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Dispatch → Meta → Reference
by 
The Cartography Council of Valsora.
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RULES AND GUIDELINES
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WELCOME TO THE RULES AND GUIDELINES DISPATCH
This dispatch covers in full the official rules and guidelines for Valsora. This dispatch exists with the intent of being a reference point for any and all rules, as well as an informative dispatch for those who are new to the map.
Any queries or complaints should be telegrammed to the Cartography Council @ Valsora
FANTASY RULES
Fantasy, magic and nonhumans are a rich part of Valsora's history and culture, and have a long history stemming back to the maps creation. These elements are a valuable and treasured part of Valsora, whatever impact they may have. There are plenty of rules surrounding these areas, labelled under the umbrella term of 'Fantasy' that are enforced to ensure MTRP and Fantasy RP can co-exist.
Rules on new fantasy additions
- All new additions to the map that can be labelled under 'Fantasy' MUST be approved by the Cartography Council before it is allowed into the canon. This rule requires some explanation, as it is quite particular. In regards to nonhuman species, if you are looking to add a cow that is green, you do not need to run it past us as this obviously isn't going to be a massive change. However, if you wish to add unicorns into your worldbuilding, that is something that will need to be approved. Likewise, if you wish to implement a species of carnivorous horses, that will require approval whereas a horse with three legs would not. This requirement is loosely based on common sense, if your new species differentiates from an existing species enough, it's best to run it past us to avoid future issues, and if you're adding an entirely new species, you should always be running it past the Cartography Council beforehand. As with any rule, if you are unsure if something requires approval or may not be permitted, simply check with the Cartography Council first.
- When it comes to magic, any new magic ability or spell must be approved by the council before use.
- Existing fantasy elements as of the implementation of these rules will not be removed or moderated unless deemed necessary by the Cartography Council, however, all existing fantasy elements MUST be submitted into the lore index to ensure records can be kept of all fantasy on Valsora.
Fantasy in RP
- If you wish to use fantasy elements in RP, all parties must consent to its use. If any party does not consent to the presence of fantasy in an RP, you may not utilize it.
WARFARE RULES
This section involves all rules and guidelines regarding warfare and conflict RP.
Nuclear Weaponry
- Nuclear Weapons are permitted on Valsora, however, there are rules in place on their development and use to ensure they are used in a responsible and realistic manner. Nuclear Weapons may only be developed by nations with a GDP over 1 trillion USD. Only one nuclear weapon may be used in a conflict RP, however, exceptions to this rule are permitted if you contact the Cartography Council for an exemption. If you wish to use a nuclear weapon in conflict RP you MUST have the consent of the other party.
- Nuclear Weapons are restricted to a maximum yield of 50,000kt (yield of the Tsar Bomba). The reasoning behind these limitations is to ensure not every nation can afford to produce, maintain and utilize nuclear weaponry, and so that such lethal weapons cannot simply be thrown around at the first sign of conflict. In the past, Valsora had no restrictions on nuclear weaponry, which allowed for fledglings to flatten one another with nukes on Day 1 of a conflict, this is not an environment we wish to see again.
Fantasy in Warfare
- Fantasy is permitted for use in conflict RP only with the explicit consent of all parties involved. If any party does not consent to the use of fantasy elements in a conflict RP, you must not utilize them in any form.
TECHNOLOGY RULES
This section covers all rules and guidelines relating to matters of technology and MTRP matters.
RULES ON ALLOWED TECHNOLOGIES
The following is an exhaustive list of what technologies are and aren't allowed within Valsora under MTRP (Modern Tech Role Play) guidelines, sorted by category.
Commerical Space Travel - Yes, very basic commercial space travel is entirely realistic by the mid-2030s and is therefore permitted on Valsora. This is limited to short trips to the edge of space, and will still be considered very expensive.
Moon Landings - Yes, we did that in the 1960s. Moon landing RP's have been done before on Valsora, but rarely if ever have they been immensely in-depth. For this reason, if you wish to do a moon landing RP, it MUST be approved by the Cartography Council and must be extensively RP'ed, as this will be a major global event.
Moon Bases - Maybe. This has yet to happen in our real world, but it is reasonable to assume that humanity would be capable of establishing very basic lunar research colonies had the Space Race continued at its peak speed. For this reason, we will not rule out lunar colonies, however, they will need to be small, extensively RP'ed and worldbuilt and must be approved by the Cartography Council before RP.
Kinetic Bombardment - Yes, rods from god-style weapons are permitted, but they are extremely expensive to build and maintain and frankly aren't reasonably worth the effort or the cost. You are welcome to utilize this technology, but only on the basis you understand and undertake the costs and time required.
Anti-Satellite Weaponry - Yes, primarily anti-satellite missiles are utilized in Valsora, and are perfectly realistic. 'Killer Satellites' are also permitted, however, they are expensive and not necessarily any more useful than an ASAT missile.
Laser Weaponry - No, advanced laser weapons (eg. laser rifles) are not permitted on Valsora as they are simply too far ahead of our current technological capabilities, even with 10 years of advancement.
Mechs and Large Robots - No, this is simply too far ahead of real-world capabilities in the mid-2030s.
Super Soldiers - No, without major breakthroughs in medicinal technologies, super soldiers as we are familiar with them in the present day are not feasibly possible by this time. This does not include modern-day drugs, such as adrenaline boosters and other drugs which may increase short-term performance.
Railguns - Yes, railguns are permitted in most uses as we see them being developed today. (It is worth mentioning railguns are extremely expensive to build and maintain and don't necessarily provide any advantages conventional munitions cannot)
Hypersonic Missiles - Yes, hypersonic missiles are in use today, and slightly more capable hypersonics are permitted on Valsora, within reason.
Military Exoskeletons - Kind of, while very basic exoskeletons are permitted, it is important to understand the massive logistical challenges present when working with them, as well as their limitations and weaknesses. This technology is best kept to small-scale use and character RP, as opposed to full-scale conflict.
Genetic Modification - Yes, with limitations. You may utilize genetic modification on Valsora on a very basic level, with the removal of some simple diseases and slight disabilities which do not require immense research to understand and prevent. If you are unsure of what level of genetic modification is permitted, query it with the Cartography Council to be safe.
Cure to Cancer - Unfortunately, no. We don't appear to be any closer to a total cure for cancer in the real world, and as such it doesn't seem reasonable to change that in the Valsora universe. This being said some slightly more advanced treatments to increase the survival rate are permitted, with enough investments in healthcare and medical research.
- If you are even remotely unsure as to whether a technology is permissible on Valsora or not, don't hesitate to get in touch with a Cartographer for a concrete answer.
ALLIANCE RULES
This section covers all rules and guidelines relating to alliances and international organizations.
RULES ON ALLIANCE SIZES
- Alliances are limited to a maximum of 8 members at any given time to prevent the existence of massive international alliances that constrain and limit RP opportunities with overbearing defensive blocs. Federations and unions comprising of multiple nations count for each individual nation, and not as one entity.
RULES ON INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- International Organizations do not have a limit on the number of member nations, however, any defensive clause or unified military in said organization shifts it to fall under the 8-member alliance rule. Exemptions to this rule may be applied with an appeal to the Cartography Council.
IDEOLOGY RULES
This section covers all rules and guidelines surrounding ideology and systems of governance.
Banned Ideologies
Valsora does not permit the use of the following ideologies in RP.
Nazism / National Socialism / Neo-Nazism
Fascism*
Stalinism*
Maoism*
National Bolshevism
- Exemptions to these can be permitted in some cases, however, we as a community would like to steer away from ideological extremism and wholeheartedly acknowledge the suffering and pain caused by extremist ideologies. Even with an understanding that these nations exist only within RP and do not necessarily espouse the beliefs of their creators, we would still prefer to put our best foot forward as a Valsoran community and ensure those outside do not associate our community with unfortunately growing ideological extremism online.
* These ideologies may be permitted in Valsora, but they must not idealize real-world figures and nations must disclaim they do not support these ideologies outside of RP. The Cartography Council may ask you to tone-down RP if it becomes uncomfortable for others.
EXPANSION RULES
This section covers all rules and guidelines surrounding the expansion of territorial borders.
Natural Expansion Rules
You may submit a natural expansion request every 2 months, wherein your nation can expand its territory via RP.
- Natural expansion can only be done via an RP post or several RP posts of at least 800 words. These posts can be submitted on a bi-monthly basis, from the day of your last expansion post (not from the date your expansion was added). For example, if you were to write an expansion RP on January 1st, you would next be eligible on March 1st. If your expansion does not meet the 800-word requirement, and an exemption has not been granted for any reason, then your expansion will be denied and you will be asked to either write it again or bring the word count up to 800. If your expansion is deemed to be too large by the Cartography Council, it will be trimmed down to meet standards.
- It is worth mentioning there is no standard size for an expansion, and it is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you are a larger nation, the expansion is mostly or entirely inland, or the area you inhabit is sparsely populated by other nations, you may be granted more leeway. If you are a smaller nation, expanding along the coast in an area densely populated by other nations, you may not get quite as much land.
- You may NOT utilize AI to write your Natural Expansion posts for you. If you are found to have utilized AI such as ChatGPT to write your post, you will receive a permanent expansion ban, and risk removal from the map. Every submitted post is run through an AI detection site before it is processed.
- You must submit your claim via the provided claim templates, or otherwise seek an exemption if you wish to write it on paper, though this is discouraged as it makes it immensely difficult and time-consuming for us to count your words.
Land Purchase
You are permitted to purchase land from another nation on Valsora, however, there are restrictions on this feature to ensure it is not abused.
- Land purchases are restricted to the size of a county (not country) or comparatively the size of a city and its surrounding suburbs. This rule is put in place to ensure nations cannot simply purchase massive chunks of land with minimal effort.
- All land purchases must be RP'ed, and a minimum of 400 words is required. Land purchase requests must be submitted to the Cartography Council as you would submit a natural expansion request.
- You may not purchase land from an alt account or any nation that exists as a subservient state to your own (i.e. a puppet state, satellite state or a protectorate)
- Exceptions to land purchase rules are permitted with the approval of the Cartography Council, however, you must demonstrate sound reasoning and explanation as to why.
REMOVAL RULES
This section covers all rules and guidelines relating to removal from the map.
CTE (Cease to Exist)
- If your nation ceases to exist, you will be immediately removed from Valsora in the following update. If you intend to not log in to your account for over 30 days, please ensure your account is set to 'Vacation Mode', otherwise inform the Cartography Council and a leave of absence will be arranged and your removal postponed.
Inactivity
- If you are inactive on Valsora for over a month (No RP posts, no worldbuilding, no interactions) you will be given a one-week notice to rectify this. If you are unable to demonstrate activity within this period you will be removed from the map in the following update. If you are planning on stepping away for a short period due to any matter, please inform the Cartography Council that you will need a leave of absence and your removal will be postponed.
Transfer of currency, land and weapons after Removal
- If you are removed, or scheduled to be removed from Valsora you may not reserve land, currency, weaponry, infrastructure or investments for any other nation. If you wish to leave something behind for another nation after your removal, you may query this with the Cartography Council, wherein an exemption may be allowed. You are permitted to reserve existing characters for other nations if you wish.
Banjections and Map Bans
- If you are banned or ejected from The East Pacific for any reason you will be immediately removed from Valsora, barring any exceptions from the Cartography Council. Valsora acts within TEP laws and respects the laws, requirements and boundaries of the region. You may also be banned from the map if you are found to be in violation of this dispatches rules, or the rules of the region. A ban from Valsora does not necessarily equate to a ban from The East Pacific, which is only applicable if you violate regional laws. You are permitted to appeal your ban if you feel it to be unfair or unjustified, and the Cartography Council must hear your arguments. Any ban appeal must receive a unanimous 'aye' vote from the council if it is to be accepted.
RULES ON ALT ACCOUNTS AND PUPPETS
This section covers the rules and guidelines surrounding alternate accounts and puppet accounts
Rules on Alt Accounts
- Nations on Valsora are only permitted to have a single alt account at any given time, however, exemptions to this rule are available upon request with the Cartography Council. If you wish to have three or more accounts active on Valsora at the same time, you will need to demonstrate sufficient activity and RP quality. If the Cartography Council declines your request, you may not establish a third account.
- If your nation fractures into several smaller nations or cliques, that does not fall under the above rule, and you are permitted to RP with however many internal nations you wish. However, if the Cartography Council understands you are abusing this to work around the alts rule, you will be asked to remedy the situation.
GODMODDING RULES
This section covers the rules and guidelines surrounding god-modding and metagaming.
Metagaming - Metagaming refers to having a character in RP act on knowledge that the player has access to but the character should not. For example, if you have recently discovered your enemy's battle plans on Discord, you may not acknowledge this IC without their consent, and you may not use information gained outside of the roleplay within it.
Rules on God-modding and Metagaming
- God-modding and Metagaming are strictly forbidden in any form on Valsora, and any instances of these occurring should be forwarded to the Cartography Council. Any complaints of god-modding or metagaming, depending on the severity and frequency may result in a punishment ranging from a warning to an RP ban or a removal.
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