In Character versus Out of Character
In Character, abbreviated IC, is what qualifies as "roleplay" even if the "roleplay" message type is not used. Out of Character, or OOC, is when you, the player, are communicating something to the other players.
The two are and must be kept separate!
Example:
One day you read a roleplay sent to the entire realm that is occuring between King Garhook and High Marshal Funman. In this roleplay, the two characters are having a dialogue, while walking along the palace in the capital.
In this example, unless your character is there, AND you are roleplaying that you are there and listening, OR you are told via another character who is, your character does NOT know about what they are saying. This is because what you the player knows (OOC) is different from what your character knows (IC).
Example 2:
One day you read a roleplay, again sent to the realm, in which another character, Lord Haha, thinks to himself, 'I wish I could kill all of these rodents and become the Tyrant of our realm!'
In this example, no matter what your character is doing, your character has NO knowledge of what Lord Haha has just thought. It would be very bad roleplay for you, then, to have your character respond with something like "That's awful Lord Haha, and I call on the Judge to banish you!" In fact, if you responded like that, your character would be a mind-reader (definitely a no-no in a low-fantasy setting like Battlemaster - and in a medieval setting, you'd be burned at the stake for Witchcraft).
In conclusion, just because a roleplay is sent to you via "to the entire realm," does not automatically mean your character will know anything that that happens in the roleplay. Use your common sense - don't respond to another character's internal thoughts, or private discussions taking place half a Realm away.
Also sums it up nicely however. And frankly is much more Roleplay friendly than everyone being douches and trying to 'win'. Maybe there is no RP Police from the Titans/Tom but the community should be able to police itself quite effectively through the options of ignoring it completely, or burning someone on the stake for being a mind-reader. However that would assume everyone can actually agree to be not be a douche and to respect the roleplay being done.
