A verdict has been reached, and IG enforcement actions have been taken. For anyone who desires to cite this case in the future, the final verdict is:
The Magistrates decline to endorse the full extent of the claimant's argument at this time.
Where the character Jason had a good and valid justification for attacking the character Merlin, the Magistrates cannot accept that a few words written in anger on the forum should come to invalidate what was, up until that point, a normal (if intense) interaction between two characters, especially where other characters were also attacking Merlin using much the same tactics. There is no evidence that the player Elegant holds a special grudge against the player Silverfire that goes beyond this conflict. Furthermore, Elegant has apologized and expressed regret for what he said on the forum. In short, we do not think that the character Jason did anything wrong and decline to suggest anything to the contrary by invoking Elegant's "playstyle," as this would set a precedent where OOC motivations matter more than IC ones when it comes to character behavior. A double standard would thus be created.
We do believe that Elegant himself was upset about the IC conflict, as was Silverfire. We believe that this led to the forum exchange at the heart of this case. While it is regrettable that two players would get so emotionally invested in their characters that it leads to harsh words being exchanged over IG events, we also see no evidence of any deeper malice at work here. The Magistrates would remind everyone that conflicts, betrayal, and winning and losing are part of the game, and that it is unwise to become so emotionally invested in your characters that IG conflicts can affect your emotional well-being. Your characters WILL lose at some point, they WILL suffer setbacks, and they WILL experience betrayal and loss. This is an expected and acceptable outcome of the game. Learn to live with it and move on.
While we decline to rule fully in favor of the claimant, we would still like to recognize that what Elegant said on the forum went a little too far. As such he will receive a warning, with the understanding that he has already expressed regret over his words. Furthermore, we advise that, in the future, players who feel other players' actions or words are offensive or harassing should at least make an attempt to contact them about the issue on a private, OOC basis to work things out.
Magistrates voted 5-4 in favor of the guilty verdict, and 4-4-1 in favor of a warning, with 4 favoring not guilty, 4 favoring guilty and a warning, and 1 favoring guilty and removal from all council positions for a period of three months.
This thread will remain open for questions for a brief period.
