Promises Nigrasaxans

This is the heart of the matter, the actual contract:

You have the right to leave at any time. Playing here is a PRIVILEGE, not a right.

Conversely - being your admins is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. You may change admins at any time, simply by leaving.

We are your gods, but you have freedom of religion.

This is the social contract:

You come here for a reason, and we enforce that reason. (Eg. on a social game, you come here to talk peacefully, we enforce quiet. In a wargame, you come here to kill, we enforce chaos)

If we either of use breaks that contract, see above.

If the game is NOT what you expected, then see above.

Things that we don't have to promise, but which we feel are good:

Whatever reason you leave, you leave either as you entered, or as you are when you choose to leave. Your choice which. Any irreducible costs that will be deducted even from your 'as you entered' form will be made clear in advance, and be applied equally to all.

You will be notified of any upcoming changes, and be given the chance to leave before they come into effect.

Anything else is 'per game' - but we promise that all rules will be expressed simply, publicised effectively and enforced as consistently and fairly as we can manage.

Having said that. Here is noble-mud.

The game system shall make no discrimination between players on any basis other than the properties of their avatars. Everyone shall have the same chances, the same risks, the same potential rewards.

Only things that are controlled by players, or clearly marked as 'forces of nature' shall be able to discriminate seemingly randomly. All else shall work equally for all avatars, excepting differences in the properties of those avatars.

Admins are NOT deemed to be players whilst they are using their powers, or considering their use. They may not discriminate in word or thought or deed except upon the properties and behaviours of avatars.

This is a fresh start. Whatever else you do elsewhere does NOT impact here. You are innocent of anything until proved otherwise.

Guess what. Grime and punishment comes into it

The burden of proof shall be set as the level at which applying a punishment is less damaging to the community than not applying it. The severity of the punishment shall be well publicised in advance, unless you have invented an entirely new crime.

An entirely new crimes punishment shall be set by the will of the community. There is no precedent law. There is no prior case law. The severity of a punishment may be completely arbitary - however, you will know of it in advance. You will be given the punishment that applied at the time you committed the crime.

The goal of a punishment is four fold:

1. To discourage people from committing crimes
2. To compensate the victims
3. To make the community feel happier
4. To uphold noble values

1. A punishment shall be as lenient as is possible whilst still obtaining the maximum benefit here.
2. The victim shall be compensated (either directly, or through feeling that the criminal is hurt sufficiently) enough that they remain an active member of the community when that is possible. When it is not possible, this is not a factor.
3. This is fluffy and hard to judge. The balance between 'I feel good because someone else is hurting' and 'I feel bad because I might be hurt' must be struck.
4. A community may have certain values - such as sportsmanship, that are NOT shared by the whole community. Nonetheless, it must APPEAR to those who uphold the values that ALL will uphold the values. Thus punishments must be balanced between 'moral outrage' and 'overthrow the tyrants'