Difference between revisions of "Membership FAQ"

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Revision as of 07:49, 30 October 2007

Glossary of Important Terms

• CIS: character information sheet
• IC: in-character
• MB: message board
• NPC: non-player character -- generally an adoptable waiting to be adopted.
• PC: persona character
• OOC: out-of-character
• RTH: River Twine Holt

Import Club Email Addresses

• council@rivertwine.com
• help@rivertwine.com
• wiki@rivertwine.com
• stories@rivertwine.com
• artwork@rivertwine.com
• contests@rivertwine.com
• characters@rivertwine.com
• cisadmin@rivertwine.com
• joining@rivertwine.com

Additionally, all current members have email aliases determined by the persona they own and operate (i.e.: farscout@rivertwine.com, willow@rivertwine.com).

Important Club Dates

• Winter Quarter: January 1 through March 31
• Spring Quarter: April 1 through June 30
• Summer Quarter: July 1 through Sept. 30
• Autumn Quarter: October 1 through December 31
• Annual CIS updates: required between June 1 and June 30.
• Annual Secret Santa holiday gift program: deadline in October; submissions due by December 23.

OOC History of River Twine Holt

The River Twine Holt was founded in June 2006 by Tommy Jeffers, with the encouragement of more than a dozen fellow former members of the defunct Rushwater Holt (www.rushwaterholt.com, ? to December 2004). Tommy determined the club's basic premise: a traditional wolfrider tribe on the Rushwater Holt model, where membership was limited to the number of available characters. He named the tribe and retained for himself the title of Chief, and delegated all of the world-building duties to other members, along with the creation of the club's initial yahoo groups mailing list and the club's website and message boards. Within weeks, Tommy was pressed by members into creating a Council of advisors, in an effort to better organize and manage club details such as character development, story approvals, and all of the world-building. Tommy left the club in (x) of 2006, leaving control of the group to the Council.

The primary focus during the first six months of the club was the creation of the existing cast of characters, including NPCs. Different members volunteered to oversee the development of different arenas of world building, including: flora (Amy), fauna (Cindy), human tribes (Joan), Preservers (Trena), tribal genealogy (Whitney), tribal genealogy (Holly & Whitney), trolls (Heidi & Vicki), and wolves (Fey, Holly & Whitney).

Some RTH Firsts

The first piece of art submitted was Vicki Stephanson's portrait of Evervale (June 2006); the first story submitted was "Ghosts" by Whitney Ware (July 2006). Our club's website went live in July 2006.

How does the Council operate?

A Holt run by a single "chief" survives upon the dedication and motivation of a single member. A Holt operated by a board of directors can harness the shared dedication and motiviation of multiple members, providing the entire organization with a safety net in terms of long-term survivabilty.

The first five members of the Council were selected in (July? 2006) by Chief Tommy Jeffers. There is currently no term limits policy for Council members; in practice, council members serve until they choose to resign, and new Council members are selected by vote of the existing Council from candidates who have volunteered for the duty. Members of the Council expect to be held accountable for club decisions by the membership, and Council members rely on club members to raise issues, concerns,and questions to the Council.

What is expected of Council members?

The Council hopes to meet the following communication standards:

• Members who ask for Council feedback will receive an immediate response assuring them that their question has been received, and promising a timely response. Questions directed at the Council via the message boards will have a post made notifying members that the Council is taking up the item for discussion.

• The Council will attempt to resolve questions within a 5-day turnaround -- of course this is not always possible, but it's a goal we will strive to meet. When more than five days are necessary to bring a matter to a resolution, the Council will send the asking member a courtesy note to let them know the matter hasn't dropped into limbo.

• When issues are resolved, the individual who asked the question will receive a personal note from a Council member regarding the decision; likewise, when an issue is raised via the message boards, public notes will be left on mb threads indicating the Council's decision. Decisions made by the Council will be recorded in the Decisions Log thread, and when appropriated, added to the wikisite as well.

• If the Council makes a public promise, that promise must be kept! If there are delays regarding a self-imposed deadline, then recognition of those delays should be made publicly; council members who need help should ask for help to meet that deadline as soon as possible. Council members have the responsibility to help one another meet these public promises.

Additionally, Chief Windburn is currently under the ownership of the Council. For as long as the Council owns & operates this NPC, each Council member will be responsible for at least one submission of their choice per year for Windburn (this can include art or fic trades).

Council members who are team leaders of a specific team (such as character approvals team or story approvals team) are expected to be proactive and involved members of that team, shouldering a fair share of the team workload. Council members who are mods for specific discussion threads on the message boards are expected to cycle out old discussion threads to the general archives in a timely way, such as once every month for the heaviest traffic parts of the board.

Past Council Members

• Trena Driessen (x to ?)
• Mary Jo Jeffers (x to ?)

Current Council Members

• Heidi Henderson (x to present)
• Leonie Jonk (x to present)
• Joan Milligan (x to present)
• Ellen Million (x to present)
• Whitney Ware (x to present)

Founding Members of River Twine Holt

• Linda Aarts (Snowfall)
• Amy Chandler (Longshot)
• Trena Driessen (Whispersilk)
• Sarah Clawfoot (Suddendusk)
• Wendy Fowler (Nightstorm)
• Gills (Windsong)
• Mary Jo Jeffers (Chicory)
• Tommy Jeffers (Chief Far Cry)
• Heidi Henderson (Willow)
• Leonie Jonk (Dreamflight)
• Stacy Lucas (Moss)
• Fey McKercher (Rainpace)
• Joan Milligan (Crackle)
• Ellen Million (Greenweave)
• Cindy Pruitt (Quick Fang)
• Vicki Stephenson (Evervale)
• Rachel Vardys (Cloudfern)
• Whitney Ware (Farscout)
• Christina Westgate (Goldspice)
• Matt ?(Thornbow)
•  ? (Foxtail)
•  ? (Kestrel)

What happens when a new member asks to join?

When new members join River Twine Holt, their request automatically goes to the River Twine Council. Our Character Administrator (currently Leonie) gives the new member their official welcome (within 24 hours whenever possible), and assigns one or more mentors to the member. Additionally, our Character Admin team leader (currently Leonie) will hold a friendly interview with the new member, cc'd to the rest of the Council, regarding the member's wishes toward character adoption. The Council's goal is to both ensure a new member's happy transition into the club, and to make sure that the new member is adopting a character they will prove compatible with. Members who find they've adopted the wrong character will be welcome at any time to trade in their character for another available NPC.

Once new members join, they are given a website account, a RTH alias email, and are asked to create a MB account. The website and the MB are two different systems, and members have to apply for their account to the MB.

All members are required to join under their real identities; it's fine for members to participate under pseudonyms, but the Council needs to know a member's real name. Joining the club under false pretenses is grounds for immediate dismissal. Additionally, sockpuppeting a false membership is also grounds for immediate dismissal from the club.

What is RTH's policy for returning members?

Former members who wish to return to River Twine Holt are welcomed back with open arms. Returning members will be treated the same as any other new member -- they will be welcome to adopt any of the available characters. (Previously owned personas will not be removed from another member in order to be returned to a returning member.) All artwork and stories previously submitted will be relinked to a returning member. However, returning members are required to rejoin under their original name & identity.

Note: Sockpuppeting (operating an email account under false pretenses) will be grounds for immediate expulsion. Please remember: honesty is always the best policy!

How does the art approval process work?

Value of "doll" art: Doll art is always awarded at "sketch" level (.5). Doll art is only accepted for existing developed personas; doll art is not being accepted to represent ancestors, unless existing ancestor art for that individual already appears on the club website.

Recycled art: We're happy to accept recycled art (art created originally for another club), so long as the artwork is art is equally representative of the RTH tribe or environment. Regardless of whether a showcase, sketch, or finished piece, will only earn a certain amount of points (.5). Recycled art cannot be applied toward the quarterly participation requirements. No more than eight pieces/four points of recycled art will be counted per quarter towards our seasonal participation awards.

How does the story approval process work?

Value of Poetry: Poetry is generally considered to be worth .5 points. However, if a member believes their poem is longer than usual, a personal masterwork, or otherwise demonstrates more effort, they may request more points, to a maximum of 2. Final point distribution is decided by the story approval team.

How does the character approvals process work?

Can I create a wanderer character?

While it is very likely that there are other tribes of elves existing on the world, the elves of River Twine Holt have never encountered other elves since Wolfsister and her band split from their band of High Ones and first-generation offspring, a little more than two thousand years ago. No "wandering elves" or "sole survivors of their destroyed tribe" elves can be introduced into the River Twine Holt.

In early 2006, the Council was asked to consider the introduction of tribe of sea elves and a tribe of gliders. At that time, the Council declined to pursue the development of any additional elf tribes, as doing so would prove a huge investment of time and creative energy, and distract members from the existing world-building that was still ongoing. This is a decision that can be revisited someday in the future, if a time comes when the Council finds that expanding the club's creative focus won't prove distracting from the existing tribe and characters.

Can I play two elves at once?

No. Members can only own one elf persona at a time.

Can I own and operate an ancestor character?

At this time, members can only own and operate one elf (living) persona at a time. Ancestor characters can be further developed by individual members, but creative control of all ancestors reverts to the club's Council. (Tip: if you're particularly enamoured with an ancestor elf, be sure to write up a detailed CIS, as the CIS is what the Council uses to determine whether or not NPC usage is kept in-character!)

Can I own a troll character, or one of the Ebea or Bukno-Baha humans?

Possibly. That's a bridge we haven't crossed yet, but may consider in the future.

When I join and adopt a character, how much freedom do I have to alter that character to my liking?

Great question -- and one that takes a little consideration first. In many clubs, characters are temporary elements that cycle in and out as membership fluctuates. At River Twine Holt, the entire club is structured around a stable population of elves. New elves will be born and existing characters will die in the cycle of life in their fictional world, but characters won't disappear on command with changes in membership, and strange new elves won't just suddenly appear on the horizon. After the last of the existing elves of the tribe were created and approved in December of 2006, new members to the club are required to adopt existing NPCs. These characters come with established histories and established "looks" which may or may not completely appeal to their new owners.

The club's baseline for adopted characters is that a newly adopted character cannot be significantly altered from what's already "in print" -- by that, we mean approved in a character sheet or posted in existing art or fiction. Once a character fact goes into the club's continuity, that character fact needs to be respected and left unaltered. However, this still gives a perceptive new member some wriggle-room. Most of the elves in the tribe have been alive for decades, or even hundreds of years. That means there is a *lot* of opportunity for new stories to be told about those as-yet-unexplored life experiences. Likewise, new storylines can be developed to show a character's personality developing in new ways. And a character's physical appearance can always be altered -- within reason. Hair color and eye color won't change, but clothing can always be retailored (and again -- especially for characters who've been around for decades or centuries, there's always room to explore and detail a character's previous fashion history). Any really dramatic change in a character's appearance (new clothing, change in hairstyle, etc.) will require some in-character explanation... but that just means you've got great possibility for new storylines in your hands, and if as a new member you can't think of a why to explain a new fall fashion for your newly adopted character, then please post a note to the message boards and recruit a collaborator to tell that tale!

What if I find I'm tired of my current character?

If that happens, you're welcome to trade in your existing elf in favor of one of the current NPCs. Or contact the Council and put your name on a waiting list, in order to get first dibs on adoption when babies get born, or current characters turn NPC.

What happens when I decide I need to leave the club?

The continuity of River Twine Holt is built upon the existing characters, and all of the artwork and stories created in support of those characters. As a result, River Twine Holt refuses to ever "disappear" a character owned and operated by a departing member, and we are reluctant to remove from our archives and website any artwork or stories created in support of a character. Each departing member's requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and the Council will do it's best to juggle the individual's needs versus the continuity needs of the entire group. If you have specific requests or requires upon your departure, please discussion them with the Council, and we will work with you to find an end-result that best respects your needs, and the needs of the club as a whole.

As a matter of standard practice, the MB forum handles of departing members will be changed if the member had been operating under the name of a tribal character (i.e. Farscout, Greenweave, Longshot). Likewise, email accounts featuring the character's name (i.e. farscout@rivertwine.com) will be deactived until the character has been readopted by new ownership.

What is the mentor program, and how does it work?

It always helps new members who join to have a friendly mentor who's willing to help answer questions and welcome a new member to the club. At River Twine Holt, mentors are volunteers who are ready and willing to to assist the Council by performing the following tasks when they've been assigned a new member:

• Mentors are asked to make early friendly contact with new members and give them a warm welcome to the club.
• Mentors are asked to help a new member "learn the ropes" as much as the new member needs. This means asking to answer any questions a new member has, and if necessary, direct the new member to the admin who can answer it.
• Mentors are asked to remain in close contact with a new member during their first few weeks in the club.
• Mentors should be aware that some new members will be "self starters" and some will need more mentoring than others. Mentors are asked to take some initiative in helping a new member get jump-started in the club -- this could include one or more of the following: offering to participate with a new member with their first collab, hosting a story-building RP for a new member, helping brainstorm with a new member regarding possible storylines, etc.

Any member who wishes to volunteer to be a mentor for River Twine Holt is welcome to volunteer by emailing cisadmin@rivertwine.com, or simply council@rivertwine.com.

How do the Art or Fiction Contests work?

Fic or Art Contests are generally scheduled to run every three months, although the schedule can vary. Each contest will have a theme, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize award icons will be given to the winners chosen by vote on the message boards; additional bonus prizes may be offered as well by contest sponsors. Participants can contribute as many entries as they desire; however, if there are multiple participants, each individual may only receive one award. Individual members are welcome to host their own private contests as well, with prior approval from the Council.

All contest art and fiction must feature River Twine Holt characters and the River Twine Holt setting (unless specifically stated otherwise in the contest description). All contest entries must receive member approvals where necessary; the Council will help non-member participants in obtaining any necessary approvals.

Public Participation in Fic or Art Contests: Non-members will be invited at times to participate in the regularly scheduled River Twine art & fic contests. Non-members will be eligible for participation under the same rules as members, and will be granted prizes (1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize award icons, with winners chosen by public vote on the River Twine message boards. Participants can contribute as many entries as they desire; however, if there are multiple participants, each individual may only receive one award. Unless otherwise noted in the description for each contest, all contest art should be generally PG13 in rating.

Non-member contest participation does NOT equate membership to River Twine Holt. Non-member contest participants are entitled to receive all comments on their work and any awards won, but no other members-only benefits such as persona ownership or full access to the message boards. By participating, non-members agree to their work being displayed on the River Twine website; River Twine Holt guarantees the work being credited to its creator.

A contests@rivertwine.com account exists for members to submit their contest entries too.

Message Board Etiquette

• All members are asked to create Message Board accounts using their character name. Character names are reserved for use by the current owner of a character.
• Message board access is limited to members-only.
• MB threads are NOT to be erased. All old threads are to be transferred into the appropriate archive, so they will be available for future reference.
• Threads asking for volunteers or concerning volunteer assignments should not be archived until those assignments/commitments are either turned in, or the member indicates they are unable or unwilling to complete their tasks.
• Signatures have been enabled at the boards, however, there will be restrictions on them. First, no graphics (i.e. banners) are allowed. Second, you get three lines of standard sized text or 500 characters, whichever comes first. It should include your real name (or whatever it is you are called as a person), and your elfname if it is not already your username. Violations will be edited by the forum mods.

Annual required CIS updates

Members are required to update their persona CISs once a year. A mandatory update period is to be held each June; members are required to review their persona's CIS during the course of that month, and make any necessary updates during that time. "Necessary" updates are as the member sees fit, but must include at the minimum an adjustment of the character's age to show the passage of an additional time since the last update.

Suggestions to keep in mind:

• changes in a character's relationships
• any change in status of wolf-friend
• any new possessions of note?
• any change in skills or hobbies worth note?
• take a moment to review the artwork and stories in which your character has participate in the past year. Anything there to inspire you to update in the CIS?

What are the membership requirements again for keeping my RTH character?

All members must support their character through the submission of one piece of art or one or more written submissions (totaling 500 words or more) per annual quarter. Members who fail to participate for more than two quarters in a row may have their membership revoked. Submission requirements need not necessarily feature your own character to meeting this requirement: for example, an art trade picture you've created of another member's elf satisfies our quarterly submission requirement.

What happens if I fail to meet my submission requirements for a quarter?

Can I repost my RTH art or stories elsewhere?

Individual members have the right to repost their own art and stories as they see fit. We especially appreciate it when a plug is made for River Twine (we've got banners available), and/or if you mention the names of the owners who approved the use of their art/characters in your.

How does the art trade/fic trade system work?

I signed up for the art trade/fic trade, but failed to produce my trade by deadline. What happens to me now?

It's understood that when a member signs up for an art trade or fic trade, that they will make good on their commitment, especially since they are receiving someone else's efforts in trade. It's also understood that sometimes, finishing a project may take longer than expected. Members who are overdue on three or more trade commitments will be cut off from further participation until all of their overdue commitments have been completed.[/b]

WHAT IF I'VE GOT A GREAT IDEA ABOUT DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY?

Write to the Council and give them a detailed proposal of what it is you want to do! The world of River Twine Holt is a shared creative effort, and everyone is encouraged to make their own creative stamp.