MARCH 20, 1999

 http://www.sas.shaw.wave.ca/~rmosiond/sbn/manual/sbn_v2.htm

Slowly, slowly, it's getting done… please excuse the time it's taking, but a full-time career sometimes gets in the way of things like this…  In the interim, players can start purchasing and utilizing the new Disciplines, allowing them to be playtested before the final release.  Be forewarned that the Discipline you are using may change in the final release - a lot depends on how the current playtesting goes.

META-GAMING
For the new players, meta-gaming is a term used to describe using out-of-character information in-character.

Example: You meet someone out-of-character, and he or she describes his plans to take over Saskatoon by deposing the Prince.  The next time you see the Prince in-character, you use your out-of character information and tell him all about the plans.

This is blatant meta-gaming.  Not only is it bad form, it is cheating.  Meta-gaming is not tolerated, and if it is proven, is punishable with a Strike.  Of course, steps can be taken to prevent  meta-gaming:

1. If you don't want people to know, don't talk about it - although you may think you have the coolest/evilest plans in the world, the best policy is to keep it to yourself.  Talk about it with other people who are involved with your plans, or gamers who are not part of the game, but leave it at that.  If you brag about having Disciplines/Powers/Influence, don't be surprised when people start using that knowledge, because even the most well-intentioned conversation can be filtered into in-character knowledge.  Even worst, you sometimes place people in the position of fearing to act on in-character information because they don't want to be accused of meta-gaming; just don't do it.

2. When a person is talking about important game information, walk away - if it doesn't concern you don't listen.  It's pretty hard to differentiate between in-character and out-of-character information when you hear enough of it.  This could be prevented by simply not listening when people start talking about their characters.  Learn about it in-character, and preserve the mystery of the game.

SUBMISSIONS FOR APRIL SYMPATHETIC INK
Please get your creative works into Jill for the next issue of Sympathetic Ink!  She usually has to do a bit of editing and formatting a few days beforehand, so please get them in as soon as possible.  Any essays, commentaries, artwork, would be appreciated!

PROPOSED CONSTITUTION FOR SBN
What follows is a constitution written by Sky, our local, happy-go-lucky socialist! This is his initial draft - feel free to make whatever comments you feel. Is it necessary? Are the guidelines reasonable? Inquiring STs want to know...

A Constitution for the Saskatoon By Night LARP

1.0 General guidelines
    1.1 This constitution and any future changes to it will be ratified only by a 2/3 majority.
    1.2 All voting matters in Saskatoon By Night shall require quorum of 2/3 of eligible voters.
    1.3 Eligible voters shall be defined as those who have been registered for at least 3 months as Players or Storytellers, AND who have attended at least 1 of the last 3 SBN events.
    1.4 Any Player who receives 3 Strikes (see section 2.2) shall be removed from the registry list, and be barred from playing in Saskatoon By Night's LARP for a period of at least one year, after which, a formal application to the storytellers for re-admittance MAY be approved.
    1.5 Any petition with 2/3 of the Player's signatures must be brought up for discussion and voted on as a referendum.
    1.6 Voting on motions affecting the Saskatoon By Night LARP, but not changing the Storytelling Team or Constitution shall be carried by a simple (50%+1) majority.

2.0  Responsibilities of the Storytellers
    2.1 The Storytellers shall keep an organizational system that can be easily transferred to the next team of Storytellers.
    2.2 The Storyteller shall give a Strike to any Player responsible for intentionally cheating, in any form, for physically striking another person while playing the game, for directly disobeying a Storyteller or Narrator, for 'rules shopping', and for behaviour unbecoming of a member of the Saskatoon By Night LARP.
    2.3 The Storyteller shall organize and announce elections for a new Storyteller (see section 4.0) at LEAST 3 months before he or she desires to step down.
    2.4 The Storyteller must Chair, or assign a Chair to every meeting of the Saskatoon By Night LARP which requires discussion and vote.
    2.5 The Storyteller shall keep an up-to-date registry list of all current Players and Storytellers in Saskatoon By Night
    2.6 The Storytellers shall review all applications for re-admittance to Saskatoon By Night by Players with 3 Strikes. Successful re-admittance will require the erasing of at least one of the Player's Strikes
    2.7 Storytellers shall have the power to erase Strikes for reasons of repentance and extended periods (at least 6 months) of exceptional behaviour on the behalf of Players who have received Strikes.
    2.8 After the voting in of a new Storytelling Team, the outgoing Storyteller shall spend at least 1 month in mentoring the new Team, showing them the organizational system and ensuring a smooth transition.

3.0 Responsibilities of the Players
    3.1 The Players shall conduct themselves with adherence to the 3 'R's of role-playing: Respecting their fellows, Relenting to challenges when appropriate, and Role-playing to the best of their ability.
    3.2 The Players shall obey the Storytellers while playing the Saskatoon By Night LARP.
    3.3 If Players wish to contend a rules decision made by a Storyteller, they shall wait until the current scene is over, and then talk to the Storyteller. If the Player is still unhappy with the decision, then the contention may be presented to the Storytelling Team at large, for a FINAL decision. Requesting rules decisions from multiple Storytellers shall be deemed 'rules shopping'.

4.0 Choosing a new Storyteller
    4.1 Elections for a new Storyteller shall be declared at least 2 months before the elections are to be held.
    4.2 From the point of the declaration of the upcoming election up to 2 weeks before the election, nominations for Storyteller and running mate(s) will be accepted by the chair of the election.
    4.3 At the Saskatoon By Night event the month previous to the date of the election, at least 10 minutes shall be allowed per Storyteller nominee for presentation of their platform, and at least 20 minutes shall be allowed for a general questions and answering session.
    4.4 At least one running-mate must be included in the nominations for Storyteller. Running mates are the candidate's choice for assistant Narrators.
    4.5 The election of a new Storyteller shall require a 50%+1 majority. In the case of a first ballot not providing one candidate with a winning portion of the vote, the candidates with less than 30% of the vote shall be dropped from the ballot. Barring this, the candidate with the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot.