Sitewide Announcements and General Updates - Page 56 - Bulletin Board

12 Feb 2024, 20:34

Security Concern

A recent update on the background (we assume) wiped our IP bans. This is a security issue because these bans prevent numerous users from assessing the community.

We keep great records, so we have a list of every IP we have ever banned. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of them and they need to be manually applied. This will be accomplished over the next few weeks (there is just that many). Some of these banned users were merely trolls or multiaccounters, but we have a few banned users that have caused legitimate harm to members of the community. So we ask that you practice better (than usual) personal security while we manage this potential breech.

While we perform these bans, we might inadvertently ban "normal" players. This is relevant mostly to former staff members, some of our IPs cross over with banned users due to post edits over the years. A couple of players have also historically had this happen also. This is rare but due to the risk of this, we want to make sure the community is aware so they can reach out if they find themselves unexpectedly banned.

There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.

Magdalena Wickham-Deakin

Head of Slytherin, I

869 68

18 Feb 2024, 23:51

Tenūsa, Isle of Divination

With the change to how we are doing Summer Games, being that the international schools will compete against one another without Hogwarts, it became necessary for us to even out the numbers. As such, the new last school has dropped, Tenūsa, which caters to students from Oceania and Maritime South-East Asia.

We do promise we mean it when we say this is the last one now.

The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts

24 Feb 2024, 16:06

Minor and Adult Relations

As many of you are aware, this community has a wide-range of users, ranging from 13 (with some users as young as 11 here with parental permission) to well into adulthood (some members here are grandparents). This site has a content rating that is both safe for work and safe for members 13+.

Yesterday I had to place a ban on an account due to inappropriate content creation with a minor. For clarity, a non minor (24) co-wrote a graphic piece with a minor (15). There has been a miscommunication in DMs on Discord that the user was banned because someone else shared the link to the graphic piece. This is untrue, but it did bring the situation to our attention. To clarify, the fact that the graphic piece was shared with the site was, yes problematic but not the reason for the ban. The ban was because there was a graphic cooperative exchange between a minor and a non-minor and that is something that we cannot support as a community. This is for legality reasons (dependent on the region), safety reasons and social reasons. There is no way we can turn a blind eye if we see that sort of contact.

Learning opportunities:

1. As a minor - please do not ask other members to edit, participate or assist in writing about sexual situations. This is not an appropriate ask. As a minor, you are not considered to be equipped to consent.
2. As a non-minor - do not (note there is no "please" in this ask) edit, participate or assist in writing about sexual situations with minors. There is no exception this. This can have legal implications, effect your career as a professional if it gets back to your peers, and effect your social relationships because this is not socially acceptable.

Historical statements:

1. Multiple instances: I have previously banned users when given evidence that a non-minor was aware that a user was underaged and chose to share 18+ media with them.
2. Same same person multiple times as a multi: I have also banned a user for entering other user's DMs asking for indecent opportunities with their character. There was no regard for the other user's age, but it was breeching our rating anyways and some (not all) of these users were underaged. they also had a history on the french site of soliciting inappropriate opportunities with users and they were banned.
3. Two instances: I have banned users for entirely ignoring our site rating and attempting to perform an 18+ roleplay on our site.

This is the first time we have had to ban a non-minor for cooperative 18+ media creation with a minor. I am sure it has happened before but I have always had the good fortune of never seeing/knowing it. I have however become aware of users banned for #1 (above) after the fact attempting to create 18+ media with minors.

Please stop, I am traumatized guys.

There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.

1 Mar 2024, 00:21

As a fun activity, for the month of March, we have provided our resident artists with art prompts. We have revised our original 'Artober' last year and this would be our second annual Martch. This is simply a way to express ourselves, have fun and show off our talents.

PROMPTS - The prompts for the month of Martch are as follows:
Your Main Character

Skeletons in your closet

Graduation

Uagadou

Technology

Facing the Darkness

Love Story

Secret Tunnel

Spring into...

IC Holidays

Inclusivity

Your iNPC

Gargoyle

Destiny

Superhero

IC Family

Arm Wrestle with a Squid

Whomping Willow Dance

Zonkos

Castelobruxo

Besties for the resties

House Elf

Potioneering

Home Sweet Home

Tenūsa, Isle of Divination

Home Away from Home

Protector of your Dreams

An IC item in your trunk

Death

Essence

A Character's Tarot Card
Any form of art is considered to be acceptable - we are flexible with the rules this year to allow you to do anything. Please supply a reasoning for your prompt if it isn't clear but we will accept even loosely related things. For more info:

CODING - All coding must be new. You may use Lorem Ipsum as the default text or existing writing if they work for the prompt - just specify it's a coding piece. If it needs a reasoning to explain the prompt, just add it somewhere at the top.

WRITING - All writing must be new. This can be prose, poems, etc. Maximum of 500 words, just for ease of moderation. You can post some of these into roleplays after the challenge, if you wish to (and if it is appropriate to do so).

GRAPHICS - Most of these will require using images readily available to you on the Internet. These are graphics, images, collages etc. You may use your own photography too, of course. You may also use digital art/drawings. Please use free stock images, pictures you own or tools like Canva etc. Credit sources where appropriate.

OTHER - Drawing, painting, singing, pottery, photography etc. These must be created by you (can be any medium, can include digital art). If you physically create something, such as a sculpture or painting then you may take a photo of that or scan it as your entry.

Rewards:

Prizes will be given on participation/completion. You will receive a reward for each completed prompt you do.

Every completed prompt = 3 sickles for each

For every 10 completed, you will receive 1 house point

On the completion of all 31, you will get an item/gold chocolate frog card.

Rules:

No plagiarism, this must be your own work.

This can be on any medium and can be interpreted broadly, where appropriate. Digital, classical and unique mediums are welcome.

We might ask for your permission to use some of your art on the site to make things look pretty. You are free to decline.

The art must be PG13 (this should go without saying but just in case).

These pieces of art are considered to be daily/weekly challenges. The goal is to be done by the end of 31st March.

To show your art/progress you can make a thread in The Art Gallery. Just tag it [Martch 24].

To Claim Rewards:

Go to this thread to find out how to claim rewards.
** Quick Reminder: this is supposed to be your work. No plagiarism, no taking advantage of first years that make art for cheap to complete the prompts for slightly more cash (that is called cheating).

There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.

1 Mar 2024, 01:21

iNPC Updates are Now Open

iNPC updates are now open for the month of March (last day being March 31) in anticipation of the Spring Ball.

To answer common questions we get:
I do not know the date of the Spring Ball. The Spring Ball planning committee will determine the date and once it is known, we will share it publicly. The Spring Ball Committee has just been notified that they exist.

I do not know when the iNPCs will arrive at Hogwarts. The iNPCs will likely arrive a few IC days before the Spring Ball is scheduled to occur and then remain at the school for a few days after. We anticipate about 2 weeks IC but this might change depending on the date we get. This will be announced when we know.

To apply for an iNPC your PC must be registered with Index. If they are not registered with index, we will not be able to approve your iNPC. Please do not wait until the last minute because you may loose the opportunity to create an iNPC in time for the ball.

You can only have one iNPC, you cannot deactivate your iNPC and get a new one. They are tied to your player character account.

There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.