IMPORTANT! Please read completely before continuing.

RPGs can be very personal experiences, but they often require you to open yourself up to others and make yourself vunerable.  That's why we're taking this survey.  Trauma is something everybody experiences, and we want to do our best to avoid dredging up bad feelings.

Some of you might be thinking that this sort of survey isn't targeted at you; maybe you don't get "triggered" by anything. Even if you have nerves of steel, there may still be some things you hadn't thought about that bother you or that you would simply rather not encounter in an RPG experience.

A lot of what is written below deals with various aspects of the horror genre, and is objectively terrible to experience.  Yet, horror movies make billions each year at the box office.  The strange truth is that, sometimes, we like being horrified.  That's a decision each person has to make for themselves, though, and if there's any doubt in your mind about a topic, then mark it yellow or red.  

As a final point, understand that this survey is anonymous.  The GM isn't digging for personal details, but is trying to build an understanding of what they need to avoid in their campaign.  At the end of this survey, you will have the option to discuss it with your GM, with or without de-anonymizing your answers. 

Instructions

Mark the color that best illustrates your comfort level with the following plot or story elements:

🟢 Green = Enthusiastic consent; bring it on!

🟡 Yellow = Okay if veiled or offstage; might be okay onstage but requires discussion ahead of time; uncertain.

🔴 Red = Hard line; do not include. PLEASE USE THIS WISELY. Remember that this essentially bans this topic from the game!

✍ Please keep a sticky note ready to write down any options that come to mind that are not listed. There will be an opportunity at the end to share them.

IMPORTANT! Please Read.

On the following pages, you will have the option to meet with your GM to clarify any of your responses.  This may or may not involve de-anonymizing your survey, at your discretion. Regardless, you should know know:

• Your GM will never ask you to justify your answers.
• Your GM will never judge or make fun of you for your answers.
• Your GM may need to ask you if you want to leave their game if it seems you will be uncomfortable with fundamental aspects of the game, such as the setting or with the other players' backstories.

⚠ If you answered 🔴 Red to a large portion of the above options you should consider meeting with your GM to discuss whether or not they can feasibly provide a game that is fun and comfortable for you.

⚠ Additionally, your GM wants you to meet with them for clarification if you answered 🔴 Red to any of the below options:

• Gore (Combat)
• Blood (Combat)
• Demons (Setting)
• Soul pacts (Warlocks)
• Rape (Half-Orcs, Tieflings, etc.)
• Any Romance (Plots)
• Racism (Setting)
• Undeath (Setting)

What happens if you're distressed during a game?

This is not an exhaustive list. Your psyche cannot be put into digital boxes, and there will be things that have slipped through the cracks that might show up in a game where you very suddenly find yourself having a real bad time.  Additionally, your GM is not perfect.  They may slip up and include a topic that makes you uncomfortable, despite their best efforts. 

Here are some options that you can use to communicate to your GM mid-game that you are uncomfortable and would like to move on to a different topic, without necessarily having to say it aloud:

• 🙅‍♂️ Make an X with your arms.
• 🛑 Send "Stop" to your GM via Discord. This is a great option because it keeps it a secret from the rest of the table.
• 📲 Give the GM a phonecall from under the table.