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Lords of the Earth
Campaign Three

Social Contract

(Adopted from Lords Twenty-Eight. Thanks, Matt.)

Turn Processing Yearly Goal: At least eight fully processed and posted turns per year.
  Turn Goal: Seven Nations processed per week.
  Reporting: Immediate updates via the yahoogroup list if I am unable to meet the Turn Goal (Travel, Sickness, etc.)
     
Turn Posting Website: Players will receive access to the LOTE 03 Website which includes the current Newsfax, MSI, and Maps for the turn. Also includes Archives and Rules notes.
  E-mail: Players will have their Nation's stats mailed to them at their current MSI e-mail address.
  Grouplist: Players will receive notice on the group list when new turns, rules, or pages are posted to the website.
  Due Date: Due Date announcements will be made on the Grouplist, the Homepage, and the general Throneworld page. Two day and one day warnings will be sent out on the Grouplist.
     
Turn Corrections Time Limit - Player: Correction requests must be sent in prior to three days before the due date of the following turn, or else I reserve the right to deny making the correction.
  Time Limit - GM: If I have not made your corrections within three days of you sending them to me, send me a reminder e-mail or status request unless I have already made a specific announcement (I'll be gone for a week in Bermuda, etc.)
  Stats: Any corrections should include a request for a Stats resend if you desire to see your updated sheet.
  Newsfax and MSI: Corrections to the Newsfax and MSI list will be posted and announced to the yahoogroup list.
  Maps: Corrections to the Maps will be made, but posted to the site along with the following turn.
  Magnitude: Some errors will simply be too far-reaching or game effecting to be able to simply 'fix.' (Examples: Me sending your stats to the List or to the wrong person; misread orders that affect a large-scale war.) In these cases I will attempt to reimburse the player in some other fashion. If that is simply not possible, then the last thing I can do is grant the Player turn credit.
     
Account Balance Startup Fee: A $10.00 startup fee is required when taking on a new position before you will receive said position. This fee will automatically be transferred to turn Credit.
  Notification: Anytime I receive a payment I will e-mail your MSI address with an acknowledgment. I will include the amount of the current payment, the form of the payment, and your new account balance.
  Payment Options: Paypal is the hands-down preferred method of payment. I am very close to making it the only method of payment. Should I ever finally be pushed to do so, I will give the players at least three turns of notification before instituting such a policy.
  Refund Options: Refunds only come in two ways: 1) Through Paypal. 2) Credit toward another LOTE game. I will not send cash or checks.
  Negative Balance: I reserve the right to withhold stats from players with a negative balance. I reserve the right to refuse to process orders from Players with a negative balance. In place of stats being sent you will receive a reminder e-mail with the balance you currently owe. Players who pay through mail should pay special attention to their balances as the process take quite a bit longer than Paypal.
     
Player Orders Templates: I will accept any Template provided I can open the document and provided that it is intelligible. I prefer the Microsoft embedded Word Template found here.
  Notification: I will e-mail each player that I have received their turn once I have it downloaded and confirmed that I can open it on my home computer.
  Time Limit: I reserve the right to deny any and all orders sent to me after the deadline has passed. My general policy will be that you can send me the orders as long as I have not processed your Geozone. I process in Newsfax order.
     
Player Positions Waiting List: With most positions filled, Players may request to be put on the waiting list. These players will have first pick of any nations opening up.
  Transferring Position: Players may only transfer positions if the desired spot has remained playerless for a full turn unless a position is being specifically created for the player (A new Primacy or Colony, for example).
  Time Limit: Positions may not be picked up within three days of the Due Date.
  Announcement: I will announce any new Players for Open Nations to the group list.
  Confirmation: I will not answer questions such as, "Is so-and-so playing in the Game?" If they are not on the MSI, have not been announced as a New Player, then they are either not playing, on the waiting list, or playing a Secret Empire.
  Aliases: May be used in the MSI, but not with me as the GM.
  Unplayed Positions: Unplayed positions will have orders submitted by 'Ghostwriters.' Players who are not currently in the game. Interaction with these positions will be done through me (I will forward missives back and forth).
     
Secret Empires Existing: Existing Empires may be requested by interested Players if any are available. The player will receive the MSI, general Income, and Theme (Religious, Criminal, Familial, etc.) of the Empire. They must make their choice based only on that information.
  New: New Secret Empires may be requested by Players at any time. The Player must supply a list of 20 public locations in the game. I will randomly draw lots from the list until I draw a place free from other SE presence. The new Stronghold will start in that location.
  Interaction: I recommend that any interaction between a Secret Empire and the other positions at the minimum include me on e-mail CC's. There have been cases where people pretend to be Secret Empires to other players and cause all sorts of havoc. If your dealing with an unknown Empire who refuses to CC me on the e-mail interaction, you're probably being jerked around.
     
Arbitration Rulings: I am willing to discuss any rulings I make with players. Keep it polite, and ultimately realize any rulings are my call. I will always try to explain my reasons, but if I have acknowledged your argument, and still stand by my decision, don't keep arguing.
  Rules Changes: I will not retroactively change rules, even if you change my mind on something. The changes will go into effect the following turn at the earliest, possibly some turns down the road depending on the scale of changes.
  Player Voting: From time to time I may create Polls to determine Player feeling on a certain rules issue. This is a data point for me as the GM to make a decision, it is not a democratic decision. (I may really like a rule concept, so will only get rid of it with a large player majority, and vice versa.)
     
Etiquette Communication Try and keep it pleasant. If you must mudsling or insult people, please try and keep it in context and targeted at player actions rather than targeted at players personally. I will intervene if I feel a line is crossed.