Template:Escalation Clause

Escalation Clause

0) This is a cooperative roleplay environment and the general ask is to be respectful of other players and their time and show people courtesy. Escalation rules aren't a checklist to frag, they're a guideline for violent resolutions. Behave in a way that makes sense in the situation but keep in mind you are creating a story with your fellow players and not competing against them.

1) Escalation resulting in murder is only acceptable within reason. If the situation could be reasonably interpreted as life threatening, you may respond with lethal force. In most cases, even among kindred, fights end when one party enters critical condition or in extreme cases, torpor. You do not need to explicitly express intent to a player you intend to escalate against. Mechanical acts such as moving with melee range, drawing a weapon, attempting to hail allies, 'fighting words,' or other means of manipulating a scene are considered minor escalations and a cue of additional escalation.

1.1: What goes around, comes around. Reciprocal response as well as proportional escalation is expected against aggression.

2) If you appear hostile, expect to be treated as hostile. Contextual clues such as appearance, equipment, and other abstract qualities may be considered for escalation. Players that blatantly violate the Masquerade or Veil may be treated as previously escalated against. Some non-exhaustive examples include:

Police officers with SWAT equipment, attempting to interdict a person or group
A diablerist existing within the Domain of San Francisco (Exceptions granted by roleplay are not all encompassing and are not held to admin protection)
Persons visually committing violations of San Francisco law (Possession of weapons, etc)

3) Similarly, over escalation is prohibited. Over escalation is, briefly, going far beyond the required means to handle a dispute, without a reasonable justification. Some non exhaustive examples include:

Final death of a kindred for a mild breach of domain such as trespass
Beheading a player for being annoying rather than a material concern
Denying the rescue of a crit victim or corpse to prevent their reentry into the round, without reason
Killing another player primarily due of lack of other means to detain the victim

4) During a blood hunt, the target of the hunt is considered to have been previously escalated against. The subject of the blood hunt may in turn freely escalate against any party they believe to have hostile intent.