The Initial Rules of NeoNomicon


Immutable Rules


Rule 101
Obey The Rules

All players must always abide by all the rules then in effect, in the form in which they are then in effect, and interpreted in accordance with currently existing game custom. Until such time as they are legally transmuted, Rules 101-115 are immutable, and Rules 201-219 are mutable.


Rule 102
The First Speaker and Voters

Each Player shall be either a Voter or the First Speaker; no Player may be both at the same time. There will always be one First Speaker. The term "Player" refers to any Voter or the First Speaker.


Rule 103
What Is A Rule Change?

A rule change must be one of the following: (1) the enactment repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule; (2) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of an amendment; or (3) the transmutation of an immutable rule into a mutable rule, or vice versa.


Rule 104
Adopting Proposals

All proposals made in the proper way shall be voted on. Three conditions must be satisfied for a proposal to be adopted: (1) a quorum must have been achieved; (2) the required number of votes must have been cast in favor of the proposal; and (3) the prescribed voting period must have elapsed or all players have cast a vote, whichever is first.


Rule 105
Proposals Must Be Written Down

Any proposed rule change must be written down (or otherwise communicated in print media) before it is voted on. If adopted, it must guide play in the form in which it was voted on.


Rule 106
When Proposals Can Take Effect

A rule change will take effect when either the prescribed voting peroid has elapsed, or all players have cast their vote, whichever is first. No rule change may have retroactive application.


Rule 107
Numbering Proposals

The First Speaker shall give each proposed rule change an ordinal number for reference. The numbers shall begin with 301, and each rule change proposed in the proper way shall receive the next successive ordinal, whether or not the proposal is adopted. The effective ordinal number of a rule is the ordinal number of the most recent change to that rule.


Rule 108
Mutable/Immutable Inconsistencies

Mutable rules that are inconsistent in some way with some immutable rule (except by proposing to transmute it) are wholly void and without effect. They do not implicitly transmute immutable rules into mutable rules and at the same time amend them. Rule changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules will be effective only if they explicitly state their transmuting effect.


Rule 109
Making Proposals

The proper way to make a proposal is to send it by electronic mail to the current First Speaker. The First Speaker will then distribute the proposal to all Players. The prescribed voting period begins at the moment that the proposal is distributed by the First Speaker.


Rule 110
Winning The Game

The state of affairs that constitutes winning the game may not be changed from achieving n points to any other state of affairs. However, the magnitude of n and the means of earning points may be changed, and rules that establish a winner when play cannot be continued may be enacted and (while mutable) be amended or repealed. The winner of the last game shall become the new First Speaker for the next game, assuming all current duties allocated to the First Speaker.


Rule 111
Forfeiting The Game

A player always has the option to forfeit the game rather than continue to play or incur a game penalty. No penalty worse than losing, in the judgement of the player to incur it, may be imposed.


Rule 112
At Least One Mutable Rule

There must always be at least one mutable rule. The adoption of rule changes must never become completely inpermissible.


Rule 113
Rule Changes That Affect Rule Changing Rules

Rule changes that affect rules needed to allow or apply rule changes are as permissible as other rule changes. Even rule changes that amend or repeal their own authority are permissible. No rule change is impermissible solely on account of the self-reference or self-application of a rule.


Rule 114
Voting Options

Players may vote either for or against any proposal during the prescribed voting period. Voters should send their vote by electronic mail to the First Speaker before the end of the voting period. Players who do not vote within the prescribed period shall be deemed to have abstained.


Rule 115
Permissibility Of The Unprohibited

Whatever is not explicitly prohibited or regulated by a rule is permitted and unregulated, with the sole exception of changing the rules, which is permitted only when a rule or set of rules explicitly or implicitly permits it.


Mutable Rules


Rule 201
Quorum

Quorum is defined to be 50% of the active registered players.


Rule 203
Required Number Of Votes

The number of votes required to pass a proposal is two-thirds of the votes legally cast within the prescribed voting period.


Rule 204
One Player One Vote

Each player has exactly one vote.


Rule 205
The Prescribed Voting Period

The prescribed voting period on a proposal is seven days, starting from the moment that the proposal is distributed by the First Speaker.


Rule 206
When Proposals Take Effect

An adopted proposal takes effect at the moment that the prescribed voting period ends.


Rule 207
Scoring When A Proposal Is Adopted

When a proposed rule change is adopted, those players who voted against it receive 5 points each. A player whose proposed rule change is adopted also receives 10 points.


Rule 208
Scoring When A Proposal Is Defeated

When a proposed rule change is defeated, the player who proposed it loses 10 points.


Rule 209
Required Number Of Points To Win

The winner is the first player to achieve a score of 100 points.


Rule 210
Resolving Conflicts

If two or more mutable rules conflict with one another, or if two or more immutable rules conflict with one another, then the rule with the lowest effective ordinal number takes precedence. If at least one of the rules in conflict explicitly says of itself that it defers to another rule (or type of rule) or takes precedence over another rule (or type of rule), then such provisions shall supercede the numerical method for determining precedence. If two or more rules claim to take precedence over one another, or to defer to one another, then the numerical method must again govern.


Rule 211
Invoking Judgement

Any player who has a question or complaint about any matter concerning the laws and their interpretation may email their statement to the First Speaker, who will then distribute it to the rest of the Voters. A call for judgement is then incurred on that statement.


Rule 212
Selecting A Judge

When Judgement has been called for, a Judge is randomly selected from among the other registered players by the First Speaker. The player selected has 3 days in which to accept or refuse the appointment by posting to the First Speaker. Any player who does not respond to selection in 3 days shall be penalized 10 points, and is deemed to have refused appointment. If a selected player refuses appointment, then a further random selection is made from the remaining pool.


Rule 213
Delivering Judgement

Having accepted the appointment, a Judge has exactly one week in which to post an official Judgement. A Judge who fails to deliver Judgement within that period is penalized 10 points.


Rule 214
Three Possible Judgements

There are only three possible Judgements: (1) True; (2) False; or (3) Undecided. A Judgement may be accompanied by reasons an arguments, but any such reasons and arguments form no part of the official Judgement itself.


Rule 215
Judgements Must Accord With The Rules

All Judgements must be in accordance with all the rules then in effect. When the rules are silent, inconsistent, or unclear on the statement in question, however, then the Judge shall consider currently existing game custom and the spirit of the game in reaching a decision.


Rule 216
Judgements Are Not Rules

If a statement on which Judgement has been called is Judged to be true, and that Judgement is not overruled, it does not thereby become a rule, or any part of a rule. It merely becomes an explicit part of currently accepted game custom.


Rule 217
Overturning Judgements

At any time in the week following the posting of a Judgement of "true" or "false", any player may propose that the Judgement be overruled, i.e. changed to "undecided". If that proposal is adopted, according to whatever rules are currently in effect for the adoption of proposals, then the Judgement is overruled, and the Judge who made it penalized 20 points.


Rule 218
Registered Players

A player is any person who is registered as a player. No person may register as a player more than once concurrently. Anyone is allowed to observe the game and parrticipate in discussion of any issue, but no person who is not a player may make a proposal, or vote on any proposal, or call for judgement, or judge, or score points, or win the game.


Rule 219
Winning By Paradox

If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the legality of some action cannot be determined with finality, or if some action appears equally legal and illegal, then a player may call for judgement on a statement to that effect. If the statement is judged true, and the judgement is not overruled, then the player who called for judgement is declared the winner of the game. This rule takes precedence over every other rule for determining the winner of the game.