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ShadowNET - Bylaws

The wording herein has been particularly chosen in regards to vernacular and ordering to achieve maximum clarity.

The below bylaws are set forth to codify the administrative processes and responsibilities which provide transparency and sustainability to ShadowNET.

Preface

Everyone:

All members of ShadowNET in any capacity are subject to Wheaton’s Law.

Article I

Players:

  1. Players shall be allowed a maximum of three (3) active characters at any time.
  1. “Active” characters are characters approved by the Character Team.
  2.  Upon accruing fifty (50) karma across all characters, the player unlocks permission to submit a “Run Faster” character for review.
  1. A “Run Faster” character is defined as any character who is a Metasapient, a Shifter, a Changeling (SURGE III only), or an Infected.
  1. SURGE I and II are not allowed due to bookkeeping constraints
  2. All Infected are “infertile”; they cannot infect other characters
  1. Players shall apply to Shadowrun sessions (henceforth referred to as “jobs”) which shall be posted on r/ShadowNET by Game Masters.
  2. Players may also request personalized jobs from Game Masters to further explore their character’s role within the ShadowNET living campaign.
  1. Types of personal jobs are defined in Article 2, section 3.1.
  2. In regards to Initiations and Submersions:
  1. Players may Initiate or Submerge without a personal run; they must then pay the full Karma cost.
  2. Players may Initiate or Submerge with a personal run; they may apply the appropriate Karma cost reduction.
  3. Players may Initiate or Submerge in a group (with appropriate in character motivation); they may apply the appropriate Karma cost reductions.
  1. Bans, Errata, and Modifications to the rules may be found HERE
  2. Players are encouraged to bring forth any issues they have with other Players, Game Masters, or members of the Council or Senate to the Diplomat or a member of the Investigation branch.
  3. Players shall have the ability to choose their own flair; this flair is for flavor purposes only.
  4. Players may only use one Reddit account to create characters.

        Article II

        Game Masters:

  1. There shall be four (4) general GM titles: Probationary GM, Full GM, Senior GM, and GM Head.
  1. Probationary GM: Any GM with less than three (3) runs as a Game Master on the NET shall be known as a Probationary GM. Probationary GM’s have the following restrictions and shall:
  1. Post a Run Proposal, which has to be approved by the GM Head or a Senior GM, before posting said run on r/ShadowNET.
  2. Post a Full AAR for any run they have led in the capacity of Probationary GM.
  3. Not GM a Private Run, Prime Run, or offer more than 15 GMP equivalence in rewards for a single run.
  4. Have the GM Head, Senior GM or, an appointee by the GM Head sit in on their first game as a GM to provide assistance if needed.
  1. Full GM: Any GM with three (3) or more runs as a Game Master on the NET shall be known as a Full GM. Full GM’s have the following restrictions and shall:
  1. Post a Run Proposal for any Prime Run or run exceeding 20 GMP equivalence in rewards.
  1. This proposal may be done via direct communication with the GM Head who will facilitate any required communication within the Council.
  1. Post a Short AAR for any run they GM.
  1. Senior GM: The GM Head may at their discretion appoint any Full GM as a Senior GM. A Senior GM is defined as any GM who assumes the responsibilities of the GM Head in their absence.
  1. The appointment of a Senior GM is subject to a Simple Vote by the Council.
  1. GM Head: The GM Head is the current Council Member in charge of GM’s as appointed in Article 3, Section 1.3.
  1. There shall be one (1) special GM title: Honorary GM
  1. An Honorary GM is any person who has distinguished himself in such a fashion that the Council has deemed it fit to award them with the title of Honorary GM.
  1. A qualified majority (herein meaning a two-thirds (⅔) majority) is required to appoint a person as an Honorary GM.
  2. The position of Honorary GM is for life, and can only be removed by a unanimous Council or Senate decision.
  3. An Honorary GM has all rights and privileges associated with but not limited to those of a Full GM.
  1. A GMP (Game Master Point) shall be defined as either one (1) Karma, or two thousand (2,000) Nuyen, or one (1) Contact Point. GMP may be applied to any of the member’s active characters.
  2. Game Masters shall be awarded ten (10) GMP for each public session they Game Master.
  1. A public session is defined as a Shadowrun posted to r/ShadowNET for the community at large to apply to and the chosen players to participate in.
  2. A Game Master shall also be awarded ten (10) GMP for a group Initiation or Submersion. Characters in a group Initiation or Submersion must have an appropriate reason for their characters to undertake an ordeal together. 
  1. Group Initiation or Submersions shall not be exempted from point 4.1.
  1. Game Masters shall be awarded five (5) GMP for each private session they Game Master.
  1. A private session is defined as a Shadowrun discussed and agreed upon by a Player and a Game Master with the purpose of allowing the Player to explore their character’s role within the ShadowNET living campaign. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  1. Favors for a Friend, to increase the characters standing with a character generation contact.
  2. Character Exploration, to further the character’s backstory or current personal plotline in the ShadowNET living campaign.
  3. Initiations or Submersions, to increase a character’s magical or technomantic prowess.
  1. Game Masters shall retain agency over their own game tables and their own storylines.
  2. Game Masters shall work with the Ministry of Media Head to present the consequences of their jobs to the community at large.
  3. Game Masters may convert no more than 10 GMP into Karma on their character per run aforementioned character has been on (including private runs).
  4. Game Masters shall work with the Metaplot Head to ensure that individual storylines do not cross paths unless all involved parties intend for the storylines to do so.
  5. Game Masters may at times be asked by the Metaplot Head to further the overarching storylines of the ShadowNET living campaign.
  6. Members may become Game Masters through the following process:
  1. The member shall message the Head Game Master.
  2. The Head Game Master shall either interview the candidate themselves or task a Senior Game Master to interview the candidate in their stead
  1. To be considered for a Probationary Game Master position it is required for a member of ShadowNET to participate, either playing or observing, in five (5) games of Shadowrun before applying to be a Game Master.
  2. The interview shall consist of a short conversation on Skype wherein the interviewer shall ask after the candidate’s experience running a tabletop game, experience with the Shadowrun setting, and answer any questions the candidate may have.
  3. Should the Head GM feel that they are not qualified to judge the  potential GM they shall recuse themselves.
  1. Upon recusal the Council will appoint a Temporary Investigator to handle the process of the GM Interview. This Temporary Investigator will report his findings to the Council along with a non-binding suggestion. The Council will then determine if the potential GM is inducted by simple vote.
  1. After the interview, the candidate shall be granted access to r/ShadowMinds, barring any serious concerns by the interviewer, which will be brought forth to the Council for a decision.

        

        Article III

        ShadowNET Procedures:

  1. Election Procedures Overview
  1. Both Councillors and Senators shall serve six month terms.
  2. Elections shall take place every two months
  3. Elections for the Senate shall first take place for the Senate, followed by elections for the Council, and finally for Diplomat when necessary.
  4. Elections shall be for the three most senior members of both bodies.
  5. Specific election processes for Senators, Councillors, and the Diplomat shall be enumerated in their respective sections.
  1. The Senate
  1. The number of Senators shall be set by Council, but shall at no time be less than three (3) or more than nine (9).
  1. Council will set the number of Senators by setting how many Senators will be elected. To this end they will make a proposal which must be ratified by Senate.
  1. Election Procedures:
  1. Senators shall be voted upon by the community at large, with each member of the community having one (1) vote.
  2. Any member of the community who wishes to serve as a Senator may put their name forth.
  3. The voting period for new Senators shall last no longer than three (3) days. When this time period elapses, the three (3) members of the community with the most votes shall replace the three most senior Senators. 
  1. The Senate shall concern themselves with the needs of the community by enacting Votes of No Confidence if a member of the Council does not live up to the standards of the community.
  1. A Vote of No Confidence complaint must be brought forth to the Investigation Branch, who will corroborate the validity of the claim and present the case to to Senate if the claim is found valid.
  2. The Senate may, once presented with a valid case, act upon the Vote of No Confidence by achieving agreement in the form of a Qualified Majority.
  1. The Senate shall vote upon the changing of the Bylaws when proposed by a Senator or Councillor.
  1. The Council
  1. Election Procedures
  1. Councillors shall be voted upon by the Senators, with each Senator having one (1) vote.
  2. Any member of the community who wishes to serve as a member of the Council may put their name forth.
  3. The voting period of new Councillors shall last no longer than three (3) days.
  4. Prospective Councillors must make themselves available to the answer questions from the Senate.
  5. The Senate must achieve a simple majority to vote in a prospective Councillor.
  1. The Council shall consist of nine (9) members: the Investigation Head,the Upkeep Head, the Bookkeeping Head, the GM Head, the Metaplot Head, the Media Head, the Rules Head, the Character Review Head, and the Archetypal Guidance Head.
  2. The Council shall vote upon issues brought to the Heads by the community regarding the overall well-being of the ShadowNET community.
  3. Issues handled by the Council include, but are not limited to:
  1. Banning
  1. Temporary Bans require a simple majority by the Council
  2. Permanent Band require a Unanimous Quorum by the Council.
  1. Changes to current gameplay.
  1. Requires a Simple Majority
  1. Amendments to the Bylaws.
  1. Requires a Qualified Majority
  1. Electing the Diplomat, both normally and in the situation of a Vote of No Confidence for the Diplomat.
  1. Requires a Qualified Majority
  1. The Diplomat
  1. Election Procedures
  1. The Diplomat is a Senator and shall be elected by the Senate.
  1. The Diplomat is a representative of the Senate to the Council.
  2. The Diplomat shall sit in on all matters handled by the Council in an advisory position, meaning that they have no vote on the matters discussed theirin.
  1. Voting
  1. Any Senator or Councillor shall recuse themselves from any vote directly involving themselves.
  2. No vote shall be called without a quorum of at least 50% of the voting body present, save voting upon new Senators
  3. There shall be five (5) types of vote, these types are defined as: Simple Vote, Simple Majority, Qualified Majority, Unanimous Quorum, and Full Unanimous
  1. Simple Vote: A simple vote is called upon a minor point of order where agreement is expected. A simple vote passes as long as no voting member present objects. If objections are raised the simple vote is immediately escalated to a Simple Majority.
  2. Simple Majority: A simple majority shall be defined as 51% of the current voting members present.
  3. Qualified Majority: A qualified majority shall be defined as 66% of the voting members present.
  4. Unanimous Quorum: A unanimous quorum shall be defined as 100% of the voting members present
  5. Fully Unanimous: A fully unanimous vote requires every member of the voting body to vote in favor.
  1. Miscellaneous
  1. Changing the Bylaws shall require a Qualified Majority in both the Senate and the Council.
  1. A vote to change the Bylaws shall last three (3) days, or until the entirety of Senate and Council have voted.
  1. The Diplomat position, the nine Branch Head positions which compose the Council, and the nine positions in the Senate shall be mutually exclusive; no member of the community shall hold more than one of the above positions.