<0> I am the Mod thy God. If a dispute arises, my decision is final. That said, I am not infallible - if I make a mistake or you have a question, please inform me of the problem (preferably via PM or bold text) and I will correct it.
<0a> Refusal to accept the moderators decision once the moderator has made it clear that the decision is final will be punished by modkill (if applicable) and blacklisting. (Added 8/14/2009 for clarity.)
<0b> I may, at my discretion, opt to use a greater punishment than usual on one or more players, provided that there is a clear pattern of more than one player violating the same rule and that the player(s) to be punished more severely broke that rule more severely or frequently than other players. (Added 8/14/2009 for clarity.)
<1> This is a game. I hope that you have fun. In return, I ask that you not have your fun at the expense of the other players in this game (in other words, don't be a jackass). Repeated or extreme violations of this rule will result in replacement or modkill.
<1a> Attempting to use loopholes in the rules to gain an advantage in the game is considered jackassery, and will be treated as such. This applies to things like encrypted codes, invisible text, editing and deleting posts, trying to use the structure of the role PM to gain an advantage, etc. Please, use your common sense!
<1b> If there is any question about whether something might break the rules, don't do it. Hint: If I've modkilled for it before, it's not acceptable. (Added 8/14/2009; apparently this is not common sense.)
<1c> Rule 1 is a catchall rule; it is intended to preemptively outlaw any action I consider clearly unacceptable that I have not explicitly outlawed elsewhere, or for assigning a lesser punishment when I feel that the usual punishment for a rule violation would be too harsh. I will do my best not to use the first aspect of this rule, but if I decide that something qualifies as a Rule 1 violation then it is a Rule 1 violation. (See also Rule 0.) (Added 8/14/2009 for added clarity.)
<2> If there is a conflict between a role and the rules, the role wins.
<3> Claiming that another player is your scumbuddy will result in a modkill. I have zero tolerance for scumbuddy claims.
<4> Quoting private communications (role PM, mason conversations, etc.) or pretending to do the same will result in a modkill. Paraphrasing, however, is acceptable, provided that the paraphrase is short and does not use the same formatting that the original message used. (Updated 8/14/2009 for increased clarity)
<4a> Do not discuss role PM structure under any circumstances. This includes win conditions, ability formatting, or any other aspect of the role PM other than full role name and a brief summary of that. You may mention what an ability does, but don't mention how I template it (substitute your own templating). This includes any information about role PMs posted publicly in the thread. Violation will lead to Official Warning, forced replacement, or modkill, at my discretion. I have zero tolerance for using the structure of ANY role PM for advantage (regardless of alignment, regardless of whose role PM it is). (Rule added 8/13/2009 due to Rule 1a and Rule 4 apparently not being specific enough for players to recognize that using Role PM structure was already verboten under those rules).
<4b> Attempting to use any aspect of role PM format to confirm a player's alignment constitutes a violation of either Rule 1 or Rule 4 (at my discretion). This even applies if you accidentally make it clear that you have or do not have a specific win condition. (Added 8/14/2009 to prevent any possible arguments about this subject.)
<5> You may not talk with other people about this game outside of the thread (but see Rule 2).
<6> This game will have a vote count but no FoS count. Each player will begin with 1 vote (but see Rule 2).
<6a> In a Normal game, the FoS count will have no effect on the game other than breaking voting ties at deadline. Theme games make no such guarantee. (Especially not this one!)
<7> To help the game run smoothly, votes and FoS'es should be made in bold text, and use the format Vote: XXXX and FoS: XXXX, respectively. An unvote and/or unFoS is required to remove a vote or FoS; to unvote or unFoS, please use the format Unvote: XXXX or UnFoS: XXXX.
<8> If a player or No Lynch has a majority of votes, that player is lynched and cannot be unvoted. You may talk during twilight unless I state otherwise.
<9> Each game day will begin with a negotiable deadline of 2 weeks in place. At the end of each week, if I find the activity level in the game acceptable and the week does not end with the deadline, then I will extend the deadline by one week, to a maximum of twice the original deadline (a maximum of 4 weeks); the maximum deadlines are not retractable.
<10> If no one has reached majority by deadline, the person with the most votes will be lynched. If there is a tie, each player in the tie will send me a haiku. Whichever one is more amusing will be spared the rope.
<11> You may vote to No Lynch any number of times during the game. When at least 50% of voting players are voting No Lynch, No Lynch will occur. (To vote No Lynch, please use the format Vote: No Lynch. FoS'es for No Lynch will not be counted.)
<12> Don't drink and post, lest ye receive Public Humilitation. (This rule is an injoke and doesn't actually do anything.)
<13> This is an Open Night setup. As usual, lynching occurs during the day, actions are submitted at night and resolve at end of night (unless indicated otherwise). However, players are PERMITTED to talk in the thread during "night".
<14> When you die, stop posting. You may make a single "Bah!"/"Frak you!"/etc. post in the thread. You may not include game content in this post. In addition, once you are dead, please do not discuss the game with anyone other than the Mod until the game is over, as this makes the mod's life easier.
<15> All players need to post at least once every 72 hours, or inform me if this is not possible. If you do not post for 72 hours, you will be prodded. If you are prodded, then you will need to post something (a simple "/prodded" will suffice if you're short on time) within 72 hours or you will be replaced. You will receive an Official Warning the second time you fail to post for more than 72 hours. The third time you fail to post for 72 hours, you will be replaced.
<15a> If you have limited access, you need to post to this effect, either in V/LA or in the thread. If I prod you despite you declaring V/LA status, call me on it and I will be duly embarrassed.
<15b> If you post before I get around to handing out the prod, you avoid the prod.
<16> Players may only use one special ability per day (but see Rule 2). Passive abilities and factional abilities are not counted as special abilities for purposes of this rule.
<17> This game will start on Day 1 after all players have confirmed (by the method specified in their role PM).
<18> Any player who is modkilled loses the game unless I specify otherwise. I will modkill in either the fashion that I deem least damaging to the game state or the fashion that I deem most damaging to the modkilled player's faction, at my discretion.
<19> I reserve the right to add rules if necessary (or if I really, really want to).
<20> Okay, that's enough formal-sounding stuff. Good luck, have fun!
Game-Specific Rules:
<21> The larger MtG: Parallel Universe game consists of three subgames. A player with the factional win condition ("you win when all other factions have left the game, or nothing can prevent the same") wins when all other factions in his or her subgame have left that subgame, or nothing can prevent the same; when this occurs, all members of other factions that were in that subgame (whether dead, alive, or otherwise) at the time of that faction winning lose the game. A faction winning in one subgame does NOT cause members of any faction in other subgames to win or lose the game unless explicitly told otherwise.
<22> Whenever a player wins or loses the game, that player will be removed from the game.
<23> Players may only target other players in the same subgame with abilities (but see Rule 2; abilities that can or must target players in a different subgame will use the formatting "in {any/another} game you can see from your seat").
<23a> If a faction has factional abilities (i.e, Mafia kill) that does not use the aforementioned formatting, that faction may use that ability to target a player in any subgame which contains a member of that faction.
<24> Effects that last "until end of turn" expire at the beginning of the day after they are used. Abilities that cause a permanent change will remind the player that "this effect lasts indefinitely".
<25> Abilities can be played only any time you could cast a sorcery; that is to say, they may be used only at night and resolve at end of night (but see Rule 2; abilities that can be played at any time will use the formatting "you may play this ability any time you could play an instant").
<26> An ability has its effect instantaneously upon resolution, regardless of which subgame it effects (i.e, if a normal ability in one game causes two players to swap subgames, that ability will take effect at the end of the night in the subgame in which it is used, even if the other game is in the middle of day).
<27> In order to keep this game relatively in synch with (pre-M10) Magic: the Gathering wording, some abilities are being referred to by the closest equivalent M:tG keyword action. Killing abilities will use the format "Destroy XXXX"; kills that remove a player from the game will use the formating "Exile XXXX", but other abilities that involve removing a player from the game will use the older formatting "remove XXXX from the game". Protective abilities will use the format "Regenerate XXXX" or the replacement effect formatting "If XXXX would happen, instead YYYY"; abilities that bypass normal doctor protection will use the formatting "It can't be regenerated", but this does not prevent that ability from being stopped by a replacement effect.
