The wearing of a collar, be it a snug-fitting adornment of silver or gold with a throatplate, or just a tight band of cold, cruel iron clamped at the nape of one's neck, is occasionally seen in the #Pleasuredome. This is not a mere piece of jewelry. This is an option for some characters, and this is not a matter to be taken lightly when considering creating a Master or Slave character.
Collaring, practiced by those who own slaves, entails the placing of the collar upon the neck of one's slave. The public sees the etching in the plate at the base of the throat, signifying the initials of whom the slave belongs. Several slaves may wear collars with the same initials if they are owned by the same Master--it's not uncommon for slave owners to own more than just one. Important: On the same note, "Owners" shall not hand out collars to just anyone... this is explained below. Also, slaves can't just "take them off"..collars lock. Only Master has the key.
Collaring is NOT for IC/OOC "lovers" or light roleplayers, or the faint of heart. (Pregnant women and those with back problems are asked not to partake, and please keep your hands and feet inside the ride :P ). Seriously, creating and portraying Master and Slave is for the committed roleplayers who can truly throw themselves into their roles. It's not for someone who is unsure how to interact with others, or is unwilling to compromise. Most often, the Masters who wow their fellow roleplayers are those that carefully select just one or two slaves, and tend to them..having ten characters with collars bearing your character's initials might "look cool", but it's also hard to explain how a Master would keep control of such a flock of slaves. Collars are a bond; choose to whom you give one wisely.
The allowing of Collaring between characters is not done in many medieval roleplaying games for the following reasons:
*It's more intense and dark than an IC "marriage." There is definitely a tilted balance of power, and sometimes a closer bond.
Guidelines for Master/Slave Partnerships
1. Set your limits with your partner, not only taking the Crystal Shores Rules and separate Slave Rules into account, but also your own OOC limitations. You are, in becoming part of a team, particularly as the slave, entrusting a lot of authority to another on what your character will be allowed/not allowed to do.
But, for example: Jill and Mark would like to team with each other and roleplay slave and Master. They know each other well OOC, and the only issue Jill isn't comfortable with is scening something of her character getting beaten. Now, if Jill is staunch and firm and unwilling to even imagine this happening, then Jill should reconsider her wish of having a slave character. Master *is* allowed to do that, it's within his rights. A slave is property. *But* if Jill has a Superior stat of Beauty, and she wishes to preserve that, she might set the limit, ooc, in 1-1 with Mark that she while the Jill character could be subject to being beaten as the Master deems necessary, they would agree not permanently scar or disfigure the character. That would be a respectable limit, and understood between Mark and Jill, which could of course be discussed again later on, in an ongoing roleplaying relationship. Of course, that ooc agreement of preserving Jill's character's beauty would not be known IC, meaning Jill{M} *would* continue to be afraid that this *could* happen to her, at Master Mark's ic hands.
2. Both partners should know each other well enough both IC and OOC, and be able to separate fantasy rpg scening from reality..hence the caution given before allowing characters to collar. It's not suggested that you choose to enter a Master/Slave IC relationship with a stranger, or someone you just met five minutes ago. Take your time. You don't need to have this ultimate rp team by tonight, or next week. You might have a main character completely different and make a Master or Slave as a secondary character, after giving it time and thought. This is NOT for everyone, the same way not everyone could play a Knight, or a Fighter, or a Mage, etc. But this is a challenging role for those seeking to stretch their rp abilities.
3. If you team up and it seems like it's not working out, don't decide hastily to sell the slave. If a slave changes hands too often, it cheapens the character, making her/him more of a "flavor of the month" than a favored subservient, and habitual turnover (example: Sally{P} was Sally{C} yesterday; the day before that she was Sally{R}, and tomorrow she might be Sally{X}, for no real RP reason) will, along with becoming a laughing stock, find herself with XP penalties assessed. It also reflects poorly on all of the slave characters. This is not to say that a slave *can't* be sold; actually, they can be sold privately, or auctioned; but don't throw in the towel with your partner before really thinking about it first. Consult the Help Desk if you have any concerns on compatibility, or if there are irreconcilable differences that make it impossible to be a team.
3. Both players (Master and Slave) will write to the Help Desk before utilizing the Collar in the channel, even if both are veteran characters. The e-mails sent in will say, basically, that you, the (Master/Slave) is currently partnering with (other player's name here) and have consented to work as a RP team; that you have not only discussed but understand the slave rules, and will abide by them. This prevents us having to investigate complaints in the future regarding inappropriate behaviors, such as harassment/sexual harassment.
4. Collaring is very personal to both the Slave and the Master. The actual relationship of the two characters shifts in dynamic when one character becomes so integrally a part of the other's life: The Slave has relinquished control over everything that a free person doesn't give much thought to, like their gold, their coming and going at will (as an aside: It is not unheard of for RP teams to have a "curfew" for the slave character, example: Mary and Russell, two fictional ooc people, have made an agreement that, if Russell is not on the server by 10pm on weeknights, Mary's character must leave the room, rp'ing her way out for example, by catching herself and a bit startled, hastily announcing at 9:55, "I must leave now, Master expects me promptly at ten." Mary has a secondary character and will come right back, but Mary's slave character has a curfew to make, or she will be "in trouble." Seeing an owned slave running around day and night with a rarely present owner isn't plausible. It must be considered if Mary's character would be allowed these freedoms.)
Also, setting the precedent on the rest of the collared slaves, it is to be noted that the slave's behavior directly reflects upon the Master, and with the collar comes the responsibility of answering to Him. (Example: Some time ago, the characters of Cipriana{BK} and owner, the now-deceased BossKuno, playing as Slave and Master until recently.) This Answering works in two ways: He was her Guardian, as well as her Lifeline. He now had the authority to judge her actions more harshly than those that he has not lain such a personal claim upon. She answered to him, and was accountable only to him, or one he designates in his absence. Where her collar might constrict her physically, altering certain actions, the collar is also a legal and emotional hold on her as well. In turn, he is legally responsible for his property; example: if she gets into trouble and is in custody of the SSAG, he would be the one they would contact regarding bail. He has full authority over her: Her gold and how it can be spent; "curfew" if any; whom she can speak to, whom she can't.
Imagine this Example: BossKuno revokes Cipriana's permission to speak for one hour during a Pleasuredome visit. Now, will Cipriana's portrayer sit mute at her keyboard for 60 minutes?
No. This is where non-verbal rp comes into play. She might use her eyes or hands, or do anything not involving words for this time. And if Cipriana disobeys, it is Boss Kuno's right to take her in hand.
A Master who finds himself with a disruptive slave has recourse, but should try to avoid the avoidable troubles, as you will see in the following two different scenarios:
In the same vein, a Slave who finds him/herself feeling ooc intimidated, or finds themselves having their character played for them: example: Master Joe performs the following action.
In closing, 5. Most importantly, it should be noted that Slaves are the property of their Masters, and while the Slave answers to the owner, the slave is *not* Everyone Around Him/Her's slave, unless the Master orders it in a scene. Example: Mike{R} is the fictional slave of Roxanne. Displeased with him, she brings him to Pleasuredome one night, on a leash. She orders him to sit at her feet for the night, without permission to speak. Roxanne's IC friends enter, and Roxanne orders Mike to wait upon them, getting drinks, food, etc. That is within Roxanne's rights as Mike{R}'s owner. But someone with no ties to the slave cannot force them to fetch drinks for them, or anything else.
If the slave has done something to displease someone other than his/her Master, the offended party should bring that to the Master's attention, rather than deal with the slave personally.
*If done by a novice, the IC relationship could cause OOC emotions one did not foresee happening..sometimes detrimentally.
*Even for the experienced roleplayer, can portraying a realistic character of slave or Master get uncomfortable? Yes, if you're not careful.
Example: the fictitious character, "James" decides, against better judgment, to team with "Lara", a newcomer he doesn't know, and become Master and Slave. They file the proper paperwork with Help Desk and he attaches her collar. And then once in the channel, Lara{J} shows herself to be either: 1. Not serious about the character (Ignoring the Master, or "/me takes the collar off and throws it away", or shows no sign of true interaction), or: 2. The same scenario takes place, meeting, acting hastily, registering and coming online as a team. Lara{J} then shows herself to be a spammer/acts in such a way that's going to earn herself a game ban. Either way, Lara{J} will be shown the door by our GMs. And the Master will be sent a letter that, in brief, will strongly suggest using common sense before being asking again for approval of this class.
"Master_Joe grabs his slave Danielle, and begins methodically peeling the skin off of her finger with his dagger. He smiles as she bleeds, ignoring her cries. Then he moves on and takes off her shoe, and begins to sever her toes. "You should've served my dinner warm," Joe says nonchalantly. "Maybe then this wouldn't have happened."
You'll see that Danielle was not allowed to react at all to this. Several stat or attack rolls for something like this would take place, and any ooc compromises worked out between the characters would take precedence over rolls of the dice. The slave would also be given an attempt to evade. If you look, you'll see that Joe grabbed her, took out his dagger and peeled her skin, then grabbed her leg and cut off her toes. Danielle didn't get a chance to portray her character. This would be powergaming on Joe's part, and the action would be nullified immediately. Joe might also, as Lara{J} above, be shown the door, or walked to the ramp of the Ship of Fools.
Click here to proceed to the Crystal Shores Slave and Master Rules Subsection