Last night we had an incident.
Someone who is known to be disruptive at events turned up and was disruptive at our event. I want to clarify a couple of things.
There are a lot of hard working people behind the scenes at the Grindstone. I appreciate that it looks fairly autonomous from the outside, but there's a linkshell of constant chatter going on through the whole event. Healers and overseers and volunteers coordinating to make sure that, for the people participating, things happen automatically. I can't express enough thanks to the folks who help maintain that illusion week in, week out, and generally speaking it's a positive experience for everyone to both participate and organize the Grindstone. Sometimes, though, people want to test that.
We don't turn people away based on concept. So long as you obey the rules, you're good to take part in our event. There's an unspoken rule that I guess needs to be spoken, though: Participating is a privilege, not a right. Pushing boundaries on rules to save face is certainly a thing people can do, but just as people have the right to act distasteful, our organizers (chiefly me) have the right to uninvite you. This isn't a tamping-down on freedom of speech or anything, but let me be blunt: Calling someone (who is volunteering their free time to help provide your roleplay experience) a cunt is a surefire way to make everyone upset with you both ICly and OOCly. This isn't about bleeding, either. The Grindstone isn't run by robots, as mentioned, and there are always consequences for our actions ICly.
Don't be disruptive at events and insult the people providing your stage to act on. If you do, be prepared for the consequences. If you are hostile to people ICly, be prepared to be treated as hostile. I acknowledge that I certainly took things too far last night, but I won't apologize for going along with someone's behavior as my own character would respond. I agree that outright murder is a powerplay and I agree that a retcon is in order, both on the side of fairness and helping close things out in a smoother fashion. Lifetime ban is appropriate, banning life is not.
If you want to know why events close down or get canceled, though, it's this shit right here: Last night 1 person out of 34 decided that they needed to make things about them, and that drags on everyone, from the top to the bottom. It's this kind of behavior that wears people out. Don't do it. If you're going to an event to have fun, have fun. Don't justify "well that's just my character, man" because while it's all good to have your own brand of fun, that's not roleplaying. That's being a dick.
Don't be a dick. Mother of God, why do I have to point this out.
Someone who is known to be disruptive at events turned up and was disruptive at our event. I want to clarify a couple of things.
There are a lot of hard working people behind the scenes at the Grindstone. I appreciate that it looks fairly autonomous from the outside, but there's a linkshell of constant chatter going on through the whole event. Healers and overseers and volunteers coordinating to make sure that, for the people participating, things happen automatically. I can't express enough thanks to the folks who help maintain that illusion week in, week out, and generally speaking it's a positive experience for everyone to both participate and organize the Grindstone. Sometimes, though, people want to test that.
We don't turn people away based on concept. So long as you obey the rules, you're good to take part in our event. There's an unspoken rule that I guess needs to be spoken, though: Participating is a privilege, not a right. Pushing boundaries on rules to save face is certainly a thing people can do, but just as people have the right to act distasteful, our organizers (chiefly me) have the right to uninvite you. This isn't a tamping-down on freedom of speech or anything, but let me be blunt: Calling someone (who is volunteering their free time to help provide your roleplay experience) a cunt is a surefire way to make everyone upset with you both ICly and OOCly. This isn't about bleeding, either. The Grindstone isn't run by robots, as mentioned, and there are always consequences for our actions ICly.
Don't be disruptive at events and insult the people providing your stage to act on. If you do, be prepared for the consequences. If you are hostile to people ICly, be prepared to be treated as hostile. I acknowledge that I certainly took things too far last night, but I won't apologize for going along with someone's behavior as my own character would respond. I agree that outright murder is a powerplay and I agree that a retcon is in order, both on the side of fairness and helping close things out in a smoother fashion. Lifetime ban is appropriate, banning life is not.
If you want to know why events close down or get canceled, though, it's this shit right here: Last night 1 person out of 34 decided that they needed to make things about them, and that drags on everyone, from the top to the bottom. It's this kind of behavior that wears people out. Don't do it. If you're going to an event to have fun, have fun. Don't justify "well that's just my character, man" because while it's all good to have your own brand of fun, that's not roleplaying. That's being a dick.
Don't be a dick. Mother of God, why do I have to point this out.