Role Players Creed

1. I will maintain the illusion of the game by staying in character whenever possible. I will withhold out of character comments until absolutely necessary and even then I will whisper or ICQ them to the other players.

2. If I discuss the game with other players out of character, I will not allow my character to be influenced by this knowledge without express permission of the other players. I will take the time to allow my character to learn these things on his or her own during the course of the game.

3. I will separate myself as a player from my character as much as possible. While I understand that a lot of myself goes into my character and because the game is so very intense often real emotions will be drawn from me as a player, I also understand that my character is not me.

4. If I am not in the mood to play, I won't interrupt other people's games by coming into it out of character. I will find others who are not in character and go somewhere meant for out of character discussion.

5. I will not use my character as a vehicle for racism or bigotry. I will not use my character to promote child pornography or bestiality. I, as a player, understand that there is no room in the real world for such things and will, to the best of my ability, not let it seep into the virtual world as well.

6. If I, as a player, feel that my character has been treated unfairly or that another character has overstepped the bounds of their abilities, I will approach the other character's player privately and discuss the situation in a calm adult manner and try to come to a resolution or compromise.

7. I will accept the hand that is dealt me in the game, understanding that it is a game and it's not about winning or losing, but about playing.

8. I will not allow setbacks in the game to be blown out of proportion. If I am overly emotional about what is happening, I will step back and not play until I can compose myself.

9. I will not carry grudges against fellow players. My character might not like another character, but again, I am an adult and understand that they are 'characters' and not the player that portrays them.

10. If I find that I simply can not get along with another player, I will avoid playing with them. But I will do so in a way that does not draw attention to this and I will not badmouth or otherwise slander the other player as such actions only makes myself look bad.

11. If my character is killed, I will obviously grieve for the loss, but I will also view the situation as an opportunity for me to grow as a player. By starting anew with a fresh identity, I will be able to leave all the negatives of that character behind - any grudges, dislikes or just plain bad habits- and take away the good, thus making my next character even better and more interesting.

12. I, as a player, will keep an open mind and allow people to play their characters the way their imagination leads them regardless if their interpretation matches that of some book, guideline...or creed.

It has come to my attention that many people have found this creed meaningful enough to wish to use it on their own websites. I have no problem with this, but please be sure to give credit where credit is due and add "Written by Calista of ImagineChat. The original document can be viewed here:http://www.imaginechat.com/creed.html" Thank you. Note: In case you've seen this elsewhere listed as "Written by Calista of Dark World By Night" or "Calista of Role Play Universe", I am the original author and I was the originator of 'Dark World by Night" and "Role Play Universe" where this creed I wrote first appeared.