These are the rules and guidelines that all Brotherhood members are expected to follow when using Internet Relay Chat (IRC).
General Rules for Official Brotherhood Channels
Let it be known and respected that the Dark Brotherhood is a FICTIONAL, online FUN gaming environment. As such, these rules are in place to ensure that all members of the Brotherhood can continue to enjoy this environment, and not to be used by the enforcers as a way of subjugating the members. As such, operations and conversations between the hours of 4am and 11pm (all times in EST) will be regarded as Family Oriented chat, and behavior will be expected to fit into the implications of this. Between the hours of 11pm and 4am, behavior is expected to remain respectful and any abuse of these off-hours will result in their cancellation.
These rules are only to be enforced by the Justicar and the Chamber of Justice in channels officially recognized by the Justicar and the Chamber of Justice. These rules are not to be enforced in Clan and House channels unless the respective owners/operators of those channels do so wish to enforce them. The reason for this is that the Dark Brotherhood respects the wishes of each individual Clan and House to operate in their own fashion, and if that fashion is a more adult or free way than Official behaviour would dictate, then we the Dark Brotherhood feel they should be able to do so. However - if there are repeated violations of the Covenants Articles of Conduct in Clan channels, and a member complains, the Chamber will be forced to first work with the Clan summit, and then take it's own action, to prevent such activity in the future. Remember this is a FUN and SAFE environment for everyone.
Expected Demeanor of Operators
- Enforce the rules, but more so, be a pillar of the rules, lead by example.
- Do not be overzealous in enforcing the rules of the Channel, give fair warning before taking any action.
- If you are Away, please mark yourself so in your name, or deop yourself.
- Do not topic-flood.
Expected Demeanor of All
- Do not flood, overuse colors, use autogreets, scripts, or anything else that is annoying. (See Definition of Annoying)
- Respect all other members of the channel.
- Keep personal arguments and fights to private messages.
- Do not publicly demean someone for your own benefit.
- Do not swear excessively.
- If someone tells you to stop doing something with good reason, respect their wishes.
NOTICE: Transgressions that take place on IRC will almost always remain on IRC, your punishment for breaking the rules will 99/100 be given on IRC, and it will go no further. In basic terms, you will be held accountable for your actions on IRC, but only rarely will action be taken against you by the Brotherhood judiciary. However, consistent or grievous offenders will be brought before the Chamber and punishment will given accordingly. If you have any problems with punishment you have received on IRC, by all means feel free to email the Justicar and voice your opinion, but be sure to back up your stance with proof.
Specifically, these are the Articles of Conduct from the Dark Covenant everyone who uses IRC should be aware of:
Crude Behavior -
No member shall engage in crude behavior in any mode of communication. Crude behavior includes, but is not limited to: the excessive use of swear words; provocative speech; excessive sexual discussions; and unabated insults toward another’s real-life political affiliation, nationality, gender, race, color, age, disability, creed, heritage, or sexual orientation.
Verbal Abuse -
No member shall engage in the excessive verbal abuse of another, including, but not limited to: insults regarding a member’s real-life political affiliation, gender, race, creed, heritage, nationality or sexual orientation; character assassination; or unjust use of Brotherhood resources to attack another through defamatory statements.
Harassment -
No member shall engage in persistent harassment or torment, or outrageous attacks on any other member. This includes statements and actions taken to attack a member’s real-life political affiliation, family or significant other, gender, race, color, age, disability, creed, heritage, nationality or sexual orientation. This article extends to cover harassment through the distribution of personal information, the creation of groups or modes of communication for the purpose of attacking the member, and unwanted contact with the member through non-internet means of communication. Harassment punished under this article must be to the extent and of the form that would injure a reasonable person of normal sensibilities; mere mocking does not suffice.
Special Notes
A member who engages in a discussion through email or a chat program impliedly consents to the dissemination of the email or logs by any person who is in the IRC room or who is the recipient of an email through direct mail, carbon copy or blind carbon copy.