Conduct Policy
0.1 Your ( “You” / “Your” ) attendance at one of our events ( “the Event” ) by Fakelore Games ( “the Event Organiser” / “Our” / “We” ) is subject to the following Code of Conduct ( “CoC” ).
0.2 Our conduct rules apply equally to all attendees of an Event, at all times during an event.
0.3 “Jokingly” breaching rules is still a breach of rules. Excuses of an action being “in character”, ignorance of the rules, and inebriation will not be accepted.
Section 1: Registration and Identification
1.1 All attendees must be 18 or over by the time of their arrival at the event.
1.2 You will be required to show a valid ID at your first event.
1.2.1 ID must be valid in date, showing your name, age, and photo.
1.2.2 Your account name must match your ID.
1.2.3 If there are any discrepancies, you must bring supporting documentation (ie Deed Poll).
1.2.4 ID checks cannot be done digitally or in advance.
1.2.5 If you request that your data held by us is deleted under GDPR, you will need to verify your ID again the next time you attend an event.
1.2.6 We will not take photographs of or store copies of your ID.
1.2.7 You may request for your ID check to be done in private, by your choice of our approved ID checkers.
1.2.8 Use of fake ID will result in immediate removal from the event and a minimum of a 2-year ban.
1.3 Fakelore Games reserves the right to cancel registration or refuse entry to the Event venue to any person without giving reason. If you feel that you have been unfairly refused access, you may raise a complaint to contact@fakeloregames.com
1.3.1 We may use past reported behaviour from outside of our Events, including convictions or pending trials in the public record, to form rulings or bans for individuals at our discretion.
1.4 Only registered attendees may enter the Event space.
1.4.1 You may not participate in the event if you do not have a fully paid attendance ticket unless you have gained written permission from the Event Organiser. You will be deemed as trespassing and, should you have an accident on site, will be 100% liable for any injuries. Neither Fakelore Games or our venue shall bear any liability for trespassers. If you are caught trespassing, you will be removed from the venue and the police may be notified.
1.4.2 You may enter the event space without a ticket or prior written permission only if you are dropping off or collecting attendees, or assisting them to set up or pack down. You will be signed in at arrival and must sign out when you leave. If you arrive during the game, you will only be permitted entry to the out-of-character spaces except in extenuating circumstances.
1.5 Some of our events use identity badges (“ID badges”). For these events, your ID badge must be on your person at all times.
1.5.1 You must not loan out your ID badge to anyone under any circumstance.
1.5.2 If you are found to have loaned out your ID badge to a trespasser, you will both be asked to leave the event and may incur a temporary or permanent ban.
Section 2: General Behaviour and Themes
Interacting with Staff and Attendees
2.1 Instructions from event staff, first aiders, security, and venue staff must be followed promptly.
2.1.1 You must not argue with referees over their decisions after you have presented them with all relevant information; if you have a disagreement then you should ask to speak to the event manager.
2.1.2 If you wish to raise a complaint about a referee or crew member’s conduct, please contact the event manager directly in person at the event or by email after the event.
2.2 All attendees are expected to treat each other, event staff, and venue staff respectfully and civilly. This includes Fakelore Games staff/crew, and venue staff equally. We do not tolerate physical or verbal abuse of staff members, or to other attendees at the event.
2.3 All interactions between individuals must be consensual, including but not limited to social interactions, touching, hugging, dancing, arguing etc. “No” means no!
2.3.1 If an attendee has made it known to you through any explicit verbal or written method that they do not want you to interact with them, this must be respected.
2.4 Everyone is entitled to accompaniment when asked to go somewhere.
2.4.1 Event staff should avoid inviting attendees into closed areas alone. If this is necessary, a second event staff member should also be invited.
2.4.2 Everyone is entitled to have a trusted person to accompany them when they are asked to go somewhere, regardless of whether the request is by a crew member or a player.
Game Themes
2.5 Our settings are gender neutral, and do not expect participants to conform to particular gender roles or norms.
2.5.1 Attendees are encouraged to refer to groups using ungendered terms, and use ungendered language in general.
2.5.2 Attendees may wish to uphold certain gender norms for themselves; this must not be insulted or used to discriminate against them, but these norms must not be pushed onto others.
2.5.3 Attendees may wish to explore their gender through characters, and should not be insulted or discriminated against for doing so.
2.5.4 You must endeavour to correctly gender attendees both in-character and out-of-character. If you are corrected, give a short apology and avoid causing a scene. This is a solely out-of-character situation and should not be handled in-character by any party.
2.6 Our settings do not explore racism or xenophobia around real-world races, ethnicities or countries.
2.6.1 If you believe our written setting or portrayal of the setting in-game displays offensive or racist themes, please inform us so we can formally investigate. We will make every effort to respond to feedback in good faith and adapt to the perspectives of others..
2.6.2 Players should consider whether their character or group concept may cause offence or include racist themes. We will ask you to adapt your concept if we believe it crosses one of these lines. We are prepared to accept that honest mistakes happen and will consider action in each case on its own merits.
2.7 Our settings do not explore themes of non-consensual sex, or distress surrounding sex or childbirth.
2.7.1 This covers all forms of non-consensual sex, including incest, underaged sex, paedophilia, necrophilia, and bestiality.
2.7.2 This covers forced pregnancy and threats thereof, miscarriage, and stillbirth.
2.7.3 Any reference to these themes will be met with a formal warning.
2.8 We do not wish to explore real world modern-day politics within our games.
2.8.1. Modern politics is likely to be immersion-breaking and may be an unintentional source of out-of-character tension or conflict. Even if there is a suitable in-character pretext we ask that modern politics not be discussed in-character.
2.8.2 At all times, please do not bring discussions of these topics to any public area; keep it to private tents or limited social spaces.
2.8.3 Allowance of these topics does not allow for discriminatory discussions in any context; anything breaking our conduct rules should still be reported.
Protected Characteristics
2.9 We function under an extended version of the Equality Act 2010, to include any relationship status, non-binary status, and intersex status.
2.9.1 The Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
2.9.2 The intent to us is as important as the explicitly stated protections.
2.10 You must not insult another attendee on the basis of an out-of-character attribute, such as race, ethnicity, nationality, class, religion, gender, disability, sexuality, transgender status, age, or body shape.
2.10.1 You must not negatively use any out-of-character attributes against an attendee.
2.10.2 You cannot play a character who would use these out-of-character traits to treat others differently.
2.10.3 This list is non-exhaustive; if something is a physical or mental trait of an individual, you must not insult or discriminate against them for it.
Online Conduct
2.11 We expect reasonable and appropriate online behaviour from all our participants.
2.13.1 Breaches of our conduct rules are reportable regardless of where they take place, and incidents online may be used by our conduct team to inform any action taken against an individual.
2.12 Our conduct rules are enforced on all official online social spaces for our events by our staff.
2.14.1 If you run a public unofficial online space for our events, you are required to explicitly follow and enforce our conduct rules.
2.14.2 If you run a private unofficial or associated online space for our events, you are expected to follow our conduct rules but we will only take action on breaches that are reported to us.
Extremism
2.13 Symbols, slogans, and politics of any real-world totalitarian or oppressive movement, such as the far-right, are not acceptable.
2.13.1 Any extremist politics that are fundamentally intolerant are not acceptable to us.
2.13.2 This includes, but is not limited to: political slogans, gestures, symbols, statements, memes, and humour of the far right or totalitarian or oppressive movements.
2.13.3 Individuals who support any extremist, intolerant politics of this kind are not welcome at our events.
2.13.4 The game team will, as far as is possible, avoid providing pretexts for including this in our game in an in-character capacity.
Section 3: IC and OC Conflict
Checking In and In-Character Conflict
3.1 Checking in after a heated conflict is compulsory; checking in before is highly encouraged.
3.1.1 It is never considered immersion breaking to check in before or after a conversation topic or in-character conflict.
3.1.2 Even if an individual has agreed to a heated conflict, they can end this agreement at any time and must let the other individuals involved know at their soonest convenience.
3.1.3 Opting out of an in-character conflict does not allow for an individual to opt out of game consequences for their character’s actions. In these situations, the continuation and resolution of the conflict should be pre-arranged out-of-character.
3.1.4 You are not required to check in before opposing another character due to their in-game actions, but must check in if this becomes heated in any way or you suspect out-of-character animosity, including if you have killed that character.
3.1.5 You may request the assistance of a designated crew member to witness or mediate check-ins where you suspect out-of-character animosity. In limited circumstances, such as where discretion is needed for a secretive in-game plot, you may request the crew perform an anonymous check-in on your behalf.
3.2 The people around you may be personally affected by issues you want to play out in game. If anyone wishes to opt-out of a situation on these grounds, they must not face any retaliation for doing so.
3.2.1 If you are asked to stop a one-on-one roleplaying situation with someone, or asked to change the topic, you must do so immediately.
3.2.2 If you wish to opt out of a distressing group situation, such as a combat scene, you should raise your hand above your head and leave the encounter.
3.3 Our events include themes of social conflict, where attendees may seek in-character advantages when roleplaying with each other, but attendees must keep in-character and out-of-character goals distinct and separate.
3.3.1 You should avoid in-character confrontations with other characters where there is out-of-character animosity, or when you are angry out-of-character for any reason.
3.3.2 You must not out-of-character intimidate other participants when confronting their character.
3.3.3 If you regularly in-character bully or belittle another character, you must check in periodically with the player.
3.4 You must obtain permission before roleplaying a sexual or romantic relationship with an attendee’s character, regardless of whether they are a player or crew member.
3.4.1 This extends to sexualising another participant’s character in any way.
Bullying and Abuse of Power
3.5 All participants must refrain from out-of-character bullying.
3.5.1 Bullying can be any behaviour that is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting.
3.5.2 It may involve the abuse or misuse of power that undermines, humiliates, or causes physical or emotional harm to someone.
3.5.3 We use the definition of bullying laid out by the anti-bullying alliance which states: “Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face to face or online.”
3.6 Any attendee, including crew and players, must avoid using their position of power to benefit themselves inappropriately.
3.6.1 Anyone in a position of prominence must not abuse an in-character relationship with another participant for out-of-character gain, such as demanding any form of favour for in-character benefits.
3.6.2 Likewise, you must not abuse an out-of-character relationship with a participant for in-character gain, such as the out-of-character group leader demanding people in their group give them their in-game resources.
3.6.3 Members of crew or staff must not abuse their responsibility by invoking their crew/staff status in any relationship with another participant in any way, for sexual, romantic, or material gain.
Criticising Others
3.7 You must not challenge another participant’s right to use aids and adaptations put in place for disabled or injured attendees.
3.7.1 Not every disability is visible or disclosed, and no attendee is required to disclose details or requirements to anyone outside of event safety or medical personnel.
3.7.2 Many disabilities or injuries are variable in their requirements; just because you saw someone walk or run unaided, does not mean they can do so consistently.
3.7.3 If you are certain someone is repeatedly using a facility or service they openly admit they don’t have a need for, to the detriment of disabled or injured attendees, you may report this to the Event Organiser to deal with. You must not publicly complain about the matter or take matters into your own hands.
3.8 Participants may give feedback on other player’s costumes and interpretations of the game, but this must be done in a polite manner to enhance everyone’s game immersion, and must not be used to insult or belittle anyone or single them out.
3.8.1 When giving feedback, you should always strive to include positives. If asked to stop giving feedback, stop giving feedback.
3.8.2 We encourage everyone to get the best costume they can, and always assume they are doing their best.
3.8.3 If you believe someone’s costume is inappropriate for the game and they do not plan to change it to be on brief, please contact us so we can judge whether our minimum guidelines have been contravened and what action is required. The game team are the only and final arbiters of whether costume and roleplay is appropriate for the setting.
3.8.4 These rules are in place to assist with building highly immersive events and encouraging collaboration between attendees.
3.9 Do not criticise other LARPs or events during our event or in our official online spaces.
Challenging Bad Behaviour at Events
3.10 Do not make public accusations of cheating.
3.10.1 If you suspect an attendee is cheating, you should report it to a referee at the event or email us with details.
3.10.2 If you suspect an attendee will cheat in a way that affects you (such as during a PvP attack), we advise you get a referee to accompany you to oversee and mediate the situation.
3.10.3 It may not always be clear whether an attendee is cheating the game mechanics or if they have a special ability that gives them specific custom rules. Only referees will have the full picture and be able to make the call on these matters.
3.11 If you feel safe to do so, please challenge any behaviour at events that violates our conduct rules.
3.11.1 If you do not feel able to do so, then please speak to the conduct team about the incident.
3.11.2 If your behaviour is challenged at an event, please listen in good faith and cooperate with affected parties and crew.
3.11.3 If you are challenged by a player, you may seek crew intervention at any time for arbitration of any challenge or disagreement. Crew reserve the right to temporarily withdraw players from active gameplay while an issue is resolved.
3.11.3 All parties are required to act civilly even when challenging poor behaviour. Confrontation in anger is never productive and risks hindering a swift and transparent resolution to issues.
3.12 You may ask another participant to leave your group tent or group campfire at any time.
3.12.1 Your social space at the event is considered to be your area – participants are only welcome to enter with your blessing.
3.12.2 You may add additional rules to your social space, such as a ban on smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol. However, you may not disregard any event rules.
Section 4: Sexual Conduct
Sexual Harassment
4.1 Sexual harassment will not be tolerated.
4.1.1 Continuation of any such conduct with someone who has indicated their lack of interest or discomfort will be treated as sexual harassment and dealt with accordingly.
4.2 Our definition of sexual harassment includes any of the following behaviour:
4.2.1 Repeatedly asking a person to socialise when they have indicated they are not interested, even if you are asking them to socialise at a time or place outside of the event.
4.2.2 Repeatedly standing or sitting too close to or brushing up against a person without their consent.
4.2.3 Sexual comments, banter, jokes, or innuendo in company that includes people who are not comfortable with it.
4.2.4 Sexualising or sexually objectifying another person without their consent.
4.2.5 Touching a person in an intimate or sexual way without their consent.
4.2.6 Any form of slut-shaming.
4.3 You must not sexualise other attendees against their wishes.
4.3.1 This rule covers not only how you speak to another attendee, but also how you speak about them, as well as any writing or art that you publish.
4.3.2 Portrayals of any character that is played by a person needs the explicit and enthusiastic consent of that person.
4.3.3 You and that person should also ensure you discuss how you’ll remove them from the work should they change their mind for any reason. If you have any doubts at all, don’t do it.
Sexual Activity and Performances
4.4 Sexual acts are strictly prohibited within any public or open communal event space.
4.4.1 You must not make other non-consenting people into an audience for overt sexual activity, nudity, displays, or performances whether in-character or out-of-character.
4.4.2 Everyone has different levels of comfort and we want to respect each other’s boundaries. Consensually kissing someone else in public at an event is fine, but if things are progressing beyond that then you must move to a private space such as your own tent. Please be aware that acts of public sex may constitute a criminal offence, and this includes any context where others may see or hear without their consent.
4.5 In-Game erotica, including written and drawn, is permitted.
4.5.1 Any promotion of erotica must be tasteful, discreet, and explicitly consented before showing the material.
4.5.2 Refer to 4.3; you must have explicit consent before creating erotica of any person or character played by a person.
Sexual Consent
4.6 We expect all participants to meet the specific standards for consent based on the FRIES model.
4.6.1 We encourage you to report any behaviour that falls short of these standards in any way that causes you distress.
https://www.voicesagainstviolence.org/what-is-consent/
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/relationships/sexual-consent
Section 5: Combat and Physical Contact
General Combat and Contact
5.1 By attending the event you consent to physical contact specifically in simulated combat situations with prop weapons, including foam LARP melee weapons, foam-fronted arrows, and foam blaster darts.
5.2 Individuals may signal to avoid combat contact (“non-combatant”) and you agree to endeavour to follow these requests.
5.2.1 Each of our Events may have a different way of signalling this, as explained in their individual Game Rules.
5.2.2 Signalling yourself as a non-combatant does not guarantee you won’t be accidentally hit. Individuals entering situations where simulated combat is taking place must make attempts to reduce their risk of contact in combat.
5.3 Consent is required prior to any other physical contact with an attendee, volunteer, or member of staff.
5.3.1 If you are unsure whether someone wants to be touched, you must ask them first, and not shame them or comment on their decision.
5.3.2 If you are roleplaying any form of healing or repairing armour, you must do so without contact unless you have explicitly checked in first and stated what you wish to do.
5.3.3 You must not grapple or roughly handle other participants without their consent.
5.4 You must have every prop weapon checked by the event safety team prior to using it, at every event.
5.4.1 If one of your weapons is failed by the safety team, you must store it in your car or tent, in a place it cannot be mistakenly used.
5.4.2 If you believe your weapon has been unfairly failed, you may escalate the decision to the Head of Safety. Their decision is final.
5.5 We take violations of safety rules very seriously.
5.5.1 Deliberate violations of safety rules where other players are involved may constitute a criminal offence, such as assault. Where a deliberate violation is believed to have occurred, appropriate steps may be taken.
5.5.2 We reserve the right to restrict player access to the game, or issue a ban, where a player is repeatedly shown to be unable to comply with safety rules, even where this is unintentional.
Melee
5.6 You must pull your blows with melee weapons: that is, reducing the speed and power of the swing at the last moment so you are not hitting someone with your full strength.
5.6.1 Everyone has a different tolerance to what is counted as a “pulled blow” or “too hard”, and you must adapt the strength of your blows upon feedback.
5.6.2 Consistent reports of dangerous, damaging, or otherwise heavy hits may result in you being barred from melee combat at that Event, and potentially all the Event Organiser’s games, for an unspecified length of time.
Blasters
5.7 You must use blasters safely.
5.7.1 You may only shoot targets over one metre away.
5.7.2 You must not use your blaster to block or strike at another attendee.
5.7.3 All darts must be of an approved type and in good condition.
5.7.4 All used darts must be checked by an approved dart checker before being used in combat again.
5.8 You must participate in dart clean-up if using blasters.
5.8.1 There will be a group clean-up period immediately after Time Out on Sunday. Everyone who used blasters at the event is required to spend 30 minutes assisting with dart clean-up.
5.8.2 Attendees are encouraged to clean up darts throughout the weekend, and may receive game bonuses for doing so. There will be drop-off points around camp so they can be safety checked.
5.9 You are likely to lose darts at the event.
5.9.1 You should not expect to return home with the same number of darts that you arrived with.
5.9.2 Collected darts that are in poor condition will be destroyed.
5.9.3 There will be a collection point at the end of the event for unclaimed darts. Any darts not collected are considered donations and will become property of the event.
5.9.4 Collecting more darts than you arrived at the event with is theft and will be dealt with accordingly.
Section 6: Costume and Camp Environment
Disability
6.1 Use of access aids and services is never considered immersion breaking.
6.1.1 Access aids are not required to follow in-game costuming rules.
Costume and Decorations
6.2 We reserve the right to ask attendees to remove any costumes, accessories, items of clothing, imagery or material that may cause offence to other attendees, staff, or members of the public. This also includes tent decorations, flyers and business cards, car decorations, or drawings.
6.2.1 It is not permitted to display any sign, symbol or clothing that bears resemblance to (or is commonly associated with) any organisation, party or political ideology that generally causes offence.
6.3 Nudity, and/or the wearing of explicit sex clothing/accessories, is considered inappropriate in any public spaces.
6.3.1 Nudity is defined as exposure of genitals or exposure of body parts that would be inappropriate in a general public setting. We realise this is not a genderless ruling, but is made in line with our other clothing rulings to avoid causing offence to other attendees, staff, or members of the general public.
6.3.2 Attendees are not to enter public areas while wearing costumes or items of clothing that are construed as being inappropriate or of an explicitly sexual nature, and we reserve the right to request attendees to remove or cover up such items.
6.4 These guidelines may be superseded by specific dress codes or codes of conduct for specific scheduled events. These will be advertised in advance and any changes to the code of conduct will need explicitly agreeing to before attendance.
Camp Setup
6.5 Our events plan the in-character campsite layouts with the assistance of camp planners.
6.5.1 You must follow the camp planner’s instructions on where to set up your in-character tents.
6.5.2 You must make the camp planner aware of any requirements you have for your setup, including size and number of tents, location preferences, accessibility needs, electricity needs, and attendee avoidances.
6.5.3 Camp planners will prioritise requests in this order: physical and mental wellbeing (including avoidances), game-mandated requirements, every group having 1 communal in-character tent, all tents being in-character, groups being together in their preferred setup structure, neighbour requests.
6.5.4 We hope to be able to fill all attendee’s camping preferences, and will contact individuals when we aren’t able to fill their requests.
Music and Loud Noises
6.6 Music played during Time In must be suitable for the setting.
6.6.1 Music must not be immersion breaking.
6.6.2 Where music does not fit our criteria we reserve the right to insist it is turned off.
6.6.3 The game team reserves the right to determine what fits the criteria (or not).
6.7 We reserve the right to ask you to turn down music or quieten down your activities if you are causing a disturbance to other attendees, regardless of the time.
6.8 Each venue will have a different noise curfew, after which no loud SFX or loud music should be played. The noise curfew will be listed in the event welcome pack or venue information.
Section 7: Alcohol, Intoxication, and Other Drugs
Alcohol
7.1 Attendees are reminded to consume alcohol responsibly. Excessive drinking is discouraged, and individuals exhibiting disruptive or intoxicated behaviour may be removed from any event space to ensure the safety and comfort of all participants.
7.1.1 Anyone intoxicated to the point of incapacity may be escorted to their tent or sleeping quarters, or ejected from the event.
7.1.2 You are expected to drink responsibly and know your own limits.
7.2 Anyone suspected of being over the driving limit for alcohol consumption will not be permitted to take part in any combat or battles until they are sober.
7.3 For venues with licensed premises;
7.3.1 If you appear to be intoxicated, any bar staff are legally required to refuse service for further alcoholic beverages for yourself, or someone attempting to purchase on your behalf.
7.3.2 Any on-site bar reserves the right to refuse service to anyone at any time.
7.3.3 It is prohibited to consume alcohol within licensed spaces which has not been purchased from that premises.
Smoking and Vaping
7.4 Smoking is not permitted in any buildings or communal tents.
7.4.1 The use of vapes and e-cigs is prohibited wherever smoking is.
7.5 Any waste or rubbish from smoking or vaping must be disposed of responsibly, and not discarded on the ground.
Other Substances
7.6 We operate a zero-tolerance policy to the use of illegal substances. The possession, consumption or sale of such items is strictly prohibited.
7.6.1 Attendees found in possession of such substances will be handed over to the police and may be banned from future events.
7.6.2 It is your responsibility as an attendee to be aware of local laws and regulations.
7.7 The abuse of any other substances (such as nitrous oxide, alkyl nitrites (“Poppers”), glue, “legal highs” etc.) is not permitted at the event.
7.8 There are exceptions to these rulings where a substance is a prescribed medical product, such as for pain relief. Please ensure you have your prescription or doctor’s note to hand to prove it is being used for this purpose, and restrict use to a non-public tent space.
7.9 Do not share your prescription medication with anyone.
7.9.1 Be aware which pain relief medications are restricted before offering them to anyone.
7.9.2 First aiders will not be able to offer any medication; you must bring your own.