Updated Server Rules - Pregnancy requires DM approval?

[mireigi]

GENERAL SERVER RULES (MUST READ)
April - 2014

– The Server, Forum and all interactions are to be rated Teen. Sexual encounters, graphic or extended nudity, gratuitous violence and torture, ERP (Erotic Role Play), and especially rape are strictly prohibited. Pregnancies are forbidden unless directly supervised by a DM, resulting from DM-authorized Role-play. Miscarriages are strictly prohibited. Pregnancies are a form of "retiring" a PC for the duration, and resulting children are NOT to be Role-played. Any caught violating this rule are subject to being permanently banned. All Player Characters (PCs) must be created and Role-played with the minimum age of 18, for Human, and the equivalent for all other races.

Source: GENERAL SERVER RULES [MUST READ]

Previously the consensus was that anyone could RP a pregnancy if they wanted to, but they had to RP it for the full duration.

This change forces anyone wishing to take the next step in their character's RP'ed romance to retire their characters. It's essentially a ban on pregnancy, a thing just as natural to the survival of any species as eating food to stay strong and healthy.

I don't get it.

There are several players already who are RP'ing a pregnancy, some of them only just starting, others are months into it. What's going to happen with their characters? Are they to be banned or do they have to terminate the pregnancy RP and retcon all the RP?

What about the timeline? Is it fair to prevent a player from playing his or her character for upwards to 25 real life months (some elves) to stay with the timeline? Humans only require 9 months, but that's still a long time to not be able to RP a character. Where does the character go for all this time?

I can understand the miscarriage part. That can be some heavy RP that'll leave many in a foul mood or worse, I'm sure. I'd even go so far as to say that once someone gets pregnant, they receive a stamp that says "no capture/abuse RP", to prevent the distaste I'm sure many would have in their mouth from violent RP with a pregnant woman - RP that, without a pregnancy, would be perfectly fine to have.


What do the rest of you players think?

I for one am baffled by this and don't understand the reason for it. It seems too restrictive.

[Flasmix]

Last time I said we don't need no men pretending to be pregnant, I was called misogynistic and every guy who was RPing as a pregnant woman was praised for RPing the hardships and trying to understand what women go through.

I look forward to seeing this thread develop.

P.S. no preggers.

[Darksider_war]

Last time I said we don't need no men pretending to be pregnant, I was called misogynistic and every guy who was RPing as a pregnant woman was praised for RPing the hardships and trying to understand what women go through.

On a more serious note: almost every time I've seen some chick pregnant, she was busy either killing throngs of mobs, or emoting taking her newborn infant around for a stroll (often in a dangerous area). No thanks, you want to get pregnant, then use it as a plot for a "happily ever after" retirement. If you don't like it, there is always The Sims 3.

[Planehopper]

There are thousands of ways to RP your character that don't involve making babies. You can play house without doing the do and making babies, and if you can't, there are other servers out there that allow it.

If you want to have a child to retire your character, than retire it at the point of pregnancy and be done with it. What is the difference, other than forcing the rest of us to walk on eggshells around a pregnant character?

And besides, this rule was already changed and updated. Nothing is changed in a void here, if it has already changed it means that careful deliberation was done by staff and they decided to update the rules. If you don't like the rule, PM the staff. Thats how it works. I thought that was covered in another thread last night?

[mireigi]

Sure, we can all play house, as you call it. There's so much more to a romance than making babies. I guess I'd just like the option to RP my characters having children at some point that wait for them back home, without having to retire a character for upwards to 25 months.

It's the effect that some of us are looking for, not the actual RP. Just like when someone gets tortured or beaten up badly. It's not the actual RP we're looking for, it what comes after it, how it changes our characters.

[Tempist]

The way I read it is that the character is only retired for the duration of the pregnancy. Once that is over, then you can play them again.

Seems to be that is not too much to ask....as a pregnant woman would not be out adventuring.

And besides, this rule was already changed and updated. Nothing is changed in a void here, if it has already changed it means that careful deliberation was done by staff and they decided to update the rules. If you don't like the rule, PM the staff. Thats how it works. I thought that was covered in another thread last night?

I have to agree with this as well.

[Darksider_war]

The way I read it is that the character is only retired for the duration of the pregnancy. Once that is over, then you can play them again.

Seems to be that is not too much to ask....as a pregnant woman would not be out adventuring.

Nor walk around in a dangerous area with her newborn infant in her hands for that matter. Those of us who do have young sons (present!) can testify that it is just nonsensical and immersion-breaking.

[Side]

The way I read this new rule seems to say it's an application only RP route if you don't want to retire your character, that way you don't have pregnant warriors killing thousands of orcs and what not.

Perhaps it could be written in a way that doesn't seem so harsh, but I'm fine with it as it's not an actual ban.

[Planehopper]

It's the effect that some of us are looking for, not the actual RP. Just like when someone gets tortured or beaten up badly. It's not the actual RP we're looking for, it what comes after it, how it changes our characters.

And the rules still allow for that, with DM permission and supervision. What am I missing?

[mireigi]

The way I read it is that the character is only retired for the duration of the pregnancy. Once that is over, then you can play them again.

Seems to be that is not too much to ask....as a pregnant woman would not be out adventuring.

There's a different between not being out adventuring, and RP'ing.

I don't see any dangers to a pregnant woman walking around in BG, having a cup of tea at the new outdoors area of the Elfsong Tavern, or other similar non-combat RP.

And besides, this rule was already changed and updated. Nothing is changed in a void here, if it has already changed it means that careful deliberation was done by staff and they decided to update the rules. If you don't like the rule, PM the staff. Thats how it works. I thought that was covered in another thread last night?

I have to agree with this as well.

I was under the impression that this was the place to ask questions about rules and discuss them with your fellow players?

Yes, I could ask the DM's directly, but I'd like to know what other players think of the change as well.

[Ricastle]

I really didn't want to get into a debate here, but I believe this falls under the category. One cannot tell others how to roleplay. It is erroneous to apply modern day values to the forgotten realms settings. Personally, I've know many pregnant women that still participated in activities that could endanger the unborn child which their doctor directly forbade them from. Luckily, I've only known only a couple that admitted at least, that they imbibed alcohol while pregnant. In regards to the setting, adventurers and mercenaries are risking their lives every day, quite foolishly. To believe that they would suddenly become a responsible parent is far from a given. Or to believe that a mercenary or other would be in a position to stop dangerous activities is also erroneous. They have to make a living and maybe they care about themselves much more then the child growing inside of them.

All that said. I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with rules stating that all pregnancies must be DM approved prior to engaging in resulting roleplay.

[mireigi]

I really didn't want to get into a debate here, but I believe this falls under the category. One cannot tell others how to roleplay. It is erroneous to apply modern day values to the forgotten realms settings. Personally, I've know many pregnant women that still participated in activities that could endanger the unborn child which their doctor directly forbade them from. Luckily, I've only known only a couple that admitted at least, that they imbibed alcohol while pregnant. In regards to the setting, adventurers and mercenaries are risking their lives every day, quite foolishly. To believe that they would suddenly become a responsible parent is far from a given. Or to believe that a mercenary or other would be in a position to stop dangerous activities is also erroneous. They have to make a living and maybe they care about themselves much more then the child growing inside of them.

All that said. I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with rules stating that all pregnancies must be DM approved prior to engaging in resulting roleplay.

I agree with everything you said.

The only major issue I have with the changes to the rules is the forced retirement since it, as you stated, makes no sense to go from sword-wielding mercenary from one day to the next. It also stop any relationship development. Was the pregnancy warranted? Do the couple stay together during the pregnancy. Is the father killed before birth. How does the couple prepare? How are their friends influenced by the pregnancy? Does one or both of the parents become more responsible out of necessity? There's a lot of potential RP here that's being completely neglected with a forced retirement.

[Nomster]

I have more of an issue with that... I was not even aware there had been a change to the server rules. Can the server rules be given a bump and clearly stating what was changed, so we do not have to guess? It is difficult to be expected to follow rules when you are not aware of any changes made.

That said, I think this is a good approach. I have been slightly disturbed by some RP around pregnancies and children. Not overly so but have found myself say "Really?" and given my screen an odd stare (I'll refrain from giving examples). I still think they should be allowed, for those willing to go through 9 months of such RP. (The term for elves was disputed somewhere, some sources I believe stated it being the same as for humans). So I find no real issue with the wording. Those who do it for RP and are sensible, will in all likelyhood get an approval. Not too sure about the retiring part (I read it as permanently retiring) and not RPing of children...? Sure, do not drag them around wherever you go... but there are people on the server who have had children for years and somehow managed to keep a good atmosphere of RP around it.

[Selande]

Not supposed to be having sex... That could have been highlighted in blue as well.

"Sexual encounters, graphic or extended nudity, gratuitous violence and torture, ERP (Erotic Role Play), and especially rape are strictly prohibited."

Last I checked, babies come from having sex.

I don't like the idea of someone using a baby as a shield, having to think about the consequences of someone in our realm with a baby being attacked or diseased or whatever.

ALL BABIES ARE BORN FROM INNOCENCE AND ARE PERFECTLY HEALTHY ALL THE TIME IN MY OWN HAPPY LITTLE WORLD.

The rule makes sense to me. Why have something you can't even display, make adjusted stats for, and will largely only cause irritation?

From a PvP perspective... how awkward would it be if you got into a conflict with someone who made no such indications that they were pregnant or carrying a baby or something...

There's also this weird phenomenon that where one person has a baby suddenly everyone coo's and wants their own. It's an evolutionary bias... but I seriously don't want this server to turn into a daycare knitting-circle. It feels childish enough already at times.

[Hitman Hard]

You ever pick up a a faerun book and read about pregnancy for the first three chapters? I didn't think so. Anyways. . . I don't care anymore. To each his own.