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DO: Use proper capitalization and punctuation, whenever
possible. This includes capitalizing names when you type them, putting
the first letter of every sentence in upper case, and using other funky
little symbols like periods and commas. If you don't know how; learn to.
There are plenty of sites right here on the internet that preach proper
grammar.

DON'T: Run everywhere. Normal people do what I like to call
walking. This is slow, comfortable, and keeps them from dying from
exhaustion. It also allows me to RP it as being something extraordinary
when I do see someone running. "He must be running for a very
important reason."

DON'T: Disobey, ignore, insult and attack staff members.
I'm not saying that you can't ever have a confrontation with authority.
I'm just saying that when you flip the bird to Snape and charge out of
the classroom, IRL he would not tolerate that. But, being restricted as I
am, I can't always respond appropriately, right away. Use your brain.

DO: RP obeying curfew. People sleep. Everyone sleeps. I
don't care what amazing story you have, your character sleeps. I used to
be a lot more idiotic than I am today; I used to RP my PC as never
sleeping. And while some might argue that I'm still very much an idiot, I
just have to ask that you sprinkle a tiny dose of realism into your RP. Just
a little. For uncle Nik? Pretty please? I'm not saying always be in for
curfew. I'm just saying that once in a while, maybe actually RP your PC
being tired, sleepy, exhausted? Thanks, I appreciate it.

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DO: Assume that it takes time to change clothing. This
means RPing it. If you go through the trouble to describe how your
character is finding his outfit and slipping it on over his old outfit, that's
good enough for me. But randomly changing your robes right in front of
Snape when he asks why you aren't in House Robes... well. Ha. Don't do
it, please.

DON'T: Ignore me. When I say something in regards to the
scene at hand, don't ignore me and keep running along. If I tell you to
roll for something, there shouldn't be a period of discussion. Just do it.

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DON'T: Use thought bubbles. Why? Because you're
spreading out an entire line of what amounts to practically dialogue that
everyone else can OOCly see, but not ICly respond to. It's like mumbling
under your breath and getting angry when someone responds ICly. If
nobody else can see or hear it, don't emote it. If I see you using thought
bubbles, you can expect me to use them to insult you immediately after.

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DON'T: Respawn in the middle of RP. If you're lying there
at 0hp and there are other players around, -DO NOT- respawn if they're
still RPing. DON'T DON'T DON'T! This is one of the big ones, guys. If you
do this, I'll have absolutely no desire to ever RP with you, as player or
DM, for a long, long time. If my character knocks yours out, there isn't
some magical safety net which mystically transports your PC to the
hospital. I don't care if you don't like waiting there while my PC goes on a
rant about how cool he is. Don't do it. Don't. In fact, I might make this an
actual rule. It's metagaming.

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DON'T: RP some strange, exotic disease if you can't RP
it properly. If your character goes around screaming and foaming at the
mouth, he wouldn't have been admitted into Hogwarts in the first place. I
have a character who has Down's Syndrome. Wanna know why you never
see him? Because I take him seriously, and damn it's hard to play that
type of character well. How about you all show the same consideration? If
you're playing a character who's -genuinely- deranged (not just weird
because that PC likes to shock people), be sure he's not just deranged
because you think it'd be funny to see RPed. Some of us are serious about
our PCs.

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DON'T: Make a habit of going OOC in frequently visited IC
areas. If you have to go OOC, try to head to the sign room or to some
out-of-the-way location. I'm not saying it's bad to EVER go afk ICly, but
when all you do is sit there in the EH afk, it's annoying to anyone who may
try to RP with you.

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DO: Stay IC as much as possible. I hate it when people are
always going OOC. Guess what? I go OOC all the time. It's a habit I hope
to break, starting now. I can't say I won't be able to resist shouting as DM
whatever I think might amuse players. But the massive OOC
conversations can be done in tells.

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DO: RP as actually being hurt when you're hurt. If
everyone's least favorite character brings you to ZERO life and you're
sitting on the ground KO'd, do NOT feel that because it'd seem cool that
you're allowed to just spit out some blood and engage in some of that
HILARIOUS witty banter.

I know, we all play PCs that are immune to pain and are completely,
utterly fearless.

I don't know about you, but when Priggo goes down, I RP him being down.

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DON'T: Announce to the world OOCly that you've gotten an
XP Cookie Reward. I appreciate a "thank you Nik" in the DM channel, but
letting everyone know you got one puts me in a difficult place.

Sometimes I'm not impressed with someone's RP, and won't give him/her
a cookie. But how do you think he/she feels knowing so-and-so got a
cookie but he/she didn't? When someone announces to the group that I
rewarded them, I usually feel obligated to reward them all.

Don't do it.

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