breaking rules may result in warnings, post restrictions, content removal, temporary bans, or permanent bans.
Rules read. Probably.
Ready to write?
Build your character first, then find a scene on the World Board. Staff are one message away on Discord.