Server Rules

Respect the Community

Toxic behavior, slurs, harassment, or bullying will result in an immediate permanent ban. We are here to tell stories together.

You Must Be 18+

This server contains mature themes. Underage players will be removed.

Microphone Required

A working, decent high quality microphone is required to play. No text-to-speech.

English-First Communication

Iron Range is an English-first community for public channels and public in-character scenes.

Other languages can be used when it meaningfully supports character roleplay, but players in shared scenes must still be able to follow what is happening.

Non-Verbal and Alternate-Language Characters

If you want to play a non-verbal character or a character whose primary spoken language is not English, get staff approval first so scene quality and accessibility are preserved.

No Cheating, Exploits, or Third-Party Advantage

Using cheats, injected resources, scripts/macros, crosshairs, aim assist, or any third-party tool that creates an unfair advantage is prohibited.

Knowingly abusing bugs or exploits is also prohibited. Report exploits instead of using them.

Restricted Sensitive Content

Erotic roleplay, sexual misconduct, forced relationship roleplay, suicide/self-harm roleplay, and child roleplay are not permitted here.

Staff Communication and Case Handling

Official communication with staff should happen through designated support/report channels.

Staff reviews reports and disciplinary decisions internally to protect fairness, consistency, and player privacy.

Confidentiality of Disciplinary Decisions

Details of reports, evidence, deliberations, and disciplinary outcomes are treated as confidential between staff and directly involved parties.

Public callouts, rumor-posting, or partial retellings of active/closed cases are not considered constructive conflict resolution.

Public Clarification When Necessary

If misinformation is being spread or a situation materially impacts community trust, staff may issue a limited public clarification to set the record straight.

When this happens, staff will share only the minimum necessary facts/context rather than full private case records.

No Rule Lawyering or Technicality Abuse

"Rule lawyering," "actually/technically" arguments, or attempts to exploit ambiguous wording to justify behavior that undermines roleplay are not in line with community standards.

Our rules are written to preserve immersion and give players broad freedom to create meaningful stories, not to create loopholes. Staff may enforce both the letter and the spirit of the rules when actions are clearly aimed at devaluing roleplay through technicalities.

Value Your Life (NVL)

You must value your character's life at all times. If someone has a gun to your head, you comply. You are not a superhero.

Stay In Character

Do not break character. If there is a rule break or bug, report it through designated channels after the scene concludes (see Staff Communication and Case Handling). Do not pause RP to complain.

Metagaming

Using information gained outside of the game (Discord, streams, etc.) to influence in-game actions is strictly prohibited.

Era Consistency

Our setting is turn-of-the-century frontier roleplay. Keep language, references, and behavior believable for the world rather than modern-day culture.

Multi-Character Boundaries

Each character must stand on their own. Knowledge and relationships learned on one character do not transfer to another unless re-established in character.

Fresh-Start Character History

You may bring an inspired concept from elsewhere, but this server is its own timeline.

Do not import detailed cross-server conflicts, named "states," or unresolved server-specific history into current scenes.

Supernatural Boundaries

Characters may hold spiritual beliefs or superstitions, but literal supernatural powers or confirmed supernatural entities are not allowed without prior staff approval.

High-Impact Character Concepts

Serial killer or similarly extreme predatory concepts require staff approval before those stories begin.

Pin Board

• Immersion-Focused Content: All postings should be presented in an in-character, period-appropriate format, such as public notices, event flyers, business advertisements, or job postings (e.g. offering horse training services, selling ranch supplies, or seeking laborers).
• No Direct Communication: The pin board is not to be used for direct, person-to-person communication. Please use telegrams or written notes for individual correspondence when necessary.

Torture Roleplay

Prior written consent is required before engaging in any form of torture roleplay. Consent must be clearly documented, either through Discord or in-game using /me, and must be available for verification if requested.

Participants must establish and agree upon the extent and limitations of the interaction in advance (e.g. permitting severe bodily harm but prohibiting limb removal).

Initiation

Any attempt to injure, incapacitate, or capture another player must begin with clear and appropriate roleplay initiation.

Players must communicate their character's intent using available tools (e.g. /me or /do commands, tone, and physical cues).

Other participants must be given a reasonable opportunity to respond, comply, or negotiate prior to any escalation.

Escalation and Story Intent

Violence should be the culmination of roleplay tension, not the opening move.

The goal is to create a meaningful scene with consequences, not to force fast wins.

RDM (Random Death Match)

Attacking another player without valid roleplay initiation or history is forbidden. You must communicate intent before violence.

Injury Realism

Weapons and serious falls should have lasting roleplay consequences.

After major injuries, roleplay believable pain, treatment, and recovery.

VDM (Vehicle Death Match)

Using your horse or vehicle as a weapon to run people over without valid RP reason is not allowed.

New Life Rule (NLR)

NLR applies when you choose to respawn, and respawning includes a pocket wipe.

If you are assisted by a player doctor or a medical assistant, this does not qualify under NLR. These situations should be treated as receiving medical attention without severe injury, and players should roleplay the extent of their injuries appropriately.

When NLR applies after respawn, your memory of the preceding events becomes fragmented; you may recall general locations or companions, but specific granular details are lost to trauma.

These "RP strings" allow for continued investigation and story arcs without providing enough clarity for immediate retaliation.

Additionally, you must not return to the scene of your incapacitation for at least 15 minutes.

Robbery

Criminal activity should prioritize items of clear monetary value, such as cash, firearms, and jewelry.

If taking items without direct monetary value, there must be a clear and reasonable roleplay justification (e.g. a letter that could be used as leverage against the sender or recipient).

"Pocket wiping" is not permitted.

Rob or Down

Players must choose between robbing or incapacitating ("downing") an individual; both actions may not be performed in the same interaction.

If a player is compliant during a robbery, they may not be downed.

Hogtying

Players who are hogtied should not attempt to escape unless they have been left unattended.

Always consider the context of the situation and how your actions will impact the overall roleplay experience for all participants.

Hostage Roleplay

Players should remain mindful of potential time constraints affecting others involved in hostage scenarios.

If an extended roleplay duration is anticipated, prior written consent from all involved parties is required.

Hostage Authenticity

Hostages should be unwilling participants with real narrative stakes.

Using pre-arranged friendly hostages to bypass risk or force favorable terms is not allowed.

No Forced Injuries or Forced Perma

You cannot force another player to go unconscious, accept a specific injury, or permanently kill their character.

For torture or extreme mutilation themes, explicit prior consent is required (see Torture Roleplay).

Third-Party Interference

Major set-piece crime scenes (for example active bank/train robbery scenes or getaways) should not be interrupted by unrelated groups.

Law response to active crime is always allowed. Other interference must be organically established in roleplay before escalation.

Keep Conflict Numbers Reasonable

We are intentionally less restrictive than many servers, but scenes should remain playable for everyone.

If your side has overwhelming numbers, scale your direct participation so the scene remains collaborative instead of one-sided.

The Core Principle

All land within the territory is considered public and open for travel. Players and groups are strictly prohibited from establishing Criminal Enclaves or claiming De Facto Sovereignty over any town, region, or public asset. Under no circumstances can Law Enforcement (LEO) or other players be treated as trespassers on public land. Enforcing land taxes or entry fees for map areas is not permitted.

1. Defining Turf vs. Ownership

Gangs are encouraged to establish turf to facilitate rivalries and conflict RP. However, turf is an area of influence, not an area of legal ownership.

• Jurisdiction: Because the year is 1900, the Wild West era of lawless towns has ended. Law Enforcement maintains full legal jurisdiction across the entire map.
• Public Access: You may control the vibe of a street through your presence, but you cannot mechanically or verbally bar a player from using a public road or shop.

2. Roleplay Obstruction & Dominant Numbers

While you cannot force the law out of an area via the rulebook, you may use RP to stop them from comfortably conducting their business.

• The Tough Neighborhood Model: If the law enters a gang-heavy area, the gang may use their presence and numbers to make the law's stay uncomfortable.
• Dominance: If a gang has dominant numbers on the scene, they can attempt to intimidate or socially obstruct the law (for example, surrounding a deputy to prevent an arrest). The law must recognize the reality of being outnumbered, but they are not required to leave just because they are told to.

3. The Escalation Ladder (The Culmination Rule)

A gunfight must be the final result of a failed negotiation or a heightening of tensions, never the opening line.

1. Phase 1: Posturing. Use dialogue and positioning to establish that the law is not welcome here.
2. Phase 2: Obstruction. Non-violent interference (for example, crowding a scene, verbal intimidation, making a scene).
3. Phase 3: The Ultimatum. Clear RP warnings that the law's safety is no longer guaranteed if they continue their current course of action.
4. Phase 4: Culmination. The gunfight. This only occurs once all parties have had a chance to read the room and choose to either back down or stand their ground.

Kill on Sight (KOS) is strictly prohibited.

4. Business Operations & Fronts

Gangs may operate businesses in their turf, provided they follow these standards:

• Legal Veneer: Businesses (scripted or unscripted) must appear and function as legal places of business to the general public.
• Risk of Seizure: If a business is proven to be involved in laundering or illegal storage, it is subject to investigation and permanent confiscation by the State.
• Ownership Eligibility: Player-level ownership limits and leadership-role ownership restrictions are defined in Business Ownership Limits (Player-Level) and Department Leadership and Business Ownership, and apply to these businesses.

Guideline: The Spirit of the Economy

In this world, money is a tool for storytelling, not a high score.

We have designed our systems to be flexible and rewarding, but because this is a Roleplay environment rather than a scripted MMO, the mechanics can be "beaten." We are asking you to prioritize your character's narrative over your bank balance.

Character-Driven Finance

Your character's financial status should reflect their story, not your ability to "min/max" a job script.

The "Grind" Paradox: If your character spends 10 hours a day at a mining node without speaking to a soul just to buy the fastest horse or most expensive property, you aren't playing a character—you're running a script.

Economic Realism: If you find a way to make millions due to a mechanical oversight or a lucrative loop, ask yourself: "Does it make sense for my character to suddenly be the wealthiest person in the territory?"

Story Over Stats

We value a character who is "struggling but interesting" over a character who is "rich but empty."

Avoid "Power-Gaming" the Market: Using "meta" knowledge of scripts to maximize profits (min/maxing) is highly discouraged.

Create Friction: Some of the best RP comes from being broke, needing a loan, or having to take a shady job to make ends meet. If you skip the struggle, you skip the story.

The "Golden Rule" of Interaction

Before you engage in a repetitive mechanic to make money, ask yourself:

"Am I doing this to create an interaction, or am I doing this to avoid one?"

If your primary goal is to see a number go up, you are likely missing the point of being here. We don't care how much is in your wallet; we care about the reputation you build and the lives you touch.

Business Ownership Limits (Player-Level)

Business ownership is tied to the player, not to each individual character.

Each player may own only one business total across all characters.

If Character A on your account owns a business, no other character on that same account may own another business.

Department Leadership and Business Ownership

Critical leadership roles, including Head Sheriff and Head Doctor, may not own a business while serving in those positions.

They may still hold a secondary non-owner job at a business during downtime.

These leadership positions are paid for active oversight, and law/medical roleplay depends on their availability and commitment.

Owner Activity Expectation

Owning a business means showing up to run it and support scenes around it.

If ownership is consistently inactive, staff may review and reassign ownership in line with server health and roleplay quality.

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Note: We monitor the economy closely. Players found to be "speed-running" the economy or exploiting mechanics at the expense of roleplay will be asked to adjust their playstyle to better fit the community's spirit.

The Rule: No "Carbon Copy" Characters

To ensure a high standard of roleplay and creativity, all characters must be original creations. Drawing inspiration from history, mythology, or popular media is encouraged, but your character must be distinct enough to stand on its own.

• Distinct Identity: Your character must be a unique individual, not a direct portrayal, "re-skin," or easily recognizable clone of an existing fictional character or real-world historical figure.
• The "Overshadow" Test: If a player can look at your character and immediately say, "That's just [Character Name]," the concept needs more development. Inspiration should be a foundation, not a blueprint.
• Creative Deviation: If you use a figure for inspiration, you must significantly alter key traits such as backstory, personality, motivations, and aesthetic. The goal is to ensure the figure's legacy does not overshadow your character's personal journey in our world.

Tip: Think of inspiration as a "vibe" or a single trait rather than a full package. Instead of playing "Sherlock Holmes," play a character with obsessive attention to detail and place them in a different social class or moral alignment.

Imported Concepts and Fresh Starts

Bringing a character concept from another server is allowed, but this world is a fresh timeline.

Past server-specific wars, named places, and unresolved feuds should stay out of current scenes unless re-created organically here.

Avoid Alt Character Conflict Carryover

Do not use new characters or family links as a way to continue old conflicts, dodge consequences, or preserve power structures from previous characters.