CODE OF CONDUCT
HOW WE PLAY TOGETHER
Welcome to RPG Taverns! We are excited to have you join us for adventure, camaraderie, and fun. To ensure a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable experience for everyone, we require all players, GMs, and staff members to agree and adhere to the following Code of Conduct.
Where this code of conduct applies
The Code of Conduct applies at all times in our venue, including during gameplay and between sessions, and in all interactions via official RPG Taverns channels, including online platforms such as Discord. It also applies to community-organised events associated with RPG Taverns.
Living Document - 24/07/25 Update
This Code of Conduct is a living document. We value community feedback and will make updates to the Code of Conduct as necessary to improve inclusivity, safety, and fairness. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at reporting@rpgtaverns.com.
Start With Respect - Our Golden Rule
Respect is the foundation of our community. It enables us to create a welcoming atmosphere, tell engaging stories and build lasting friendships. Everyone at RPG Taverns must commit to fostering an inclusive and safe environment.
What Respect Looks Like:
Respect each other - Treat all players with dignity and kindness, embracing diverse perspectives and experiences.
Respect our GMs - Respect our GMs for the time and energy they spend bringing life to our world and telling rich, engaging stories. Provide feedback respectfully and constructively. Most of all, respect that our GMs are people too, and a simple thank you goes a long way!
Respect our staff - Respect our staff and their place of work. They work tirelessly long after the sessions have ended to make sure everyone is provided with a safe and fun experience. Don’t make that work harder.
Respect yourselves - You are a valued and important part of our community. Treat yourself with kindness and confidence, knowing that you belong here..
What Respect Does Not Look Like:
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Speaking over , interrupting, or dismissing others.
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Making assumptions about or invalidating someone’s identity or experiences.
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Harassment, discrimination, or bullying in any form.
Diversity
RPG Taverns celebrates diversity and aims to create an equitable and accessible space for all players. Our community welcomes people of all backgrounds, and we expect members to support inclusivity and fairness.
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What This Looks Like:
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Using the correct names and pronouns for individuals.
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Respecting different lived experiences and perspectives.
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Creating characters with care and avoiding harmful stereotypes.
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Supporting accessibility accommodations requested by players.
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What This Does Not Look Like:
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Any form of discrimination, including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism, or religious intolerance.
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Roleplaying in a way that perpetuates harmful stereotypes or tropes.
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Invalidating another person’s identity or experiences.
Safe and Fair Gameplay
All players must behave in a way that is respectful, safe, and fair.
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Expected Behaviour:
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Ensuring all players have a fair chance to contribute to gameplay.
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Engaging in roleplay that fosters collaboration and enjoyment for all.
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Accepting feedback constructively and giving it respectfully.
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Thanking your GM and fellow players at the end of a session.
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Unacceptable Behaviour:
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Arguing aggressively with the GM or players.
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Dominating playtime, denying others agency.
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Playing characters in a way that deliberately causes harm or distress to others.
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Disrupting sessions with excessive swearing or inappropriate comments.
Bullying & Harassment
You must not bully or harass others, including players, GMs, or members of staff.
Bullying and harassment in any form is unacceptable at RPG Taverns. Individuals engaging in these behaviours show a fundamental lack of respect towards their fellow community members and are in violation of our golden rule. This applies to interactions both in and out of character.
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Harassment Includes But Is Not Limited To:
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Unwanted nicknames or repeated unwanted attention.
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Persistent attempts to socialise after being declined.
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Inappropriate comments or unwanted physical contact.
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Targeting individuals based on personal characteristics.
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Creating an unsafe or hostile environment.
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How To Address Issues:
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If you feel safe to do so, you can respectfully call out minor incidents as they arise.
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Report concerns via reporting@rpgtaverns.com or speak to a staff member.
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RPG Taverns will investigate all reports with confidentiality and care.
Conflict Resolution
Any conflict, debate, or disagreement must be approached in a way that is constructive and respectful.
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Healthy conflict is a core part of TTRPGs. But there is a point where conflict can become unhealthy, potentially aggressive, or even violent. As such, we expect people to engage in healthy and respectful conflict, both in and out of character.
Healthy Conflict Looks Like:
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Debating ideas, not people.
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Compromising and seeking resolutions.
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Leaving in-game disagreements at the table.
Unhealthly Conflict Looks Like:
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Yelling, intimidation, or aggressive posturing.
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Ignoring player boundaries around conflict-driven roleplay.
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Encouraging or inciting real-world violence.
Substance Use and External Drinks Policy
If you choose to consume alcohol, you must do so responsibly and in moderation.
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No outside beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) are permitted in the venue.
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Alcohol must be consumed responsibly.
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Staff have the legal right under the Licensing Act 2003 in England and Wales to refuse service or entry. This right will be exercised where necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all guests and staff.
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The possession, use, or distribution of illegal substances is strictly prohibited. Any such activity will be reported to the police, and individuals involved will be immediately removed from RPG Taverns.
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Any behaviour influenced by substances that disrupts gameplay, creates discomfort, or poses a safety risk to others will not be tolerated.
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Do not pressure others to drink or engage in substance use.
Accessibility and Accommodations
You must treat all players with respect regardless of their personal characteristics.
Small accommodations can make a big difference to a person's experience as part of our community. We are committed to making RPG Taverns a welcoming space for all, including individuals with disabilities and neurodivergent players. We also have a dedicated quiet room, please ask at the bar if you would like to use this before games start.
What This Looks Like:
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Making reasonable accommodations for accessibility needs.
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Minimising noise and distractions when requested.
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Being flexible in supporting different communication or play styles.
What This Does Not Look Like:
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Ignoring reasonable accommodation requests.
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Mocking or trivialising accessibility needs.
Good Night Out Accreditation
RPG Taverns is proud to be a Good Night Out Accredited Venue. This means we have undergone specialised training to ensure that our venue is a safe and welcoming space, free from harassment and discrimination.
As part of this commitment:
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Our staff and GMs are trained to handle disclosures of harassment and to support individuals who report concerns.
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We take all reports seriously and act swiftly to investigate and resolve issues.
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Our venue promotes a culture of respect, inclusion, and proactive safety measures.
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We work with external organisations to continuously improve our policies and maintain best practices in venue safety and inclusivity.
If you have any concerns or suggestions, please reach out to reporting@rpgtaverns.com.
Reporting Channels, Investigations & Sanctions
Reporting Channels
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In Person
If you witness or experience any behaviour that violates the Code of Conduct or makes you feel uncomfortable, please report this to Front of House. If they are unable to solve the issue, please report it to any onsite staff member of RPG Taverns immediately. The staff member may note down your details for further correspondence or ask you to also report your concern or complaint via email at reporting@rpgtaverns.com.
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Consequences or rulings implemented by GMs or onsite staff members may be appealed to the RPG Taverns disciplinary committee via this email address.
Email
You can report concerns or complaints via email at reporting@rpgtaverns.com. All reports are treated with the strictest confidence. A member of staff will respond as soon as possible to discuss next steps. Please include as much information as possible, including (where applicable) the offending party, witnesses, location, date and time, and a summary of the incident.
Anonymous Webform - Click Here to View Form
We provide an anonymous form for reporting incidents. However, making an anonymous report may limit our ability to fully investigate and resolve the issue. We highly encourage using email for more thorough follow-up.
Mod Tag (Discord only)
To flag inappropriate content on Discord, please tag the post with the ‘@Mods’ tag to bring it to the Discord moderation team’s attention. To escalate a matter arising on Discord to RPG Taverns directly, please email reporting@rpgtaverns.com.
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Please note that the ‘Report Message’ function within the Discord UI goes directly to Discord, and not RPG Taverns. Please use the process above to bring matters on Discord to our attention.
Investigation
Process
Reports related to venue operations, gameplay, or misconduct will be reviewed by the appropriate team. Misconduct reports are handled by the conduct committee, which ensures fairness and confidentiality. We aim to respond to all complaints within one business week.
Investigations are conducted with respect and transparency, balancing openness with privacy considerations. RPG Taverns reserves the right to refuse service or remove individuals from the venue at its discretion.
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Sanctions
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When choosing to apply a sanction for misconduct, the Conduct Committee may issue one of the following sanctions at their discretion.
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Caution
In situations where a breach of conduct is considered to be minor or unintentional, a caution may be issued. A caution tells an individual that their actions or behaviour is not in keeping with our behavioural expectations and that they should refrain from repeating them in the future. A caution may also be accompanied by an expectation that the individual apologises for their behaviour.
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Formal Warning
Where the breach of conduct has been found to be serious or intentional, or where repeated minor breaches occur without sufficient improvement, a formal warning may be issued. A formal warning puts an individual on notice that if they do not alter their behaviour or otherwise continue to breach behavioural or conduct expectations, they may face further sanctions, including a ban.
In some cases, a temporary ban or suspension may accompany a formal warning. This may involve a set period of exclusion from the venue, online spaces, or specific events, and is used when a short-term break is deemed necessary to ensure safety, accountability, or to allow time for resolution. Temporary bans may last for a fixed period and will be reviewed at the end of that term.
A formal warning may also include additional restrictions such as avoiding specific players, player interactions, or gameplay content. The individual will be informed how long the formal warning or restrictions will remain in place and/or what is required for the warning or restrictions to be lifted.
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Ban
Where a breach of conduct has been found to be extreme, where an individual's actions are found to present a significant risk to the safety of players, GMs, or staff, where a formal warning has not been adhered to, or where there is a reputational risk to RPG Taverns, a ban may be applied. Banned individuals are forbidden from attending any events or activities run by RPG Taverns and will be removed from the RPG Taverns Discord. Bans are permanent unless there is a compelling reason for the ban to be reconsidered.
Staff and
Directors
Sanctions Involving Staff
Where sanctions are related to staff, we will act in line with our obligations as an employer, employee agreements, employment policies, and any relevant legislation. This could involve disciplinary measures up to and including dismissal.
We expect our staff to comply with the contents of our Code of Conduct, in addition to any further expectations required of them as part of their relationship with RPG Taverns.
Investigations or Sanctions Related to Directors
As a board of directors, we hold ourselves to the highest standard of behaviour, and the Code of Conduct applies to the board itself. Where a report of misconduct is related to a director, it will be referred to the other directors for review. The relatively large size of our board facilitates this process.
As a board, we pledge to approach complaints about fellow members in a manner that is impartial and free from bias. In the event of a link between two directors that could cause bias, the directors must remove themselves from discussions relating to the complaints process. In these situations, we will aim to be as transparent as possible and will seek to engage the services of a third party or external observer where appropriate.