Introduction[]
Criminal roleplay (RP) in World of Warcraft can be a rich and rewarding experience for all involved, but it is essential to ensure that resolutions are handled fairly and consensually. The purpose of this guide is to outline best practices for determining punishments off-screen while maintaining RP continuity.
Key Principles[]
- All resolutions should be agreed upon OOC (Out of Character) before being played out IC (In Character).
- No one is required to give in-game gold or items as part of a punishment unless all parties explicitly agree beforehand.
- RP continuity should be maintained, and all punishments should be documented where appropriate for future interactions.
How to Settle Criminal RP Off-Screen[]
When resolving a criminal incident, follow these steps:
1) OOC Discussion[]
Before any consequences are determined, both the criminal player and the law enforcement RP group should discuss the resolution OOC. Options should be presented clearly, and the criminal player should have the opportunity to choose a punishment that fits the narrative while ensuring a fun and engaging experience.
2) Choosing an Appropriate Punishment[]
Once an agreement is reached, the punishment can either:
- In the case of infractions can be role-played out in real time.
- Be assumed to have happened off-screen, with the character bearing the consequences IC.
- Scheduled for a future date with the assumption that the criminal's case has gone to trail and the chosen punishment was assigned.
3) Documenting the Resolution[]
To ensure continuity:
- Fines, imprisonments, and other major punishments should be included in an incident report or Discord channel.
- If the character is exiled or banned from the city, this should be noted to prevent continuity errors.
4) Maintaining RP Integrity[]
- If a player chooses to roleplay imprisonment, this will often be treated as off-screened passing of time, it is usually best that if you see the character publicly to assume their prison sentence has been served.
- If a player roleplays exile, they should refrain from RPing in the banned area unless plotting a return.
- If a punishment was settled off-screen, characters should reference it in future interactions.
Options for Punishments[]
All punishments assume the suspect has been found guilty by a Stormwind Court, and that the legal process has run its full course up to the moment of carrying out the punishment. If you can not come to an agreement, you may just assume that they were found non-guilty during the trial.
Minor Infractions & Fines[]
For non-violent, petty crimes, the following punishments can be settled off-screen:
- Monetary Fines: The character pays an amount of coin to His Majesty (agreed OOC, no actual gold required unless mutually decided).
- Confiscation: Stolen or personal property can be assumed to have been taken.
- Reparations: If the character lacks money, they can lose an item of equivalent value (no real in-game item loss required unless agreed).
- Stockades Stay: A short-term jail stay (e.g., overnight) can be assumed without needing to play it out.
Minor Offenses & Public Punishments[]
For minor crimes, the following can be done off-screen:
- Stocks: The character is assumed to have been placed in wooden stocks and publicly humiliated for a set duration.
- Light Labor: The character can be assumed to have done civic work (cleaning streets, working for victims, etc.).
- Flogging: The character receives an appropriate number of lashings.
- Minor Amputations: The character can choose to bear a lasting mark of their crime (removal of fingers, ears, etc.).
Major Offenses[]
For more serious crimes, the following can be assumed:
- Hard Labor: The character spends months or years doing grueling work for the Kingdom.
- Branding: The character may be permanently marked as a criminal.
- Conscription: If agreed OOC, the character is assumed to have served in the military for a fixed time.
- Exile: The character is assumed to have been cast out and cannot return.
- Torture: Only used with full OOC consent. Must be carried out by the properly appointed torturer.
Capital Offenses[]
For crimes warranting execution, OOC agreement is mandatory. A character’s execution should be fully consensual and carefully planned. The method of execution can be determined together, and the character can either:
- Be permanently killed off-screen.
- Be permanently executed on screen as a public or private event.
- Be assumed dead but reappear later (e.g., escape plot).
- Opt for a commuted sentence (e.g., conscription or exile instead of execution).