Sessions will be on Tuesday evenings, venue TBC (see When and Where). Players can arrive up to half an hour before time in, which will be at 7:30pm or 8:00pm (we will confirm this when we confirm the venue).

In character, the sessions are regular meetings for the newly created Workgroup Zero in which prisoners are assigned their tasks for the next two months. When the prison is operating normally, these tasks will generally be split between domestic duties, maintenance of the prison, and the unending list of jobs needed to prepare the site for real colonists. During the game, the tasks you are assigned are likely to be more interesting.

During the session, from the point where TIME IN is called to the point where TIME OUT is called (at 10:00pm or 10:30pm, TBC), players will be talking and roleplaying in character, and the GMs will be playing their NPCs, or patrolling as generic guards.

When a GM is patrolling as a generic guard, they will always be available for out of character queries. These generic guard NPCs are not intended to have any great impact on the game, so will normally direct your character to a different NPC if you ask them anything IC. However, anything overheard by a generic guard IC will be reported up the chain of command (unless that GM has been called over for an OC question). GMs may also occasionally float around with their hand up in the “out of character” sign (two fingers raised)—these GMs are not there, and you should continue on as normal.

There will be a GM area at one end of the room, represented by a small heap of costume—if you need a GM (and there is no easily available floating GM or generic guard), need to look something up on the wiki and don't have your own device, or have suffered an EXECUTE call, then please approach the area and get the attention of one of the GMs there (or if there is noone there, just hang around there with your hand up OC and a GM will notice you shortly).

If you wish to drop out of character at any point, this can be indicated by raising two fingers in the air—this should be done whenever you have an out-of-character comment to make, but should generally be done sparingly. You can always go out of character are to query something with a GM, or to tell someone that you are unconfortable with the topics they are roleplaying, or some other aspect of the conversation. Going out of character may also be useful for describing actions which you cannot physically perform, e.g. “my arm opens up and a small turret pops out”.

Agressive or violent action is not possible during the meetings. There are automated systems which will activate the control collars if a prisoner attempts to strike another person, or activate combat cybernetics. OC, this means that if you would strike another character (or even make a fake strike which stops short of hitting them), or activate any cybernetic weapons, you will immediately take the effect of a PARALYSE call, which will last for 5 seconds (you do not need to actually make the call). This system cannot be circumvented by any means in character, even if you otherwise gain RESIST to the PARALYSE call, as it is out-of-character essential for the GMs to be able to run the sessions.

It may occasionally be possible to set up actions to trigger during session (e.g. set a bomb in an adjacent building with a timer set to go off during the meeting). Please explicitly highlight in your turnsheet that you are attempting to do this, and include a contingency plan for the case where we do not allow you to.

Throughout session, a variety of calls may be used by GMs. As a player, you may not make these calls unless told otherwise (with the exception of the “escalation” calls, which any player may use during any interaction). You may roleplay these calls as you see fit, with regard to safety and noise levels of the room (e.g. move to a pose where you won't fall over if hit by a PARALYSE, and do not scream your lungs out if hit by a REND).

• Admin Calls: These calls are used to control the flow of the game.
  • TIME IN: The session has now started, commence roleplaying.
  • TIME OUT: The session has now finished, stop roleplaying and go home or to the pub.
  • TIME FREEZE: Something is happening which we cannot represent properly in session. Please close your eyes and remain silent until TIME IN is called again. There may be description to listen to, or we may be moving things around the room.
• Collar Calls: These calls are audible in character¹⁾—they represent the verbal commands issued by the guards which activate a prisoner's control collar. The call may be preceded by a player or character name to specify a target, but generally it will be obvious from context.
  • REND: You are in severe pain for 15 seconds.
  • MUTE: You cannot speak or make other noises using your mouth until UNMUTE is called. You may make gestures or other noises²⁾, unless also frozen.
  • PARALYSE: You cannot move below the neck until UNPARALYSE is called. You may speak, unless also muted.
• Call Modifiers: These calls change the effect of collar calls (and are also given verbally in character).
  • UN(CALL): The effect of this call immediately ends
  • EVERYONE (CALL): The call affects everyone
  • RESIST: May be used in response to a call. This call does not affect you (you will be told if you can do this)
• Other Calls: This call is not audible in character
  • EXECUTE: You have just been killed. Feel free to fall over dramatically and let people weep/dance over your corpse, then report to a GM, who will assist you in creating a new character, or offer you an NPC to play.

• Hand held up with two fingers in the air: “I am currently out of character, the things I am saying are not audible in character”. Any player may use this at any time, though this should preferably be for OOC clarifications or queries rather than for making OOC jokes. If a GM uses this, it should be reasonably obvious from context whether their NPC is physically present or not³⁾—please ask for clarification if unsure.
• Hand held up with finger and thumb forming an L: “I am currently speaking in Telbau”. This is available to all characters with the Telbau quality. You can only understand what a character making this gesture is saying if you have the Telbau quality.

Redemption is a game where several of the characters will be quick to anger, several potentially sensitive topics may come up, and power dynamics will occur that can result in bullying. Some people will enjoy the more severe ends of these types of roleplay more than others. These calls are available to all players and allow you to control the level of roleplay you engage in. These calls may be used multiple times within a conversation, but nothing may escalate to include any topics forbidden by the conduct and themes page.

You may also, at any time, drop OC to ask someone if they are comfortable with a particular topic or your level of agressiveness, to ask whether they are happy for you to escalate, or to ask someone to adjust their roleplay so that you are not uncomfortable (e.g. to avoid a particular topic or use less threatening body language).

• fist closed, thumb held out to the side, and wobbling up and down: “I would like to escalate this, but wish to check that you are OK with that”. This may be responded to positively by the other player with a brief thumbs up “Yes, more trauma please”. A lack of response generally indicates a negative response, but if the other players wishes to make this explicit then they may respond with a brief thumbs down—“No thanks, this level is good”. This does not remove the option to drop OC and ask whether a player is OK with specific roleplay elements.
• OC, TONE IT DOWN: “I am OC uncomfortable with this conversation, and would like the aggressiveness/mention of sensitive topic/description of gory elements to be toned down”. This call must be obeyed by all parties in the conversation. If you are unsure what aspect has prompted the use of this call, then drop OC to ask. The use of this call should not be otherwise questioned.
• STOP THE GAME or arms crossed over chest, hands on shoulders: “I am OC very uncomfortable with this conversation, and need a break”. Everyone in the conversation must instantly drop OC. The player who used this call may choose to leave the conversation if they wish, or the conversation may resume after a short break. The use of this call should not be questioned, and if the conversation resumes then it should continue as if OC, TONE IT DOWN was called.
• OC, ARE YOU OK?: “You appear distressed and I want to be sure that the character is distressed and the player is still having a good time”. This is always acceptable if someone appears in distress. If they do not respond, then STOP THE GAME should be called and the situation assessed.

As has been the case in the last few society games, we will be having photographs taken of the players, during session 1 and 2. You will be summoned for your photograph IC. These are entirely optional, and you may choose not to have a photo taken or to have your photo removed from the wiki at any time. The photos will only be visible to other players. Please contact the GMs if you'd like to supply your own picture. There will be a small flash used in each photo to provide a background to ensure the lighting is consistent, however, if you are sensitive to flash, again please contact the GMs.