Since most of the forum's rules and guidelines were first written, it has become a far less busy place. As a result, many of the rules are currently irrelevant, and inessential reading for new members.
So here follows a summary of our key rules, for anyone who'd prefer not to read through the existing rule threads.
Enter, strangerWelcome to the Knightmare Roleplay Forum, also known as Surrounds. It was started by Kully in 2003 as a spin-off from her
Knightmare Boarding School forum (about which you can read
here), so that its members could take their characters beyond the school grounds, but it soon grew into an even more popular forum. It is inspired by the popular British children's fantasy game show
Knightmare, incorporating many of the locations seen on the series. While many fans have brought their own versions of Knightmare characters here over the years, just as many have created original characters, with some members not even having heard of Knightmare before they joined - so all are welcome!
Character creation & entering the worldTo introduce your character, give them a thread in the Character Profiles section, so others know what to expect. The ideal way to then bring them into play is for them to enter via The Path to and from Wolfenden. Please don't have more than one main character active at any one time, unless you have agreed it with the Moderators: it only doubles the inconvenience if you are unexpectedly absent. If you wish to play a character from the Knightmare episodes, please check with the Moderators first as many have a history that is particular to the Knightmare Roleplay Forum.
PostingRoleplaying should take place in the present tense. (Past tense may feel more natural, but on this forum, the stories unfold as we are telling them: we're writing what is happening, not what has happened.) By default, what you type in a post is what your character is saying aloud: speech marks aren't necessary. To desribe an action or piece of non-speech, use asterisks. For notes and comments that are outside the roleplaying but relevant to it, use OOC ('out of character') and brackets. For example:
*Grij hobbles down the street. He stops and sighs.*
I need a drink. I hope I find that blinkin' pub soon!
[OOC: Grij is quite lost, so if another character could approach him and offer him directions, I'd appreciate it. Though don't forget that his purple eyes might distract anyone who gets close.]If you're planning a major storyline, please run it by one of the Moderators beforehand. Keeping in touch with other members who are involved in a storyline you're working on, via OOC comments or Private Messaging (PM), is a good idea.
Some areas have minor characters - also known as secondary characters, NPCs (Non-Player Characters) or extras - controlled by Mods, such as the staff in the Crazed Heifer tavern, and other members can 'borrow' them, or create their own, to help plots along if needed (check with the Mods if you're uncertain). If an NPC is speaking within one of your posts, please make it clear by including their name before their speech. For example:
*Suddenly, Grij bumps into a villager. She drops her basket of eggs.*
Sorry, miss, I wasn't watching my way.
*The villager glares at Grij.*
Villager: I'll tell you now, if you've broken any of my eggs, you're paying for them. That was all the eggs I had and all!In general, please try to avoid dictating the words, actions and thoughts of another member's character in your own posts, unless you are absolutely sure that you have that member's permission.
AbsenceIf your character is in an active storyline and you know in advance that you will be unable to post for a week or more, please notify your fellow members, either via an OOC post in the relevant thread, a post in the Off Topic section or via PM to an active Mod and/or the members concerned.
Finishing offIf you lose interest in your character,
please don't just abandon him or her in the middle of the action - either wait until the end of an event, allow them to die or go away on a permanent trip, if possible. Loose ends can be confusing and abandoned characters can cause massive disruption for other members. If your character appears to have been totally abandoned in the middle of the action, the Mods will try to contact you to clarify the situation. If you don't respond then the Mods reserve the right to 'write out' your character by suggesting his or her fate (though your character will never be killed off without your permission). This is necessary to keep the roleplaying moving for other members.
And that should be all you need to know for basic roleplay. Beyond this, if any specific queries or concerns arise, please feel free to contact the Mods, either by PM or by posting in the Off Topic section. The Mods' primary aims are to assist with roleplaying and help members. Young Grimwold is currently the only Mod who is active on a regular basis, so there is no guarantee that any other Mod will respond.
Have fun!