A mysterious outlaw named Bartholomew “Black Bart”
Singletary, whose notorious gang of outlaws have been known to commit well planned and executed stage coach, train and bank robberies, has set his (or her) sights on gradually seizing control of the commerce of Promise City by waylaying and robbing stage coaches and trains bringing mail, governmental stipends (like the payments of certain law officials, like the Texas Rangers and the Pinkertons, etc.) and mercantile supplies which will be much needed in the coming winter.
Whole shipments of timber and coal and kerosene have likewise been prevented from reaching Promise City and the
outlying towns like Twin Oaks, thus driving the cost of these and other much needed provisions through the roof. All
attempts to apprehend the culprits responsible for orchestrating and committing these crimes have thus far proven futile. Many lawmen have been bushwhacked, murdered in their sleep, as well as in full view of the increasingly terrorized public, and the crimes are steadily escalating taking quite a heavy toll on the farmers, drovers and ordinary citizens who live and work and make their way in New Mexico Territory. The nearest fort of the US
Cavalry are of little help in the matter, as it is dealing with the uprising of renegade Indians whom someone has armed with repeating rifles.
Likewise, the Texas Rangers are similarly engaged in doing their part in trying to quell the Indian uprising and to try and keep the Indians from stampeding over the plains, overrunning Promise City, and the other outlying towns, and taking the scalps of everybody they can possibly lay hand upon. It has been conjectured that the Singletary Gang, led by its secretive leader, Black Bart, is somehow behind the indian uprising as well as a plethora of other crimes, which
include widespread cattle rustling and land grabbing, as well as stage coach, train and bank robberies committed by
mercenaries employed by this suspected criminal mastermind. None of who know whom their mysterious employer-benefactor really is. “Black Bart” communicates with his gang members, who wear masks during the commission
of their crimes but otherwise dress as ordinary everyday law-abiding citizens, via telegrams and classified ads
printed in newspapers and messages left in private hotel message boxes.
The Singletary Gang is run with paramilitary precision and each member is either a skilled marksman or a hardcore hand with a pistol who doesn’t seek for nor otherwise go out of his, or her way to gain public notoriety for him, or herself. Braggarts die mysterious deaths and anyone who jeopardizes the gang during the commission of one of its crimes is slain, if at all possible. Those members of the gang captured are either supplied with ingenious high-priced attorneys and are freed, they are murdered while incarnated, or they are rescued just before they are made to swing from the gallows. If a gang member cannot be rescued then he, or she, is summarily assassinated.
Black Bart keeps every member of his (or her) gang in line by having them continually spying upon their fellows in
rotating shifts and pairings. Black Bart pays his (her) people quickly and generously, rewarding loyalty to the gang
and quickly, and quietly, punishing disloyalty. When his/her identity has been compromised; or s/he suspects it
has been compromised, Black Bart either sends the guilty part(ies)y on a suicide-type mission or conjures physical
evidence leading the property authorities, inexplicably, to draw the erroneous conclusion that the suspected/potential
traitor(s) is him/herself in fact “the” Black Bart” or his/her lieutenant.
Black Bart has friends in low as well as high places and is suspected of having political aspirations of his/her own.
Black Bart has successfully infiltrated the Texas Rangers, the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the US Marshal’s.
S/he is thought to have strong connections to a group of powerful and wealthy neo-Confederate politicos with
decidedly anti-western expansionism policies in regards to pioneers and traveling merchants and businessmen from the
Federal states.
S/he also secretly aids and abets various indian uprisings and similar subversive actions that take place in the Nations (Oklahoma), as well as shares in secret alliances with many lesser known outlaw gangs that terrorize would be homesteaders in the Nations.
1.) Respect each other. Everyone must respect one another in this group.
That goes for all posts in the OOC Forums, as well as chat room events
etc... Slandering or showing disrespect towards any member or guest
will be dealt with swiftly! NO FLAMING! If you have a problem with one
of the members, or the moderators or the administrator (me), discuss it with
him, her, me personally, off-site. If there is a problem with one of the
members that is causing a disruption for you in the group in the role-playing, please PM or email
the administrator (me) straightaway. If i deem the situation untenable, which i probably shant,
unless the progression of the role-play is being unreasonably disrupted (or the situation proves to be
a violation of any subsequent Laws) i shall have the offender's player character removed from the role-play.
Only keep in mind the violation must be evident in the role-playing, as i will not even attempt to arbitrate
over personal grievances that have little or nothing to do with the gaming campaign.
Note: I personally do not care what you do off-site and in private; that's your business and i shall never
publicly reprimand or any any way attempt to adjudicate your offsite behavior. It's none of my affair what
you do, or say to another in private ( as this would almost certainly undermine your legal right to privacy as
well as the first Amendment given right to free speech.) But having said that, i'll add this, all members of this
web group are (at least initially) assumed to be mature role-players, not schoolyard bullies, whiners, crybabies
or juvenile delinquents (regardless of chronological age). Do NOT email me or my moderator(s) and tell us
so-and-so is picking on you. We do NOT want to hear it. And we will NOT hear it in any chat room or
conference discussion; trespassers will be ejected without apology and perhaps without warning. ALL posts
will be moderated on this website in any case, so nothing that even connotes disrespect of one member for
another will EVER appear in the discussion threads and remain there for a period of time exceeding 24hrs.
2.) No backseat moderation, thank you very much. Backseat moderating is acting like you are
a moderator, when in fact you are not. Those who are appointed the position of a moderator on this pbp/pbem
gaming website will have proven their aptitude and experience to the administrator (me) beforehand. It is
permitted, indeed it is encouraged that you help one another help me and my moderating staff, but if you have
not been appointed a moderatorship, you cannot just assume you have the right to jump in and moderate topics
of discussion by posting that the topic is "wrong", or that it breaks any of the Laws; or whatever. If you have a
problem with anything that occurs in the course of the role-play or are in any way offended by something that
appears in an OOC discussion thread bring it to the attention of the Administrator (me, again), or one of my appointed
moderators. Such activity can, and often does bog down a discussion and or infringe upon the respect law. I've
seen it happen before on other pbp/pbem role-playing sites, and i have no desire to see that kinda stupidity and
immaturity re-enacted here. ONLY the Administrator or one of the Moderators is authorised to deal with such a
violation. If you should feel you have a legitimate complaint and wish to have it go on record, email the
Administrator or a Moderator or pm one of us using an instant messenger service as Yahoo Instant Messenger.
Be brief in discussing your complaint as we are all busy people with real lives apart from our involvement with the
gaming campaign.
3.) No spamming will be permitted. Spamming is posting in threads (be they role-playing or OOC discussion
threads) anything that has nothing to do with the on-going role-playing and or ooc discussion.
4) No double posting will be permitted. Double posting is submitting a post to a role-playing or ooc discussion
thread and then immediately posting, again before anyone else has had a reasonable chance to respond to your
previously submitted post. If you should have, as we all sometimes do, more to add to a post by way of adjectives
or adverbs, more narrative prose or character dialogue then email the administrator or a moderator, or if you can
catch them online via YIM or similar messaging service and we will make the necessary amendments to your
submitted posts. the ONLY exceptions to this would be if you were to be asked to do some archiving of past and
discontinued role-playing threads that had a definite connection to an on-going thread or which is to be revised.
Or if you wished to submit some bit of prose or poetry which reflected what transpires in the role-playing.
5.) No advertising your site through posts be permitted You cannot submit a post simply to
advertise your own website(s), nor can you, if you are appointed moderatorship make a topic discussion that's
all about advertising your website(s). You CAN link your website(s) in your signature. But you can NOT make
your signature all about advertising your website(s). If you wish to affiliate with this website or web group, send
the Administrator (me, again) a private message on YIM or email me.
6.) No pornographic or sexually explicit images may be used in your avatar or signature banner.Distasteful
images that are almost nude are also prohibited, especially if they are copy written material. In addition you may
not create links to such images, or websites that support such images.
7.) Please submit all posts on the appropriate message board. All OOC messages are to be posted in the
OOC Forums only. There are (or will be) numerous role-playing and ooc discussion threads. As well as other
gaming campaigns whose settings are Promise City but depicting a different time frame. Be sure to submit your posts
to the appropriate forums
boards, and each one is divided into topics, so be sure you are
posting in the right one.
Rules for Role play
What is and is not acceptable role playing at Promise City Western RPG
1.) God-Modding, God like characters, and God characters are not allowed! Such characters ruin the role-playing
experience for everyone else;I will either not allow them to be included in the role-playing; or i will commandeer
them and change them into NPC's.
---God-Modding would be creating a god-like character. A god-like character is a character that seemingly
cannot be bested in any way, shape, or form. Any such character created will be summarily denied.
The role-playing member will then be given a second chance to create a more 'mortal' character, or edit his/her
character profile so that it does not break the rule. The only sense in which a type of immortality that is allowed
for player characters is age and player character race. NPC's run by the moderators also must abide by this rule.
The exception to the rule are the Father, who is God, the legendary heroes and villains of the Old West, and the Essential NPC's which are
for storyline purposes only.
---God like characters are characters that though they are created as
normal characters seem to never be able to be harmed or bested or seem
to know things they would not know; or do things they could not;
according to their given character profiles, do. This rule applies for
all PC's and NPC's, except 'ENPC's, which are there for story line
purposes only. ENPC's can be wounded, maimed or even crippled but they CANNOT be slain.
---God Characters are characters created to be as gods. It usually states in a character profile that they are indeed, "the fastest gunslinger north, south, east and west of the Pecos!"
they are made out to be some kinda demi-god of gunplay, etc. on their profile. This is definitely not
allowed.
2.) Auto-playing of another's player character(s) or NPC's is strictly
prohibited. Unless, of course, express permission is given and the Administrator receives an email citing said approval, PRIOR to the event's taking place on our topics board. Even the most simple responses should not be auto-played.
The reason for this rule is because not everyone plays in the same
manner and no one can tell exactly what the other player's
character(s) will do. The other player might not want his/her
character to follow, go in the room, or say 'HI", and if you were to
auto-play that he or she did that, you would subvert what he or she
wanted his/her character to do, thus spoiling the overall gaming
experience for that player. The only way one may auto-play another
player's character is if the other player first posts in the OOC board
that such is permissible. Such permission must be given before any
auto-playing will be allowed. The Moderators must also abide by this
rule. The only way the Moderators may auto-play another player's
player-character besides being given permission by the Administartor is if the other player
has not role-played his or her character in seven (7) days since
his/her character was last posted to; or his/her character is needed
to act in order to maintain storytelling continuity. The Moderators
may only do this if given permission by the Administrator. God-Molding
also can be used to reference types of skills, such as Skills that are
unavoidable, or skills or prayers (only when and where shamanic or Christian prayers or ceremonies are performed) that effect so large of an area that
there is no chance of escape. And, yes in the Promise City Western RPG prayers made by the participants or spectators can influence the results of combat IF it is noted in the character's profile that s/he is a true Believer. This is definitely allowed and encouraged.
3.) All characters; player characters and non-player characters, are
subject to mortality laws, meaning, they can be killed. However,
killings or death scenes involving any characters will only be agreed
upon after deliberation by the moderating team, and incumbent upon to
final approval of administration. Things that will not be tolerated
are killings of player-characters when players are not around to have
their characters defend themselves. Thus all death instances must
first be cleared by the Moderators.
4.) This is an all audience group! You may post actions and dialogue that are in
character, such as rough and or suggestive language, as long as it doesn't become distasteful.
Moderators will determine what is "tasteful" and what is NOT. Describing scenes in minutiae or in stark
technicolor gory detail is permitted. But NO explicitly pornographic, visually obscene or explicitly erotic posts,
pictures or other files are allowed.
5.) No matter what, do not 'jump the gun'! Jumping the gun is posting
what you think is going to happen or what you think ought to happen in a role-playing thread, not allowing
anyone else to interfere or act in opposition with that.
6.) No metagaming allowed! Metagaming is using player knowledge as
character knowledge. This gives the character a god-like sense of
knowing (prescience) something he or she normally would not have known. The future is ever in flux; none
but the Father, who is God, can know what is to come save perhaps a few seconds in advance. Those gifted with precognition,
even, know only that which the Father, who is God, permits them to see.
7.) Everyone Must Use Setting Headings! What this means is that when
ever you submit a role playing post, at the very beginning of your post
you need to put a heading, that depicts where the post is transpiring,
and when. This way everyone will know what your setting is, and if it
effects their characters in any way, and it should also make it easier
for character interaction.
8.) Subjects must bear locations! What this means is any RP topic
subject needs to show where in the town or surrounding area or elsewhere on the continent it is taking place.
This way when you are scrolling down in a regional/area topic, you will be
able to easily determine where every event is taking place, and
thus know which ones you want to read or respond to.
Example: City Jailhouse, Promise City, NM
9.)Battle Posts must be very descriptive and follow a turn based
style. This is done to prevent confusion. Keep a record of how much ammo is expended if a firearm is used, cause if you're caught empty handed by the Administrator or one of our Moderators it could go very badly for you, indeed! Ammo is NOT inexhaustible Holster belts only hold so many cartridges. Grape shot pouches only hold so much grape shot ( or balls of lead for C&B revolvers/carbines) And bp (black powder) horns only hold so much bp. And if your character(s) carry extra ammo in their pockets you MUST submit a post stating how much, BEFORE the shooting commences. Hits on areas of the body where ammo is stored can prove absolutely fatal!
Combat actions take rounds. Each player will be allowed three actions (or three shots taken on a singular target)
in one round. The player who posts first(gets/takes the initiative*) when the combat encounter begins,
starts the round. That player will not be able to post again until
every other player has posted, thus starting a new round.
*initiative is to be determined by the skills the combatants possess, the type of firearm(s) used and the rate or direction of movement being made when the combat actually commences.
Distances between two places in one combat scene will be measured in rounds.
When traveling to a different place, you must change your setting
heading to match. (ie, Slocum dashes from in front of Spooner's Cafe to in front of the First National Bank of Promise City)
Whenever you bring in an NPC or Place, describe it like it has never
been seen before. Regardless if it has been seen elsewhere.
Whenever you have a question regarding a thread, or need more
description, post in the OOC forum requesting such. Do not fill the
active RP post with such, that is why there is an OOC forum.
When you are making action posts... remember to STOP posting before
your attack hits... ie "Slocum Jones draws his revolver aiming for the bandit's head" is
acceptable. "Slocum Jones shoots his revolver putting a bullet right between the bandit's eyes" is not... there has to be an opportunity for the one
being attacked to duck, dodge or drop prone. If your round comes up again and there
WASN'T a reaction, then the action can continue. "AUTO HITS" will be
addressed as regular auto's and will not be allowed without permission.
Keep in mind that though your character's skill and type of weapon used and the movement/cover of your target may all indicate a hit on your target, it is entirely up to the one who is being shoot at to determine the manner and in which direction (within reason) s/he falls upon being hit. Falling is not counted against the other combatant's alloted movements. Albeit while engaged in falling this combatant cannot fire off a shot at his/her shooter, as s/he might still be shooting at him or her. Simultaneous drawing/shooting is EXTREMELY rare. And can only take place when both combatants are experienced gunslingers (and this MUST be indicated in the character's profile).
10.) Do not ignore your fellow role-players. You do not have to role play in
turn based order (except in battle situations). However if someone
posts that is where your character would have noticed what they did,
you need to post as such. Also while we encourage proactive posting,
please do not run off too far. For example, you can post several turns
with you and an online buddy, but do not post so much that the other
parties involved cannot catch up; or are apt to become lost in all the posts. Moreover if your character(s) passes within the vicinity of gunplay or steps into the line-of-fire they too might very well be hit and wounded by a stray bullet. Or, possibly, even killed. Bullets do not discriminate between friend and foe.
11.) Time always moves on Promise City Western RPG. To Illustrate this, we use an
active time system. The game hour starts on Sunday Morning at 12:01am
Pacific Time. The Game hour ends on Saturday Night at 11:59 pm Pacific
Time. The Game Day is 4 Real Life Weeks. The only exceptions are large
events that require longer time. For those events, the staff team will
decide to lengthen the Game day from anywhere from 4 to 8 Real Life
weeks, globally. To ensure that the game hour can be played in 1 real
week, any player that does not respond within three real days of being
posted to, will be autoed by the topic Moderator.
12.) All Participants must adhere to international copyright laws. The role-playing material used and
all its information from the table top publications and computer video role-playing games, and is protected under copyright law. What this means is that anything you introduce in your posts that is
inspired by,adapted from any pre-existing anime television show, movie, novelization, MMORPG, pen-and-paper
role-playing game, or any other pbem role-playing gaming campaign cannot be used by you now or in future
with a view towards gaining from it financially without the expressed and or written permission of the originating
source of said element. Moreover, as this is a community/shared world project you cannot deny any member
of this web group any future use of element you might introduce as a member and participant in this Promise City Western RPG role-playing gaming campaign. This is to include character names (or any derivations thereof)
descriptors and or character dialogue. If you can find a way to turn a profit with any portion of this gaming
campaign, save that which has been previously published elsewhere, i say more power to ya. Having said this,
i will state that no part of this gaming campaign that comes from a previously published source is intended for
commercial usage and that usage of those elements here does NOT constitute a challenge to those copyrights.
Additional Rulz
These rules are being added in an earnest attemempt to avoid any such un-pleasantnesses i've encountered as a member in other play by post/play-by-email role-playing/story-telling clubs.
One. If somebody posts it is day, and you desire to respond to their post, do NOT post that it is night! If they describe the weather as bright and sunny do not post it is wet and rainy, UNLESS your responding post does not involve a tet a tet (conversation) with another's/other characters and or several hours elapse allowing for the changing of the weather. IF you change the atmospheric conditions you MUST describe the changing weather in enough detail, so that the NEXT poster can visualise that meteorological transformation and include the CURRENT weather in THEIR post.
Moreover pay CLOSE attention to how others' characters are dressed, what they're holding or carrying, and if armed, the EXACT type of weaponry with which they're armed. If they're armed with a pistol and no rifle/carbine and they shot somebody with that pistol, do NOT post the other character was shot with a rifle/carbine. PAY ATTENTION!
