LEX SCAENAE
Part A: structure of the THEATRUM ROMANUM group:
- ROLEPLAY GUESTS:
All of the ROMA citizens interested in roleplaying ("rp") MUST join the theatrum romanum group. It is open enrollment. They can experience the particular lite roleplay of ROMA and understand if they are willing to advance to a more structured rp-personality
- ROMA ROLEPLAYERS:
The roleplayer is fully integrated in the rp-community of ROMA; they must have a "persona", a mask, that is an ancient name and a personal history. To achieve this status you must submit your rp-name and your history to the president of the COMITIA TRIBUTA, who will discuss it with you and with another member of the COMITIA, to check its compatibility with our environment. Your name and history will then be added to the official list at http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=stories. It is recommended that new roleplayers wait at least 2 weeks before finalizing a name and history after joining the group to allow the Praeses to evaluate your roleplay skills and decide how to incorporate your history into the global environment.
- GENTES
Only those families listed on the Tabularium list have a license to operate in ROMA as a roleplay entity. The name board contains information about how to join each family. It is not necessary to join a family to roleplay in ROMA. To start a family group, you must have at least three people who make up the family and all must have been regular participants in the ROMA community for at least three months. BEFORE you found the group, you must apply for recognition to the emperor, who will consult the Comitia Tributa before giving permission. Talk with the Praeses of the comitia who will help you in preparing the petition to the emperor. Do not spend the founding money until you get your license back.
- COMITIA TRIBUTA:
As with the historical one, this is the council of the tribes of ROMA. Its members can organize events, decide controversies, give guidelines to the roleplay, notify infractions to the consul and suggest punishments for misbehavior (warnings, fine, temporary banishment, permanent banishment, and removal of the family from the roster of families in the Tabularium). The first members of the Comitia are the active owners of an official family, (formerlly called "praetores scaena"), with the consuls and the emperor as honorary members. Other members can be added by individual request or by invitation, after an election by majority (in case of tie the president counts as 2 votes). Every active official family has right to have at least one member in the comitia. If no one from that family group is willing to be active and help direct the roleplay, then there is no need for that family group.
- COM. TRIB. PRAESES:
The president of the COMITIA. He or she convokes the COMITIA by their own initiative or on request of a member of it. He or she makes effective the decisions of the COMITIA, manages the roles, the lists, the personal histories of the members, and represents the group in the Comitia Curiata. The Praeses is chosen by the emperor and can be dismissed by his will, for his own renounce or with a motion of no-confidence of the comitia (with the majority of the members).
RELATION BETWEEN THE GROUP AND THE GENTES:
The rules of SL groups state that an owner (pater/mater familias) is the "king" of his group, but for roleplay purposes some guidelines and some rules must be followed to remain members of the theatrum. Those rules also support the new "Cursus Honorum", which is not a roleplay system, but it provides a path, the patrician one, that passes through the gentes and their owners. Any new members of a gens must be added with a tag of "cliens" or equivalent (i.e."affinis", in case of wedding); that is a step lower than the full membership (like the guests in the theatrum group). After an adequate space of time in which the qualities of the citizen are tested, he can be upgraded to member. In case of uncertainty, the COMITIA TRIBUTA can solve the problems, even allowing to jump the state of cliens, for instance in case of renown qualities of the citizen). Every pater familias must hold an event to present the new member to the community.
Part B: Rules of roleplaying in Roma
To take part in ROMA roleplay (and to distinguish it from the general social), you MUST do the following:
I. Read and respect the 12 Tables (look under the land covenant window). These continue to be in effect regardless of roleplay status.
II. Be a member of the Theatrum Romanum Group (temporary membership of willing guests are encouraged, but if they decided to frequent the community they have to join the group)
III. Roleplaying in ROMA is a particular one: we are not strictly bound to the classical rules and people often could exit from roleplay and pass in OOC mode (out of character), that could be considered an "error" in other full roleplay estates. Nevertheless it must be very clear to all that you are rolelplaying, at least when the actions or the sentences could become "aggressive".All the possible precautions must be kept to avoid misunderstandings on this matter. We recommend you adopt the following:
- wearing the Theatrum tag or a flip title "* ROMA roleplayer *"
- send clear signals you are roleplaying in the chat, in double brackets ((hey, I'm roleplaying)) or in IM
- plan with the other personages the more complex/dangerous situations before to play (see also point VIII)
IV. When speaking in roleplay mode, you may say something ‘out of character’ (OOC) by placing it within brackets “(())”. Keep roleplay conversations and experiences separate from non-roleplay ones as much as possible: as said before, errors are largely tolerated but let's try to keep a minimum of style.
V. Enemies in roleplay should harbor no ill feelings outside of roleplay.
VI. Please note that the default experience of ROMA is not roleplay, it is social. Therefore not every ROMA event will be a roleplay event. Those that are roleplay events will be clearly marked and advertised as so. Only in those events roleplayers should feel free to ignore regular Citizens who are not roleplaying (or do not have their title/tag on); in other situations they should at least advice the guests ((sorry, we are roleplaying)). If you want to socialize with someone while he is in roleplay mode, speak in OOC brackets.
VII. Within roleplay, no player should have anything done to them without consent (e.g. arrest/trial, being robbed, attacked etc.) No action can happen to another player that they do not agree to beforehand - either by private IM or out of character discussion. Any player trying to force the roleplay in such a way will be in violation of the rules.
VIII. ROMA is not a historical recreation sim. The Emperor Julian Augustus is not the same person as Julian the Apostate from the fourth century CE. ROMA is not ancient Rome. Instead, ROMA exists outside of the historical framework and exists on the Second Life grid, not ancient Italy. ROMA roleplay is its own community, loosely based on ancient Roman culture of the 2nd century CE. It has its own history and relationships with other roleplay cultures (such as Germanic tribes, Egyptians, Greeks, etc). It can be thought of as an alternate universe. Anachronisms will be tolerated. This is tremendous opportunity to develop a unique experience with ancient Roman culture and history.
IX. After every roleplay encounter in the sim, you are encouraged to ‘blog’ about it on the http://romacitizens.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=romafamilies. In this way, everyone will be kept abreast of any roleplay plot developments.
X We endeavor to act fairly, but violation of the Lex Scaenae or the 12 Tables may result in a warning, fine, temporary banishment, or permanent banishment.
XI Roleplaying gives you no special authority in the estate. Unless in very special events, the consuls will not be roleplaying with you.
XII The introduction of the "cursus honorum" in the social environment of Roma SPQR gives opportunities to roleplay, but one must always keep in mind that the cursus honorum ranks imply social duties that must be attended and, specially when the proper tag is worn, have the precedence on the roleplay.
XIII Roleplaying in the Subura or Ostia: If you are a Subura or Ostia plot renter, you have the ability to hold any event at any time on your plot, including roleplay events. You also control access to your plot. You are rex or regina of your plot (bound only by the renters agreement and the 12 Tables). We ask you, however, to uphold the Lex Scaenae if your event is a roleplay event.
XIV Roleplayers are allowed to choose any of the following for their roleplay persona:
Any civic profession (for example: Merchant, Blacksmith, Baker, Veteran, etc)
Any family role inside a Family Group (Domina, Paterfamilius, Cousin, etc) where recognized by the group owner.
The following are forbidden unless approved by the Theatrum officers and allowed by the Emperor:
A rolelplay job or identity can reflect a sim ownership, government, or management role (for example: Ambassador, Consul, etc)
Any Imperial family connection (cousin to the Emperor, etc)
An existing Group role without prior membership in that group (Senator, Praetorian, etc)
XV. At this time we have no desire to join with any other existing roleplay communities or other Roman themed lands around SL. ROMA roleplay is self contained within the ROMA estate. Actions done in other sims will have no effect on ROMA roleplay. Please remove all other land's roleplay gadgets and combat meters while in ROMA.
We may amend or annotate the Lex Scaena at any time.
SPQR
Approved by Emperor Julian Augustus november 2013
