Conduct and Themes

All games run by the Oxford Larp Society (OLS) are subject to the Conduct and Themes (CAT) policy of the OLS, accessible through the Policies page of the OLS website. It is expected that all GMs and players should familiarise themselves with both the OLS policy and with the policy on this page before playing Labyrinth. This page reiterates sections of that policy to contextualise or adds more specific restrictions and clarifications that apply to Labyrinth in particular, and includes mention of some additional themes highly relevant to the game not covered by the OLS policy. Therefore, all players should read this page carefully, no matter their prior experience, as elements of this CAT policy differ from prior games.

While the CAT policy exists to try to facilitate comfortable engagement with the game for all players, it is important to note that the CAT policy is not sufficient for this purpose. Players and GMs are expected to treat one another with respect regardless of the exact language of the CAT policy. If another participant asks out of character that you reduce the intensity of an episode of roleplay, steer clear from a theme entirely in your engagement with them, or simply stop that instance of roleplay, it is expected that you respect their boundaries. In a similar vein, attempting to reason to the letter of the policy rather than its spirit will not be tolerated.

If you feel the CAT policy has been breached or more broadly wish to raise a concern with another player, you can contact the GM team via e-mail or by your private channel on the game's Discord server. If you wish to raise a concern regarding a GM, contact one of the co-CAMPOs, Georgia or Kaiya, via personal e-mail. Please note that using the game's e-mail address (gm_georgia@labyrinth.oxfordlarp.com) or your private channel are both inappropriate in this case, as both forms of communication can be seen by all members of the GM team. Finally, if you wish to raise an issue regarding either co-CAMPO, or regarding the GM team as a whole, please contact the Society Chair via personal e-mail. Please note that the co-CAMPOs Georgia and Kaiya are currently in a relationship, so an issue with one should not be raised with the other.

Labyrinth is a non-contact LARP in which it is not permitted for players or GMs to initiate physical contact without out of character consent. Combat between characters should not occur during uptime.

It is every individual's responsibility to maintain a healthy divide between their character and their self outside the game. Roleplay can be an emotionally intense activity, and it is not uncommon for a character's feelings to bleed out into the player or for a player's feelings to bleed into the character. Players should understand and ensure that feelings between characters are between characters and not between the players or GMs playing those characters. Strong and personal emotional relationships, most prominently but not exclusively romance, should be discussed out of character between players and should be consented to by all parties involved. Players and GMs are encouraged to interact with one another, as doing so serves to remind that the person and their character are distinct concepts. The Tips for Roleplaying page contains further guidance on these concepts.

You may request not to roleplay with any player or GM at any time, on either a temporary basis or for the entire game. If you do not feel comfortable informing another player of this, the GM team can attempt to minimise contact between you and them in a confidential manner, primarily by ensuring that the main plotlines which you are engaged with do not overlap. Please note that while the GMs will endeavour to separate your characters where possible the other player may still attempt to roleplay with you in the game.

Labyrinth intends to portray a 'wide' world on a broad timescale, and it is our intent to show an interesting — though real — cross-section of this world. As a result, a number of heavier themes are represented in order to lend an appropriate degree of nuance and groundedness where appropriate to the setting. Characters may at times be placed in situations of limited agency thanks to the circumstances they find themselves in, and tragic events are likely to occur. Despite this, it is our intent for Labyrinth to remain fundamentally hopeful in tone.

If a player would prefer to avoid a theme listed as 'Expected to Occur' or 'May Occur', they may specify this on the character submission form, though some themes are so fundamental to the game that it may not be possible to accommodate all preferences.

These are themes either expected to be explored as part of the game's main or side plots, or a theme that is particularly present by being represented by a non-player character

• Sensitive portrayals of disabilities, including but not limited to sensory impairments, mobility impairments, and mental illness excluding eating disorders
  • Please note that this theme differs from the listed theme in the OLS Conduct and Themes policy by the exclusion of eating disorders, which are separately prohibited below.
  • Please note in particular that the 'Voice In Your Dreams' quirk is not intended to represent mental illness.
• Manifestation of degenerative illness
• Common phobia triggers, such as spiders or needles
  • We expect that some creatures within the Labyrinth might resemble common phobia-triggering animals (e.g. giant spiders, rodents, snakes, etc.). In addition, the Labyrinth contains tight, walled-in spaces that might trigger claustrophobia.
  • While this is expected to be fairly prominent in the setting, players are invited to disclose phobia triggers to the GM team, who will attempt to 'direct' your character away from the triggers in question or provide only minimal description, as necessary.
• Eugenics
  • In the mode of reproduction of the Genten species, a parent is able to directly select some traits in their child to be in accordance with their own desires.
  • The Genten Creed of Moderation greatly resembles eugenic policy by imposing limitations on the species' capability for reproduction, and is portrayed as necessary for the Gentens to remain a stable population.
  • Outside of these contexts, policy designed to affect the genetic makeup of a population is prohibited.
  • Events resembling the genetic engineering of individuals are expected to occur.
• Genocide
  • The Genten Creed of Moderation may be viewed as encouraging or mandating the genocide of certain groups.
  • Some non-player antagonists may attempt to destroy a population or culture, in whole or in part. This will not be motivated by prejudice against any sub-group. Players are permitted to engage with or to support these antagonists.
• Extreme or indiscriminate violence
• Slavery or human trafficking
  • We expect de facto slavery to appear in substantial ways within the setting and story of Labyrinth:
  • Many of the societies depicted in Labyrinth are feudal societies, which may enforce a system of serfdom where agricultural labourers are bound to the land.
  • Some Gentens are designed to wholeheartedly serve another person.
  • Some non-player antagonists may seek to implement a form of slavery. Players are permitted to engage with or to support these antagonists.
  • Chattel slavery, in which people are regarded as explicit property, existed historically within the setting but is no longer present and will not be reimplemented.
• Mind Control or other means of removing agency.
  • While characters may lose the ability to act in certain ways, we do not expect 'total' loss of agency such as mind control, to occur to player characters or non-player characters.
  • No loss of agency will occur to any player character without the respective player having been fully informed of the consequences and having given out of character consent.
  • When Slimefolk merge or form an inter-species symbiote, the resultant gestalt implies a loss of agency for both pre-existing individuals. Such gestalts can only be formed with full out of character and in character consent.
• Child Abuse
  • Emotional abuse and neglect are present as a consequence of feudal and aristocratic society and the grooming of children seen as necessary to produce heirs.
  • Both player characters and NPCs are permitted to have been the victim of non-physical childhood abuse or neglect for any reason in backstories, but player characters are not permitted to have perpetrated them.
  • Physical abuse is a prohibited theme.
• Addiction, such as drug or gambling addiction
• Suicide and self-harm as anything but an expression of emotional distress, e.g. self-sacrifice
• Medical malpractice
  • Medical malpractice is permitted to occur both with and without the intent to cause harm on the part of the practitioner.
• Animal abuse
  • Harm to animals is expected to occur, torture of animals is a prohibited theme.
• Colonialism and Imperialism
  • In particular, we expect this to be especially prominent in representations of the exploitation of resources, displacement of people, and the assumption of political control by a foreign power.
• Discrimination on the basis of fictional species
  • In particular, we expect this theme to affect Dragonblooded (who often benefit from systemic power at the expense of other species), Wildborn (who lack family connections, and are born outside an established hierarchy), and Gentens (who are often viewed with suspicion by members of other species for their unusual value frameworks.)
  • None of these cases, nor any other that may occur in play, are intended or permitted to serve as allegorical for real-world historical or present discrimination on the basis of race.
• Discrimination on the basis of physical disability, mental health condition, or neurodivergence
  • In particular, we expect this to manifest in decision-making by an authority on the basis of a character's ability or disability.
  • This should be presented as pragmatic within the confines of the setting, and not motivated by hate.

While these themes are not necessarily expected to occur in the course of the main plot or to substantively contribute to the themes of the game, they are permitted to be referenced by both players and GMs.

• Consensual Sexual Contact
  • Consensual sexual contact may only occur with out-of-character consent between all involved players. It may not be portrayed directly within the 'text' of the game, but can be implied to occur by the 'fading to black' of a scene.
• Extreme gore
  • Gore will not be included in GM-written writeups unless the player has taken the 'Just a Fleshwound' or 'Gibbed' levels of the Gore Playstyle Quirk.
  • Players are advised to be sensitive when describing the levels of gore to other players or GMs in in-character emails, discussion or description in uptime, or in out of character communication and to provide content warnings or ask other involved parties their preference as appropriate.
• Homelessness
• Discrimination on the basis of nationality, religion, or faith
• Pregnancy
• Childbirth
  • As the game spans a several year period, it is possible that characters might have children during this time. However, it is prohibited to portray labour or childbirth within the text of the game.
  • Player characters will not conceive children without out of character consent.
• Chronic illnesses
• Cannibalism
  • Cannibalism of children is prohibited.
  • It is not possible to eat a Wildborn accidentally, as young Wildborn naturally manifest features distinct from animals of the same species.

The following themes are not permitted to occur for any reason during the course of the game, and discussion of them in out of character situations relating to the game should be accompanied with appropriate content warnings

• Sexual assault, sexual coercion or any other form of non-consensual sexual activity
• Sexual activity with those lacking the capacity to consent e.g. children
• Sexual harassment
• Use of real-world discriminatory slurs
• Torture
• Discrimination on the basis of protected real world characteristics (e.g. gender/sexuality/race), except where explicitly permitted by this policy
  • Gender exists in Labyrinth, and by extension there are roles traditionally more associated with one gender or another (in particular within the Dragonblooded species). These roles do not greatly resemble real world traditional gender roles, and it is prohibited for a character to be discriminated against for not following them.
  • Discrimination on the basis of fictional species is a permitted theme, as described above.
• Consensual incest
  • As some of the societies presented within Labyrinth are aristocratic in nature, the effective pool for appropriate relationships for some individuals may only include a small number of suitably elite families.
  • While relations of this sort may be expected to cause some degree of consanguinity, this is not a theme that this game intends to address.
  • Further, direct familial incest between close relatives is prohibited.
• Genocide denial
• Genital mutilation or castration
• Portrayals of real-world religions
• Portrayals of real-world historical figures
• Portrayals of real-world events of an upsetting or traumatic nature
• Self-harm and suicide as an expression of emotional distress
• Miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion
• Domestic abuse, except where explicitly permitted by this policy
  • Intimate partner abuse is prohibited. Child abuse is a permitted theme, as described above.
• Eating disorders