The Horizon

WHAT IS THE HORIZON?We are a...FC-like
Lore-flexible
Member-driven...roleplaying group centered around traditional Seeker of the Sun and Keeper of the Moon themes. Our focus is on creating opportunities for our members to pursue story-driven roleplay with substance.DEFINING TRADITIONMiqo'te traditions can span over a variety of aspects, including but not limited to religion, culture, history, occultist rituals, martial/magic techniques, and lifestyle.Your character doesn't have to be living a traditional lifestyle to find meaningful roleplay here. Whether it's rediscovering one's roots, establishing ties between tribes and clans, or simply finding loyal friends amongst your kin, the Horizon covers all aspects of Miqo'te tradition.

ABOUT USFC-LIKE — We're a small network that regularly roleplays and spends time together OOC. However, we don't use the mechanics of an in-game FC. Our members' characters span across the Crystal data center in their own FCs.LORE-FLEXIBLE — While we prefer abiding to lore, we're open to a variety of its interpretations. MSQ explores the world through the lens of the city-states, which may not cover the lives of traditional Miqo'te, whose traditions can date back to the First Astral Era.MEMBER-DRIVEN — The purpose of the Horizon is for all within to weave collaborative and personal stories together. Expect to find light social opportunities, plot-inciting events, and long-term campaigns run by any member of our group, not just staff.TRADITIONAL — This is a space for Miqo'te interested in the traditions of their tribe and clan-based structures. The M tribe of the Peering Stones and the U tribe of the Forgotten Springs are great baseline examples of what we do here.

RULESOur rules can be summed up by the following core tenets:Treat others with respectHave fun IC, communicate OOCMaintain immersion and toneThere is a time and place for everythingTo read more about this, see Rules.JOIN USWe are currently open to applicants!You can find out more information on how to become a member on our join page.

Rules
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RULES & GUIDELINES

To become a member of the Horizon, you must agree to our rules. If you are a member and have any changes to suggest, please feel free to put feedback in our #suggest channel on Discord, or send a private message to an 🔔 Emissary.1. Treat others with respect. No name-calling, shit-talking, sexual harassment, use of slurs, nor any form of discrimination. Please treat others the way you would like to be treated.2. Wipe your feet before you come in. If you have an issue with a current member, please talk it out with them privately and maturely, or approach an 🔔 Emissary for help if you don’t feel comfortable doing so. The Horizon is not a venue for spreading drama, nor is it the place to hash out grievances with others in a public venue.3. Respect character concepts. Everyone has different preferences with regards to character concepts and style of play. No one is obligated to roleplay with anyone else in the group, but we do ask that you treat your fellow roleplayers with respect and civility. Criticism should be provided if and only if someone asks for it, and attacking others for their ideas will not be tolerated.4. Metagaming & Blending IC/OOC. Please do not use in-character actions as a means to express out of character grievances. Players are not their characters, and IC should not be OOC. Additionally, avoid using information gleaned OOC from profiles or discussion in roleplay. Stick to what information your character would reasonably know.5. Communicate IC and OOC. In-character actions can affect and overwhelm players OOC. We advise that IC consequences should not be prioritized over all else, and to communicate with other players if you feel uncomfortable with something during a scene. Sometimes this means retconning character actions and events (if all players involved decide to do so). Please respect that decision.6. Be mindful of triggers. Certain subjects can cause discomfort for other players. Be sure to provide appropriate warnings for events and backstories that may feature these, and check in with your partners before engaging in these subjects IC and OOC. If you are unsure if something should be tagged, please reach out to an 🔔 Emissary for guidance.7. Inviting others to events. Ask the event host first before bringing friends from outside Horizon to events, unless the event is explicitly open to the public.8. Keep it “Final Fantasy XIV”. We prefer to keep things immersive and for plotlines that suit regular player characters in the world of Hydaelyn. Try to keep your roleplay suited to the world of the game and the traditional Miqo’te theme. If you need guidance, feel free to talk to an 🔔 Emissary or to discuss it with your fellow players in #rp-discussion.9. Respect hosts & performers. Please be mindful of the intentions and tone that the GM/Host/Performers have in mind for events. Share the spotlight with others, and allow these hosts time and space to carry out their respective ‘cutscenes’.10. Use the right channels. Posts that are in the wrong place and not moved in a timely manner (such as sexual discussions outside of #nsfw and spoilers), may be deleted.10. Erotic roleplay. Private ERP between members is not banned, but please avoid having this as the central focus of interactions within the Horizon. Respect the tone of events and pop-ups being hosted and refrain from overt sexual content.11. Political discussions. We aren’t opposed to discussing politics, but we ask that if any member expresses discomfort with the topic, that the involved parties move the discussion to either DMs or #venting. Expressing experiences that pertain to identity, such as one’s ethnic background or LGBT+ identity, does not fall under this rule.12. Use the #Venting channel for salt, venting, and political discussions. Sometimes we have bad days, and the #Venting channel is a safe space for expressing that. However, this channel is not a place for spreading drama, call-outs, or public shaming, whether the other party is a member of the Horizon or not. This includes posting screenshots of incidents, whether or not names/details are redacted.

APPLICATION PROCESS & MEMBERSHIP

Interested in joining the Horizon? We are currently open for new applicants!APPLICATIONTo apply, follow the link below and fill out the form! A staff member will reach out to you as soon as we have looked over the application.JOIN HORIZONYou will not be eligible to join the Horizon if:

You or your character are under 18 years old.
You use any of these trans-fetishizing tags to describe your character: futa(nari), shemale, dickgirl, cuntboy, trap. Note: We are 100% accepting of actual trans characters.
You are not caught up on MSQ and are not willing to be spoiled. We will be hosting events that involve spoilers for Endwalker.

If an application is not approved, staff will try to provide as much feedback as possible to the applicant on why they were not accepted into the group. This feedback can be classified as actionable or inactionable feedback.Actionable feedback provides a reason for rejection that can be amended by the applicant. Making amendments in line with this feedback would allow the applicant to become a member of the Horizon. Some examples of actionable feedback include:

The applicant has not yet finished MSQ and is not OK with major story spoilers, just minor ones. Staff recommends they re-apply when they have finished MSQ, as our events will feature Endwalker story beats.
The applicant's character is currently 17 years old. If the applicant agrees to increase their character's age, or wait for the character to turn 18+ in roleplay time, they can reapply to the Horizon afterwards.
The applicant describes their player-made lore as something that reflects the entirety of the Antelope tribe. In order to allow for all player-crafted lore to be accepted as there are only 26 canon totems, each player-made tribe is considered a sect of the larger tribe with its own culture and traditions. If the applicant were to agree to apply their player lore purely to their own sect, for example, 'The Raincatcher Gully Antelope' rather than the Antelope Tribe as a whole, they would be permitted for entry.
The applicant does not have a solid character concept yet. To properly approve the applicant, we would need them to provide a character with some clear details about their background, personality, etc.

Inactionable feedback provides a reason for rejection for an aspect of the applicant/character that is not easy or even possible to change. Until further notice, the applicant is not permitted to reapply. This is not an outcome reserved for severe or dire cases, nor intended as a moral judgement outright; some characters or applicants just aren't a good fit for the Horizon, and we wish these people the best of luck in other roleplay communities. Some examples of inactionable feedback include:

The applicant considers themself and their character as basically interchangeable — We have a no-blending policy in our rules, and our roleplay is character-focused.
The applicant is uncomfortable writing with long-form writers and has a strong preference for dialogue or one-liner focused RP — We are a wordy bunch when warranted, and a lot of us can use a full post if not multiple in our writing. The scroll can be real sometimes.
The applicant's character has some manner of occupation, backstory, or other front-facing aspect that does not suit the setting — As per our rules on immersion, we don't at all like to police lore but want to keep things 'Final Fantasy XIV' in tone. Characters that are Eorzean race car drivers, social media influencers, or live in a modern suburb, all lie outside of the genre of the game. The applicant may be able to apply with a different character.
The applicant's character would not be able to co-exist with the IC Horizon community without instigating violence or consistent disruption. For example, a character that is possessed by an uncontrollable and hungry voidsent, or a proudly Imperial character who will argue with any pro-Eorzean sentiments to exhaustion, would become easily disruptive and not be suitable for this community.
The applicant is known for sexually harassing others — We value our members' safety and do not tolerate this behavior in any context.

LOSING MEMBERSHIPIf you break Horizon rules or act in an otherwise abusive or malicious manner to other members, you may be removed from the group. We will handle warnings and removals on a case-by-case basis.SPEAK TO STAFFAll members are encouraged to raise issues with prospective applicants or other members to 🔔 Emissary staff if there is a conflict that cannot be resolved between members, the issue involves breaking Horizon rules or public misconduct, and/or the issue could negatively affect the Horizon community.If you are unsure whether your concern falls under these parameters, speak to us anyway.We cannot promise that all issues raised will be actioned, or that the actions decided upon will be undertaken visibly, but we can promise to listen to what you have to say.