HARASSMENT

A person commits harassment if the person repeatedly/persistently communicates with another person by familiar, non-consentual contact, location spell, scrye spell, or gwethed thoughts in a manner that annoys and causes emotional distress, or if he addresses another in or uses indecent or obscene language. Harassment does not include conduct that serves a legitimate purpose.

Nonconsentual Contact means any contact with another person that is initiated or continued that is in disregard of that person's expressed desire that the contact be avoided.

Remarks of a sexual or vulgar nature are considered harassment. Prejudicial remarks concerning sexual preference and sex is considered harassment.

I know that may sound confusing, so let me put it in terms of examples. A war mage catches a thief stealing from him out of town. The mage attacks the thief and kills him for stealing - that is not harassment. The mage kills the thief again without the thief stealing from him again - this IS harassment. One steal - one act of retribution and that action must be timely. The mage can't wait a few weeks then show up out of the blue and kill the thief. The Great Mages consider that a separate incident and punishable. Also, if the mage has his friends kill the thief, that is unacceptable. Likewise, if the thief has his friends gang up on the mage, that is unacceptable. Should the mage try to walk the thief for stealing, that is harassment. Any time a person tries to walk another, that is harassment.

Say a ranger and war mage were having a relationship in the realms. They break up, and the ranger tells the mage to get out of her life and never contact her again. The ranger then goes to the Empath Guild for healing. The Warrior Mage blows a box and needs healing, and goes to the Empath Guild. That is not harassment because it serves a legitimate purpose. However, say the mage was healed first, and the ranger was still waiting. If the mage stays and tries to speak with the ranger, that is harassment. Should the mage stay and speak with a friend, that is not. Should the mage send his familiar to follow the ranger, or try and speak with the ranger through it, after the ranger made it clear that she did not want contact of any kind, that is harassment. Should the mage go out of his way to enter into the ranger's room for the purpose of verbal remarks or annoying body language, that is on the verge of harassment - multiple events of this nature are harassment.

If you find yourself being harassed, make it absolutely clear that you want all contact with that person to end, using the WARN verb.

Usage: WARN <player | object | creature>
or
WARN [of <COMBAT | HARASSMENT | INTERACTION>]

In the first case, the verb is simply messaging, with no functionality. When this method is employed, an OOC message will be sent to the player, privately letting them know your feelings, to clear up any possible doubt about where you both stand. Records are kept of all communications issued and received, as well as whether they were acknowledged or declined, as applicable.

COMBAT
Suitable for roleplayed conflicts where it is to the players' advantage to have consent on record. The receiving player will have an opportunity to acknowledge the warning so that any potential conflict can be settled to both parties' satisfaction. Note that the agreement terminates once either player dies or one hour has passed.

HARASSMENT
Suitable when someone's actions have transgressed beyond the boundaries of acceptable, normal roleplay and are disrupting your enjoyment of the game. This should not be used lightly. You will be expected to behave yourself as well as the person to whom you issued such a statement.

INTERACTION
Suitable for expressing to the other party that you wish to have NO INTERACTION WHATSOEVER with them. This option should not be used unless you are willing to remove yourself from the presence of the person to whom you issue it. Upon issuance, both players should immediately go their separate ways and cease all interaction with each other, including (but not limited to) conversations regarding the other player with third parties (besides staff members).

Note that in all cases, this verb is simply for improved communication. Policy and handling of situations remains unchanged, and under no circumstances should the WARN verb be viewed as an excuse or license to take matters into your own hands, should the other party ignore your wishes. As always, your best course of action in such a situation is to place an ASSIST and speak with a GameHost.

In that meeting, make it perfectly clear that you want all contact to stop. If things continue after that, REPORT to the GameMasters exactly what is going on. Names, actions, etc...

HARASSMENT

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