themes_and_accessibility [Planetfall]

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====== Themes and Accessibility ======

The //Planetfall// team would like the game to be as accessible as possible. If you would like to ask us to make an adjustment or accommodation in order to make the game more accessible to you, please let us know and we will explore what we can do.

All games run by the Oxford LARP Society are subject to the Conduct and Acceptable Themes Policy which can be found on [[https://www.oxfordlarp.com/index.php/policies/|the OLS website]]. It is expected that all GMs and players will be familiar with this policy when playing //Planetfall//.

//Planetfall// has the potential to be both dark and light in tone depending on the adventure being run.  Necessarily, since the game deals with being stranded in a star system with no outside help, there is a dark undertone to the game, but the week-to-week adventures will certainly not be all doom and gloom!

We don't want to make players feel uncomfortable if they don't want to be. Below is a list of potentially upsetting topics which you may encounter in the game. Please feel free to let us know ([[planetfall.larp@gmail.com]]) any topic (including those listed below) that you would prefer to avoid - while we can't guarantee you won't be exposed to such themes (especially where other players are involved), we will do our best to limit your exposure as much as possible or flag to you when we know an upcoming Mission run by others may feature these themes.

===== Potentially Sensitive Themes That May Occur ======

These topics will be present in the game to some degree. It is likely that your character will be directly exposed to several of them, and you will hear about more second hand. It is expected that you treat these subjects in an appropriate manner. This not an exhaustive list of topics that may appear in the game.

  * **Discrimination on the basis of physical disability or mental health condition** - given the stresses of surviving in a star system cut off from support - and interactions with metaphysically powerful entities - characters may find themselves subject to such discrimination.  Use of prosthetics and aids to mitigate disability is not considered shameful in any way.  This theme should be handled sensitively by all participants and use of real-world slurs is absolutely forbidden.
  * **Portrayals of disabilities, including but not limited to sensory impairments, mobility impairments, and mental illness** - various effects may physically or mentally affect characters.  Some characters may have cybernetic enhancements that are similar to prosthetics.  All attendees are expected to portray these aspects sensitively.
  * **Self-Harm and Suicide** - elements of harming oneself to unlock powers or to perform a sacrifice will be present in //Planetfall// but should not be presented as an expression of emotional distress.
  * **Torture** - characters may torture each other and some abilities could certainly be applied in that way.  Participants enacting such scenes should check the comfort of other participants and 'fade to black' as appropriate.
  * **Manifestation of degenerative illness** - the Decay is a force of deterioration and entropy that affects a wide portion of the game.  Though real-world degenerative illnesses will not be present, effects bearing similarity may occur.
  * **Pregnancy** - you may not generate a pregnant character, nor may your character become pregnant during play; however, pregnancy-related stories may be present in characters' backstories. All pregnancies are assumed to succeed in setting. The creation of other life in the form of robots/AI may occur as a theme: this should not be treated as equivalent to pregnancy.
  * **Common phobia triggers, such as spiders or needles** - these may occur - particularly in regards to medical roleplay - participants should be considerate of phobias others may have and adjust their roleplaying accordingly when made aware.
  * **Addiction, such as drug or gambling addiction** - This may occur in the course of the game and players are advised to handle the subject sensitively due to being unable to know the real-life experiences of nearby players.  Some items may directly introduce drug addiction.
  * **Homelessness** - This may occur in the course of the game and is a likely theme due to being stranded. Players are advised to handle the subject sensitively due to being unable to know the real life experiences of nearby players.
  * **Extreme violence** - Brutal fighting is a staple of the system, which has a high focus on combat. Many combat abilities inflict violence in visceral or intense ways IC.
  * **Extreme gore** - As with the above, brutal acts of violence can result in some very gory situations IC.  The HARVEST call is a direct roleplay cue related to this theme.
  * **Slavery** - There is no caste, class or ethnicity of people that are or have ever been slaves, and the institutional practice of slavery is non-existent. Such a practice is utterly unheard of in the history of the world, has never occurred, and would be seen as not only wrong, but inconceivable by any of its inhabitants. However, a situation may arise where, on an individual level, one person may force another to work without compensation, as well as determining their accommodation or lifestyle, without the target being able to choose otherwise.
  * **Genocide** - the risk of extinction of species (or all life) is a theme that may occur in //Planetfall//. However, be mindful that Discrimination on the basis of Species is a Forbidden topic and so genocide based on speciesism/racism against sapient Species must not be introduced.
  * **Mind Control or other means of removing agency** - there is no direct mind control in //Planetfall// but roleplay effects may be given that modify a character's perception or emotions.
  * **Animal Abuse** - battles with wildlife may occur, as may elements attempting to capitalise cruelly on wildlife. 
  * **Discrimination on the basis of national / planetary identity** - different worlds in //Planetfall// have different agendas and ways of looking at things, and there is a certain amount of favouritism toward the more established civilisations.  This will occur, but parallels to real-world racism are not permitted - as such, discrimination against (sapient) Species is not allowed at all; every world has a sufficient mixture of people that this is simply not a unique identifier, and characters are encouraged to respond in a shocked/confused manner IC if any discriminatory comments are accidentally made.
  * (Described) **Consensual sexual contact** - It is permissible to engage in these behaviors, but due sensitivity should be given around the portrayal of such, with 'fade to black' being used for anything more involved than gentle flirting or kissing. We ask anyone who would engage in such roleplay to be especially careful to make sure participants are comfortable OC at every step.

===== Forbidden Topics =====

These topics must not be mentioned, even in backstory, by either the players or the GMs.

  * **Sexual assault, sexual coercion or any other form of non-consensual sexual activity** //This applies to all OLS games//
  * **Sexual activity with those lacking the capacity to consent e.g. children** //This applies to all OLS games//
  * **Sexual harassment** //This applies to all OLS games//
  * **Use of real-world discriminatory slurs** //This applies to all OLS games//
  * **Portrayals of real-world religions, historical figures, or events** There is no Earth in //Planetfall// - real-world elements will not occur.
  * **Discrimination on the basis of Species** - this corresponds too closely with simulating real-world racism, and as such we do not want to explore it.  Multiple sapient species exist in //Planetfall// and get along harmoniously, and it has always been that way.
  * **Consensual Incest**
  * **Genital mutilation or castration**
  * **Miscarriage and stillbirth**
  * **Domestic abuse**
  * **Child abuse**
  * **Eugenics**
  * **Eating Disorders** - themes of scarcity of food may occur but eating disorders as an expression of emotional distress are not a theme we want to explore.
  * **Cannibalism** - sapient Species do not eat other sapient Species, this would be considered cannibalism as much as eating a member of your own Species.
  * **Derogatory Stereotypes about Nomadic groups** - while there are Nomadic elements to the setting (Fleet 18, the Stranded Fleet, Spacefarers), there is no discrimination against such a lifestyle and (in addition to the obvious ban on OC slurs) derogatory stereotypes about travellers are completely prohibited.