Amaryllis is comprised of a big, wide-ranging, and diverse community of people -- given this, there are a lot of things that happen on site, and we are all constantly evolving. The purpose of this guide is to allow for better transparency and staff accountability, so we ask that you keep an open-mind and read through this guide if you have any questions, or interest, in how we handle things here.

Our Admin team is set up a little differently than what you might be used to. The Admin team works as a collective, unified unit -- Amaryllis will always have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 Admins, ensuring that there will never be one, singular person running things on their own.There are a few reasons we are structured this way, including to:

• Help spread the workload and prevent burnout;
• Keep a balance of perspectives, opinions, ideas, and experiences within the team;
• Ensure that no one person has power over the entirety of the Site or the unilateral ability to close it; and
• Prevent bias and offer our member-base a well-rounded team.

Admins are also the official owners of Amaryllis, and this ownership is shared equally amongst the Admin team.

All members of the Admin team have different strengths and weaknesses, and we use these differences to support, assist, and learn from one another. We may take on different roles or responsibilities at times, but no site decisions is made without an Admin discussion and vote.

All members of the Admin team are to be viewed as equals; no one is above the other on the team, we all have an equal voice, and we all work closely together to make decisions. The Admin team always has the final say on changes that do, or do not, happen on Amaryllis, but frequently pool input, ideas, and place high value on the voices of the rest of Staff.

All issues, problems, suggestions, and other things are shared amongst the Admin team. When one Admin posts something, reaches out to a member, or makes a change, it should be seen as the entire Admin team speaking through them, as a collective.

Amaryllis Admins are always expected to prioritize being open-minded, encouraging open and honest communication (between themselves, Staff, and members alike), avoiding personal bias, being perceptive to feedback and suggestions, respecting all members of the Amaryllis community, and always acting with integrity.

Without Amaryllis' Staff, nothing we do here would be possible. They are what keeps things moving, provide much-needed support and assistance, and should see themselves as role-models for the rest of the community. We want to stress, however, that being Staff is a volunteer position. The Staff of Amaryllis are always to be treated with respect, and are given breathing room in order to flourish, maintain balance, and take breaks where needed.

Sr.Staff Team: The Sr.Staff Team works closely with Admins to keep the site running, perform maintenance, enforce the rules, and help make changes to site mechanics. They are also expected to help oversee the remainder of the Staff team, provide assistance when needed, and be good role-models for the community.

• Sr.Staff have more responsibilities than other Staff members. They are held to a higher standard in regards to professionalism, activity, integrity, and support.
• There will always be 2-5 Sr.Staff members, at any given time. Being promoted from Staff to Sr.Staff typically occurs when a slot opens up or if the Admin team needs extra support. When this time comes, Admins send out a call for interest amongst Staff and accept applications, before making a decision.

Staff Team: Staff members are an integral component to Amaryllis, and are what allows things to run smoothly and efficiently from day-to-day. Each Staff member is given a main set of duties to perform (pertaining to various maintenance jobs around the site) and are trained directly by Admins upon admission.

• Staff are those who have shown a love for the site, display kindness towards the community, and have a good grasp of the site's rules and mechanics. Admins and Sr.Staff lean on Staff members for support and input, and should always be shown respect and compassion.
• The size of the Staff team varies depending on the needs of the site. When necessary, Admins announce that they are looking to take on new Staff members and open up applications that are reviewed and discussed, before making a decision.

There are several key points that we stress for all Staff members (and these guidelines extend to the Admin team, as well):

• Bias Recognition: Bias is inevitable, but Staff are expected to spot and identify their own biases when performing their duties, and remove themselves when needed.
• Know Your Limits: We are all human, and it is important that Staff take the time they need to reflect upon their personal limits. This includes emotional limits, time limits, physical limits, as well as make efforts to preserve their own well-being and mental health.
• Honesty: Mistakes happen, and that is okay. However, Staff are expected to own up to these mistakes and act with integrity, so that Amaryllis as a whole can continue to thrive. It is also expected that Staff are honest when bringing up issues or concerns about the site to their fellow team members.
• Respect: Given how crucial Staff members are to the site, they always need to promote a respectful, healthy, and kind environment. Staff not only need to respect the community, but also need to respect the site, and the spirit of the site, in its entirety.
• Protecting Privacy: Issues are often brought to the Staff team for consultation. More sensitive matters are kept strictly between Sr.Staff and Admins, but privacy of our members is to be respected and upheld at all times, without exception. Gossip and the spreading of private information is strictly prohibited.

Amaryllis Staff are always expected to prioritize being kind and respectful towards the community, encouraging open and honest communication (between other Staff and members alike), upholding the rules and spirit of the site, providing Admins with support and perspective, and acting with integrity.

The Guidebook is an important and integral part of the site, and is what gives everyone the same set of standards, expectations, and rules to go off of. It is also what allows Staff to enforce what is and is not allowed on the site, and to ensure that everything remains fair and consistent for the community. The site's rules are fluid, dynamic, and will evolve over time, and so we will periodically ask for your help in making sure that it remains inclusive and well-balanced as we move forwards.

It is very important to note that the Guidebook will never be all-inclusive. It is impossible for the Guidebook to cover every possible scenario, detail, and technicality. Given this, we also ask that everyone keep the spirit of the site, and of the community, in mind when roleplaying on Amaryllis. If something seems to toe the line or go against the intention of the rules, please do not do it. If you feel as though you see a loophole that could be used against the site or its members, please bring it to the attention of an Admin. If there are ever things that seem unclear or confusing, please speak up so that they can be corrected.

The Admin team is committed to making sure that the Guidebook stays up-to-date and relevant. All changes to the Guidebook and to the site rules are logged in our Mini Update Log, or has been announced in one of our Site News Updates.

When conflict arises, the Staff team is committed to handling it in an unbiased, fair, and efficient way. Typically, we use the Ticket Tool via Discord to discuss conflicts that arise; the main purpose of this is so that we can log these interactions, and loop all relevant parties into the conversations.

• By default, all Sr.Staff and Admins are included when tickets are opened.
• If you wish for a ticket to be Admin-only, please let us know.
• Similarly, please let us know whether or not you would like to include other members or exclude certain Staff from your ticket. This could be for your own comfort, preventing bias, or to bridge in other voices that are relevant to the situation.

With all conflict, our focus is on minimizing bias and getting a chance to hear both sides of the story before making a decision. We understand that, sometimes, tensions can rise and that everyone might not get along with each other -- and we want to emphasize that that is okay. What is not okay, however, is to allow problems to impact the broader community, spread gossip or toxicity, or to tear down others. All members are expected to treat each other with kindness and respect, even in the face of disagreement. Communication is always key.

You will often see that Staff lean-on and assist each other in de-escalation situation and providing emotional breaks in high-velocity situations. Staff are encouraged to know and respect their limits, and to acknowledge when to tap-in and tap-out -- they are also encouraged to spot their own bias, and to remove themselves from situation where they cannot remain neutral, or may be impacted by the decision somehow.

When we receive a complaint in the Ticket Tool, this is our typical system of response:

• Step 1: We receive a complaint or concern in the Ticket Tool.
• Step 2: Admins and Sr.staff look into the concern to validate the issue.
• Step 3: Discuss the issue and gather more details if needed.
• Step 4: If applicable, create a separate ticket for the other party and discuss the issue with them. In this step, there is an emphasis on protecting privacy where needed and maintaining a productive conversation.
• Step 5: Admins and Sr.Staff discuss the issue privately in order to make a decision. This could include mediating member-to-member conflict, giving a warning, delivering a strike, etc.
• Step 6: Share the decision and log the transcripts of the ticket.

We are proud of the fact that Amaryllis is a site that is built by and for the member base. We place immense value on the input of our community, and appreciate the ability to listen, learn from, and incorporate ideas that are shared with us by others -- without all of you, we would not be the amazing site that we are today!

Having said that, not every suggestion can be incorporated. The Staff team tries their hardest to incorporate and make realistic adjustments that improve gameplay and user experience, but it is impossible for us to take every idea and make it work. There are several factors that go into this, including:

• Frequency and Volatility: Too many changes to the gameplay at one time can be confusing for members and Staff alike, and make it difficult to enforce rules. Frequent changes to gameplay will not be implemented unless it is site-breaking, or if it encompasses large loophole that we believe needs to be fixed. This goes for lots of small changes at one time, as well, as this can be equally time consuming on the Staff team. Where possible, we will always look to incorporate thoughtful, fun, and realistic ideas into the site.
• Prioritization and Time Management: There is only so much that the team can take on at any given point, and only so much that can be changed. Staff are volunteers, and Admins frequently encourage Staff to take breaks, enjoy their real lives, and find a healthy balance that works for them. Given this, we need to carefully and thoughtfully select site changes and other suggestions that get brought to us.
• Urgency: Like previously mentioned, suggestions or issues that are site-breaking, address loopholes, or impact the mechanics of the site are focused on first, and are placed as high-priority items. Other suggestions might have slower turnaround times, or may not be implemented due to lack of necessity.

If your idea or suggestion is not used, it does not mean that it is not good! It might just mean that it is not suitable for right now or does not work with the current mechanics of the site. Most suggestions are tabled and talked about multiple times, even if they are originally denied. A major role of the Sr.Staff team is to determine what needs to be focused on, which includes, sometimes, vetoing or tabling suggestions that are brought to us.

We have a member voting channel on our Discord server that we use to engage with the community on large or expansive site changes. This is a members only channel.

• When there is a topic we would like to discuss, an Admin will drop a small blurb into the channel explaining the situation, and then provide options for members to vote on.
• Following the vote, the Staff team considers the outcome of the member vote and uses this to guide their discussion and make a decision.
• The "outcome" of the member vote does not indicate whether or not the idea will be used/implemented. It is simply a way for Staff to gage the thoughts of the community; a decision is only final after it has been formally announced by the Admin team.

We also have a suggestions channel on our Discord server where we use a bot to pool ideas, encourage member-to-member discussion, and make decisions on site updates. This is a members only channel.

• This channel is open (meaning that we are accepting suggestions) from the 1st to the 12th of every month.
• After that, the channel is closed for the remainder of the month so that the Staff team can review suggestions, discuss, make decisions, and prep any changes for our monthly new posts.

Please ensure that you read the pinned messages in the suggestion channels before participating. Failure to follow the pinned rules will result in suspension and/or removal.

Here is the step-by-step process that we use for our suggestions channel:

• Step 1: A suggestion is made by a member. This opens the floor to chatter and discussion on the topic. The suggestion is also sent to a separate 'master log' channel.
• Step 2: Staff and members can think and talk about the suggestion at the same time. Suggestions sit for a minimum of 24 hours before Staff approve or deny them, and some may sit longer if Staff feels the need to discuss it further or have questions.
• Step 3: Staff vote to approve or deny the suggestion. If approved, it will go into a voting channel. If denied, it will be shown in the master log, along with a brief explanation as to why it was turned down. Staff reserve the right to approve/deny a suggestion for any reason.
• Step 4: Members can vote in the voting channel and can continue to discuss the topic as needed. The results of the voting do not determine whether or not something will be implemented; it is simple a factor for Staff consideration.
• Step 5: Staff review all of the given information and make a final decision. There is no time frame for this step.

On Amaryllis, we are so lucky to have members with a wide range of talents, knowledge, and expertise. We have a number of teams that help Staff with things around the site, which cover a range of gameplay-mechanics and character creation tools. These teams are made up of members who have shown their dedication to the site and an understanding and respect for the site's rules -- they are not, however, considered Staff members.

Current Amaryllis Teams:

• Designer Team: Helps members with establishing designs, pricing, and understanding the character creation system. Any member can apply to be on this team, and will be quizzed on their understanding of the system before admittance.

• Welcoming Committee: Reaches out to new members when they join to help them get settled, answer any questions they may have, and provide assistance navigating the site. Currently, this team is invite only, where Admins reach out to members that are active in the Discord and seem to enjoy helping others.

• Fight Club: Assists the Sr. Staff with questions and issues concerning fights, such as determining scenarios of PP/GM, rule-breaking, and so forth. Currently, this team is invite only, where Admins reach out to members with experience using the fight system, have a good understanding of the fight rules, and are helpful to other members.