If you issue without making any attempt at in character (IC) resolution,
chances are good that your issue will be denied.

You want your issue to succeed? Read on.


ISSUES and Adventurer-Versus-Adventurer (aka PK, or PvP) Conflict
-----------------------------------------------------------------
What is IC resolution, and how do you do it so your issues have a
chance?

IC resolution comes up in four places in our rules about AvA (PvP/PK)
conflict and about ISSUES in particular: in HELP PK, HELP PK CAUSE, HELP
PK RULES, and HELP ISSUES.

These four excerpts, plus the conclusion and its attendant
'Nevertheless' section, explain issues and IC resolution:


I. From HELP PK RULES, item 10 and following
--------------------------------------------
Once you file an issue(*), you give up all IC right to revenge even
if you cancel that issue later.

(*) To learn more about issues, refer to HELP ISSUES. Do not file
an issue without fully understanding HELP ISSUES, including the
almost universal requirement to seek IC resolution first before
issuing.

II. From HELP PK CAUSE, under item 2
------------------------------------
(a) WITHOUT CAUSE
If an adventurer attacks or kills someone without cause,
the victim now has full rights against the attacker. (IC
resolution, issue(*), or cause).

(*) (same (*) note as previous excerpt)

III. From HELP PK (The Principle of IC (In Character) Resolution)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Try IC resolutions first. ISSUE as a last resort. People who issue
frequently tend to have their complaints taken less seriously.

Look for IC ways to resolve situations - through city, order, House, or
clan contacts. Diplomacy can often be far more effective than combat.
Settle for a publicly-posted apology. Accept a cash payment. Make some
sort of exchange. Besmirch the family bloodline! Issuing is really
rarely the best course of action and issuing a lot is a clear
indication, to us, of someone who invites trouble and then tries to get
the administration to protect him or her.

If there is no evidence at all of any attempt to seek IC resolution,
unless it is simply impossible to do so (which may be the case
sometimes, we realise - but even then, you can almost always try
something), then you should not pursue filing an issue (HELP ISSUES).

After all, issues are a blatantly OOC remedy. That doesn't make them
wrong, but it should give you pause to consider whether it's really
important enough to take OOC.

IV. From HELP ISSUES (Limitations and IC Resolution)
----------------------------------------------------
Make a reasonable attempt to handle problems in character (IC) first.
Use ISSUEs when IC resolution fails, or is impossible for whatever
reason. If Joe killed you for looking at him wrong, then there are
plenty of things you can try before getting the administrators involved
with an ISSUE. If no possible IC solution can exist, or further
problems continue, then DO seek help by filing an ISSUE.


Conclusion
----------
we're requiring that you make at least some attempt at IC resolution.
We're hesitant to give a list of possible things you could do, since
some people are so literal minded that they turn "a list of ideas" into
"a prescriptive list of precisely what is allowed." We don't want that.
These are just some ideas. There are probably a lot more ways to
approach IC resolution. Be creative.


Nevertheless, Some Possible Ways to Pursue IC Resolution
--------------------------------------------------------
- Hire an assassin or champion to help you.
- Get others in your attacker's House or City or Order to make life
miserable for him.
- Set your attacker up as a target in, say, a raid on _his_ city.
- Attempt to shame your attacker in public.
- Contact your attacker directly and make it clear that he owes
you a debt and would have to pay it off (in whatever manner you
might suggest, such as the ancient practice of blood money in
order to soothe the demands of offended family who might come
after him over and over again thereafter).

Make sure you avoid anything like "Do this, or else I'll ISSUE" (which
would be blatantly OOC, and obviously not part of any attempt at IC
resolution). Then go ahead and pursue whatever creative attempt at IC
resolution you like and, if it doesn't work, ok, you still have the
option to issue, and a much better chance of the issue's success.

Penned by my hand on the 21st of Chronos, in the year 465 AF.