Profile Rules
1) Before getting started please read all the
rules.
2) Ensure you have registered with a correct username and group. If you find that your username is in an incorrect format, or you've missed selecting a group (your name will appear grey on the forum) please contact an admin to fix the situation before posting a profile.
3) Do NOT disrespect or fight with the profile mods and admins. Our word is law and we will never ask anything unreasonable of you. If we feel something in your profile needs to be changed, it's for a good reason -if you choose to be rude, you will be banned.
4) Any inquiries concerning profiles should be PM'd to the Head Profile Moderator or another Profile Mod. Do not contact admin with questions about the status of your profile approval unless they have contacted you first.
5) Do not post any In Character posts with your character until it has been approved by a Profile Mod or the In Character post will be locked or deleted.
6) If your profile required alterations before it was to be approved, please PM the Profile Mod that contacted you about the changes when you are done. If you don't PM them back letting them know you've updated your profile, it will not be approved. Keep in mind that responding to a mod will always benefit you - don't ignore PMs!
7) Fill all sections of a Profile Character sheet out. If something does not apply, do not leave it blank or put N/A. Delete the section.
8) Emoticons/smileys and chat speak are not allowed in profiles. If your profile contains anything other than fluent English, it will not be approved. Please remember proper punctuation, too.
9) Just like with the rest of the forum, please avoid using coloured text anywhere other than the OOC section. Coloured text in profiles can be hard to read for some people and you will be asked to remove it.
10) The confirmation word is mugwump
Profile Content Rules
1) Follow canon as dictated by the world that JK Rowling created through the Harry Potter books. Not the movies.
2) If it's illegal at a real school, it's illegal at Hogwarts. While BSW allows the use of drugs and alcohol by students (since we do take a more realistic approach to the Hogwarts world), we refuse to allow students to carry any weapons other than wands.
3) Your character cannot be a Parseltongue or a Vampire -please don't ask. Also remember that special abilities require approval, so please have a backup plan if the ability you wrote into your profile is not approved. We try to work with everyone and their ideas, but we must maintain balance here at BSW -a mind reading empath with exceptional wand skills may put other characters at an unfair advantage when RPing with you.
4) If you are applying for a
Special Character please keep in mind the
form and profile must be sent to Admin and NOT posted for approval by a Profile Mod. Special Characters are handled strictly by Admin and instead of posting up their profile, you must PM it to either Dragon, Hawk or Kitty. When the profile is approved, you will be told to post it up and Admin will mark it as approved by them. This is the -only time- you go to Admin instead of a Profile Mod.
4) All students must be at least 11 years of age to attend Hogwarts, and no older than 18 (if they have an early birthday). No exceptions.
5) Your character will not exceed his or her educational restrictions according to that year. Meaning your first year Ravenclaw (I don't care how smart they are) will not know the Patronus Charm. If you're unsure about a spell or ability for that year, please Google or ask an admin. This goes for posts, too. [A spell list sorted by year is currently being created for member usage]
6) Please refrain from including any canons/other original characters in your character profile unless you have previously discussed it with that character's player. Not all Gryffindors are best friends for life with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasely.
7) Unless your character is of legal age (that is 17 years old) they WILL have a parent and/or guardian. No orphans that have been forced to live on their own since the tender age of 8. We will call you on it.
What the Mods Look For (from HPM himself)
"I understand writing a history/background story for your character is hard. It's one of the most difficult parts of writing a profile. Even the veterans here at BSW hate it. Unfortunately, however, it is usually the deciding factor if your character gets approved or not. Here are some things that I look for in good, easy to approve profiles:
1) Be sure to talk about who they are in depth throughout their history. One paragraph about how Suzy Que is the best Hufflepuff ever but has a very mysterious and strange past is not acceptable.
2) Who are your character's parents/guardians? What is their relationship like with your character? Are they an elitist pureblood witch and wizard? Are they muggleborn and have no idea about magic? What side of the war do they sympathize with? Or are they completely neutral? What are their occupations? How old were they when your character was born/placed into their care? Or, if your character's parents are dead, how did they die? Tell me about your character's complete family.
3) Does your character have any siblings? If so, explain their relationship. If your character hates his or her older/younger sibling, then I want to know why. Maybe they get along? Did anything happen that helped shape your character?
4) What about your character's time at Hogwarts? Does he/she enjoy their time? What are their favorite classes? Why are those classes their favorite? Remember, the setting of this forum is Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, so does your character affiliate with Dumbledore?s Army? Or do they side with Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad? Maybe they're neutral? Explain your character's place in Hogwarts. Do they enjoy Quidditch?
5) Are there key moments from certain years at Hogwarts that stick out in their memory? Maybe something embarrassing and traumatic happened? Maybe something wonderful and exciting?
These are the defining questions I look for in a well thought out and developed character. Writing a complete history using this is a guideline and following all rules previous will guarantee your character's prompt approval.
If you have any questions comments or concerns, please direct them to any of the active Profile Moderators. If you need help with your profile, there is also the Profile Help Forum made just for you. Feel free to post there and Mods, Admins and Prefects will help with any profile problems you may have.
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