WORLDBUILDING RULES AND GUIDELINES
Version 1 as published 23rd April TDK8
All members of the Democratikan Worldbuilding Project, herein referred to as the Worldbuilding Project, WB or WBP are bound to the following rules.
Furthermore, guidelines as to expectations, semantics and concepts are also outlined. All members are expected to be familiar with these, or refer to this guide whenever necessary.
Your understanding and co-operation ensures the Worldbuilding Project remains high-quality, entertaining and enjoyable for all. Thank you.
SECTION 1: CONCEPTS
1.1.1: "Canon", "the Canon" and "The Canon" are herein defined as the single, continuous and mutually agreed upon as correct and accurate version of the WB histories, cultures and stories.
1.1.2: "Canonical" and "canonical" are herein defined as any contribution to the WB which adheres to the Canon.
1.1.3.1: The WB has a single, congruent and cohesive Canon.
1.1.3.2: Content that does not adhere to the single Canon as per 1.1.3.1 must be made in the Apocrypha.
1.3.1: Time in the WB proceeds considerably slower than in real life, so as to allow our members the time necessary to produce high-quality content that establishes a continuous series of interconnected events. Councillors with authority over the WB will progress time as appropriate.
1.3.2: All canon history up to the current present-time is canonical.
1.4.1: "Map", "World Map", "the World Map", "The World Map", "The Map" and "the Map" are herein defined as the official published geographical map of the Canonical world.
1.4.2: The World Map is canonical.
1.5: "Contribution", "contribution", "Contributions" and "contributions" are herein defined as the posting of any content to the WB including articles, prose, poetry and multimedia.
1.6.1: "Nation" is herein defined as a canonical nation-state or geopolitical entity.
1.6.2: "Puppet" is herein defined as a canonical nation-state or geopolitical entity which is controlled by any single member in addition to their original Nation.
1.6.3: Any single member is represented in the WB by one Nation and any of their Puppets.
1.6.4: Any single member is responsible for the canon of their Nation and any of their Puppets.
1.7.1: "NPC" is herein defined as any Nation whose controlling member has left the WB after making significant contributions to such an end that the removal of those contributions would affect the canon of other Nations and/or Puppets.
1.7.2: Any single member who departs the WB by invoking 2.6.1 whose contributions have become part of the Canon of other Nations and/or Puppets will have their Nation and any Puppets converted into NPC(s) as necessary.
1.8: Any single member who departs the Democratika and becomes uncontactable by any of 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3 or 5.1.4 will be considered as having invoked 2.6.1 with all the relevant implications this carries.
SECTION 2: ENTITLEMENTS
2.1.1: All members are entitled to occupy territory on the World Map.
2.1.2: All members are entitled to define their own territory provided it does not violate 3.3.1 and 3.3.2.
2.2: All members are entitled to make contributions that take place at any time; Contributions that are to comply with 1.1.3.1 may take place up to the canonical present day.
2.3.1: Any single member is entitled to make contributions within the scope of their Nation or Nations provided they do not violate any restrictions.
2.3.2: Multiple members are entitled to make collaborative contributions within the scope of their collective Nations provided they do not violate any restrictions.
2.4: Any single member is entitled to apply to the WB multiple times for the addition of Puppets.
2.5.1: Multiple members are entitled to resolve disputes regarding the Canon amongst themselves.
2.5.2: In circumstances where resolution of disputes between members has not been possible, any single member is entitled to ask for the intervention of any Councillor with authority over the WB with the understanding that the decision made by the Councillor or Councillors which respond to this request will be protected by 3.6.1. The Councillor or Councillors which respond to this request are to comply with 3.6.2.
2.6.1: Any single member is entitled to withdraw from the WB at any time for any reason.
2.6.2: Any single former member is entitled to reapply to the WB provided they have not been issued an unspent 4.3.5.2 or 4.3.5.3.
SECTION 3: RESTRICTIONS
3.1: Plagiarism, from real works or other WB works, is strictly prohibited.
3.2.1: "AI" is herein defined as the use of artificial intelligence, large-language models, chatbots and other text generation services to produce written prose or poetry for the WB.
3.2.2: AI is considered Plagiarism and is strictly forbidden as per 3.1.
3.3.1: "God-modding" is herein defined as the excessive invention of power or influence over other members of the WB through any contributions except those that comply with 1.1.3.2.
3.3.2: God-modding is strictly forbidden.
3.4.1: "Overstepping" is herein defined as the creation of, making of changes to or retconning of contributions made regarding the contributions of other members without their consent, except for contributions which comply with 1.1.3.2.
3.4.2: Overstepping is considered God-modding and is strictly forbidden as per 3.3.2.
3.5: References to cultural, geographical, temporal or political concepts or entities that are not part of the Canon as defined in 1.1.1, except where made in contributions which adhere to 1.1.3.2, are forbidden.
3.6.1: Interventions made by any councillor with authority over the WB are final and cannot be overturned or appealed.
3.6.2: For the purposes of minimising use of 3.6.1, councillors with authority over the WB are to minimise their interventions to the minimum possible.
3.7: The use of canonical Weapons of Mass Destruction is done so in compliance with the most recently published version of the Worldbuilding Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy (WBWMDP).
SECTION 4: ENFORCEMENT
4.1.1: "New Member" is herein defined as a member who has made less than three (3) posted contributions to the WB.
4.1.2: Any content posted by a New Member will be inserted into a moderation queue wherein it can be ratified by any Councillor with authority over the WB.
4.1.3: Content posted by a New Member which follows the rules outlined in this document will be accepted and published.
4.1.4: Content posted by a New Member which violates any of the rules in sections 1, 2 and 3 will be rejected.
4.1.5: A New Member is immune to punishment for failure to follow the rules in sections 1, 2 and 3.
4.1.6: A New Member who has made three (3) posts which abide by the rules in sections 1, 2 and 3 will no longer be considered a New Member and may post without restrictions.
4.2: Any single member whose content is rejected in accordance with 4.1.4 will be entitled to an explanation as to why the rejection was made.
4.3.1: "Standard Member" is herein defined as a member who has made more than three (3) posted contributions to the WB.
4.3.2: Content posted by a Standard Member which violates any of the rules in sections 1, 2 and 3 will be removed. This is considered a rejection for the purposes of 4.2 and 4.3.4.
4.3.3: A "Review" is herein defined as a meeting between councillors with authority over the WB to discuss the contributions of any single member.
4.3.4: A Standard Member who receives more than three (3) rejections in the span of six (6) months will be subject to a Review.
4.3.5: The outcomes of a Review may be any of 4.3.5.1, 4.3.5.2 or 4.3.5.3.
4.3.5.1: "Probation" is herein defined as converting any single member from a Standard Member into a New Member, so that they become once more bound by 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5 and 4.1.6.
4.3.5.2: "Suspension" is herein defined as a temporary ban to any single member from contributions to the WB for a length of time determined necessary by the Councillors overseeing the Review, no shorter than twenty-four (24) hours and no longer than one (1) month.
4.3.5.3: "Removal" is herein defined as a permanent ban to any single member from contributions to the WB. As much content posted by this single member will be removed as is possible without impacting the canon where other members' contributions are connected.
4.4: Any enforcement measures made within the scope of the WB are not to carry over to the rest of the Democratika or its services except in instances where GDI or the TDK CCoC are also violated, in which case the enforcement clauses of those documents will be followed in tandem.
SECTION 5: COMMUNICATIONS
5.1.1: "Direct Online Message" and "DOM" are herein defined as communications using the TDK Online messaging service.
5.1.2: "Direct Discord Message" and "DDM" are herein defined as communications made directly between two Discord users.
5.1.3: "Discord Message" is herein defined as a message made within the Democratika discord server.
5.1.4: "E-Mail" is herein defined as the use of the TDK Online email system.
5.2.1: Any changes to this document or the introduction of any further authoritative documents will be communicated by any of 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3 and/or 5.1.4.
5.2.2: Any changes to this document or the introduction of any further authoritative documents will incur a one (1) week (seven (7) day) grace period where any single member may withdraw from the WB as per 2.6.1 without incurring any penalties for violations of any newly introduced legislation. Any remaining contributions may be modified or removed to comply with any newly introduced legislation regardless of any one member invoking 2.6.1.
5.3: All communications with regards to 4.2 will be made by any of 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3 and/or 5.1.4.
