THE SHORT LOGICAL RULESET Last proposal with recorded effect on this ruleset: 5455 Last change to this ruleset: by proposal Rule ID numbers: highest orderly: 2200 disorderly: none ====================================================================== The Game of Agora ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 101/7 (Power=3) Agoran Rights and Privileges The rules may define persons as possessing specific rights or privileges. Be it hereby proclaimed that no binding agreement or interpretation of Agoran law may abridge, reduce, limit, or remove a person's defined rights. A person's defined privileges are assumed to exist in the absence of an explicit, binding agreement to the contrary. This rule takes precedence over any rule which would allow restrictions of a person's rights or privileges. i. Every person has the privilege of doing what e wilt. ii. Every player has the right to perform an action which is not regulated. iii. Every person has the right to initiate a formal process to resolve matters of controversy, in the reasonable expectation that the controversy will thereby be resolved. Every person has the right to cause formal reconsideration of any judicial determination that e should be punished. iv. Every person has the right to refuse to become party to a binding agreement. The absence of a person's explicit, willful consent shall be considered a refusal. v. Every person has the right to not be considered bound by an agreement, or an amendment to an agreement, which e has not had the reasonable opportunity to review. vi. Every player has the right of participation in the fora. vii. Every person has the right to not be penalized more than once for any single action or inaction. viii. Every player has the right to deregister rather than continue to play. Please treat Agora right good forever. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2125/1 (Power=3) Regulation Regulations An action is regulated if: (a) the action is prohibited; (b) the rules indicate that if certain conditions are satisfied, then some player is permitted to perform the action; (c) the action would, as part of its effect, modify information for which some player is required to be a recordkeepor; or (d) the action would, as part of its effect, make it impossible to make arbitrary modifications to the rules by any combinations of actions by players. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1586/3 (Power=2) Definition and Continuity of Entities Two Rule-defined entities CANNOT have the same name or nickname. If the Rules defining an entity are repealed or amended such that they no longer define that entity, then that entity and its properties cease to exist. If the Rules defining an entity are amended such that they still define that entity but with different properties, then that entity and its properties continue to exist to whatever extent is possible under the new definitions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1688/4 (Power=3) Power The power of an entity is a non-negative rational number. An instrument is an entity with positive power. The power of an entity cannot be set or modified except as stipulated by the rules. All entities have power zero except where specifically allowed by the rules. A rule that secures a change (hereafter the securing rule) thereby makes it IMPOSSIBLE to perform that change except as allowed by an instrument with power greater than or equal to the change's power threshold. This threshold defaults to the securing rule's power, but CAN be lowered as allowed by that rule. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2140/0 (Power=3) Power Controls Mutability No entity with power below the power of this rule can (a) cause an entity to have power greater than its own. (b) adjust the power of an instrument with power greater than its own. (c) modify any other substantive aspect of an instrument with power greater than its own. A "substantive" aspect of an instrument is any aspect that affects the instrument's operation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2149/8 (Power=1) Truthfulness A person SHALL NOT make a public statement unless e believes that in doing so e is telling the truth. Merely quoting a false statement does not constitute making it for the purposes of this rule. Any disclaimer, conditional clause, or other qualifier attached to a statement constitutes part of the statement for the purposes of this rule; the truth or falsity of the whole is what is significant. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2186/0 (Power=2) Victory Winning Conditions and Losing Conditions exist only as defined by rules. Defining these things is secured. A win announcement is a correct announcement explicitly labeled as a win announcement. When one or more persons satisfy at least one Winning Condition and do not satisfy any Losing Conditions, all such persons win the game. This is the only way to win the game, rules to the contrary notwithstanding. Each Winning Condition should (if needed) specify a cleanup procedure to prevent an arbitrary number of wins arising from essentially the same conditions. When one or more persons win the game, for each Winning Condition satisfied by at least one of those persons, its cleanup procedure occurs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2110/5 (Power=3) Win by Paradox A tortoise is an inquiry case on the possibility or legality of a rule-defined action (actual or hypothetical, but not arising from that case itself, and not occurring after the initiation of that case) for which the question of veracity is UNDECIDABLE. Upon a win announcement that a tortoise has continuously been a tortoise for no greater than four and no less than two weeks, the initiator satisfies the Winning Condition of Paradox. Cleanup procedure: Each winner satisfying this Winning Condition SHALL, as soon as possible, make a reasonable attempt to resolve the paradox. The same person can not satisfy this Winning Condition again for the same tortoise or for any other tortoise that was linked to it in assignment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2199/0 (Power=2) Ribbons Ribbons are a class of fixed assets. Changes to Ribbon holdings are secured. Ownership of Ribbons is restricted to players. Each Ribbon has exactly one color. Colors with different names are distinct, regardless of spectral proximity. Each color of Ribbon is a currency. The Tailor is a low-priority office, and the recordkeepor of Ribbons. Ribbons are gained as follows, unless the player already possesses the color of Ribbon to be gained: (+R) When an interested proposal is adopted and changes at least one rule with Power >= 3, its proposer gains a Red Ribbon. (+O) When an interested proposal is adopted by voting with no valid votes AGAINST, its proposer gains an Orange Ribbon. (+G) At the end of each month, each player who held at least one office continuously during that month gains a Green Ribbon, unless e violated a requirement to submit a report within a time limit. (+C) When a player deputises for an office, e gains a Cyan Ribbon. (+B) When a player assigns a judgement to a judicial question other than a question on sentencing, e gains a Blue Ribbon, unless e violated a requirement to submit that judgement within a time limit. (+K) When a player assigns a judgement to a judicial question on sentencing, e gains a Black Ribbon, unless e violated a requirement to submit that judgement within a time limit. (+W) When a first-class person becomes a player for the first time, e gains a White Ribbon. When a first-class person has been a player continuously for at least three months, was never a player before that period, and names another first-class player as eir mentor (and has not named a mentor in this fashion before), that player gains a White Ribbon. (+M) When, during Agora's birthday, a player publicly acknowledges the occasion, e gains a Magenta Ribbon. (+U) When a player is awarded the Patent Title Champion, e gains an Ultraviolet Ribbon. (+V) When a player is awarded a Patent Title, e gains a Violet Ribbon, unless e gains a different Ribbon for the award. (+I) When a player is awarded a degree, e gains an Indigo Ribbon. (+Y) At the end of each month, for each contest that awarded points to at least three different contestants during that month, the contestmaster gains a Yellow Ribbon. If this rule mentions at least six different specific colors for Ribbons, then a player CAN destroy one Ribbon of each such color in eir possession to satisfy the Winning Condition of Renaissance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2177/5 (Power=2) The Senate A Senator is any Player who has been registered continuously for the immediately preceding sixty days. The collection of Senators is the Senate. The Registrar's report includes a list of all Senators. A Senator CAN call an Emergency Session with 2 Senate supporters, provided no other emergency session existed at any time in the preceding 48 hours. An emergency session lasts for 21 days after being called. The Assessor's report includes the most recent date on which an emergency session was called. The roll call of an emergency session is the set of senators at the time the emergency session was called. During emergency session, the previous definition of senator does not apply; instead, any player who is a member of the roll call is a senator. The Assessor's report includes the roll call of the most recent emergency session. During emergency session, any Senator CAN declare a filibuster on a proposal in its voting period, with 2 supporting Senators, provided no filibuster has been declared on that proposal in the past. Any Senator CAN end a filibuster on a proposal with 4 supporting Senators. A proposal that ends its voting period in filibuster has a quorum of the number of eligible voters plus 1, rules to the contrary notwithstanding. When an emergency session begins, all non-Senators' postures become supine, and non-Senators CANNOT flip their posture while the session lasts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Rules ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2141/1 (Power=3) Role and Attributes of Rules A rule is a type of instrument with the capacity to govern the game generally. A rule's content takes the form of a text, and is unlimited in scope. In particular, a rule may define in-game entities and regulate their behaviour, make instantaneous changes to the state of in-game entities, prescribe or proscribe certain player behaviour, modify the rules or the application thereof, or do any of these things in a conditional manner. Every rule has power between one and four inclusive. It is not possible for a rule to have a power outside this range. Rules have ID numbers, to be assigned by the Rulekeepor. Every rule shall have a title to aid in identification. If a rule ever does not have a title, the Rulekeepor shall assign a title to it by announcement as soon as possible. For the purposes of rules governing modification of instruments, the text, power, ID number, and title of a rule are all substantive aspects of the rule. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 217/6 (Power=3) Interpreting the Rules When interpreting and applying the rules, the text of the rules takes precedence. Where the text is silent, inconsistent, or unclear, it is to be augmented by game custom, common sense, past judgements, and consideration of the best interests of the game. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1482/2 (Power=3) Precedence between Rules with Unequal Power In a conflict between Rules with different Power, the Rule with the higher Power takes precedence over the Rule with the lower Power. No change to the Ruleset can occur that would cause a Rule to stipulate any other means of determining precedence between Rules of unequal Power. This applies to changes by the enactment or amendment of a Rule, or of any other form. This Rule takes precedence over any Rule that would permit such a change to the Ruleset. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1030/6 (Power=3) Precedence between Rules with Equal Power If two or more Rules with the same Power conflict with one another, then the Rule with the lower ID 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 all of the Rules in conflict explicitly say that their precedence relations are determined by some other Rule for determining precedence relations, then the determinations of the precedence-determining Rule shall supercede the numerical method for determining precedence. If two or more Rules claim to take precedence over one another or defer to one another, then the numerical method again governs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 105/3 (Power=3) Rule Changes Where permitted by other rules, an instrument generally can, as part of its effect, (a) enact a rule. The new rule has power equal to the minimum of the power specified by the enacting instrument, defaulting to one if the enacting instrument does not specify, and the maximum power permitted by other rules. The enacting instrument may specify a title for the new rule, which if present shall prevail. The ID number of the new rule cannot be specified by the enacting instrument; any attempt to so specify is null and void. (b) repeal a rule. When a rule is repealed, it ceases to be a rule, and the Rulekeepor need no longer maintain a record of it. (c) amend the text of a rule. (d) retitle a rule. (e) change the power of a rule. A rule change is any effect that falls into the above classes. Rule changes always occur sequentially, never simultaneously. Any ambiguity in the specification of a rule change causes that change to be void and without effect. A variation in whitespace or capitalization in the quotation of an existing rule does not constitute ambiguity for the purposes of this rule, but any other variation does. This rule provides the only mechanism by which rules can be created, modified, or destroyed, or by which an entity can become a rule or cease to be a rule. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1681/12 (Power=1) The Logical Rulesets There is a format of the ruleset known as the Short Logical Ruleset (SLR). In this format, each rule is assigned to a category, and the rules are grouped according to their category. Rules are assigned to, ordered within, or moved between categories, and categories are added, changed, or empty categories removed, as the Rulekeepor sees fit. The listing of each rule in the SLR must include the rule's ID number, revision number, power, title, and text. The Rulekeepor is strongly encouraged not to include any additional information in the SLR, except that which increases the readability of the SLR. There is a format of the ruleset known as the Full Logical Ruleset (FLR). In this format, rules are assigned to the same category and presented in the same order as in the SLR. The FLR must contain all the information required to be in the SLR, and any historical annotations which the Rulekeepor is required to record. The Rulekeepor is also free to include any other information which e feels may be helpful in the use of the ruleset in the FLR. Whenever a rule is changed in any way, the Rulekeepor shall record a historical annotation to the rule indicating: a) The type of change. b) The date on which the change took effect. c) The mechanism that specified the change. d) If the rule was changed due to a proposal, then that proposal's ID number, author, and co-author(s) (if any). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1051/18 (Power=1) The Rulekeepor The Rulekeepor is an office; its holder is responsible for maintaining the text of the rules of Agora. The Rulekeepor's Weekly report includes the Short Logical Ruleset. The Rulekeepor's Monthly report includes the Full Logical Ruleset. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Players ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 869/25 (Power=1) How to Join and Leave Agora Citizenship is an entity switch with values Unregistered (default) and Registered, tracked by the registrar. A player is an entity whose citizenship is Registered. The verb "to be registered" means to become a player (i.e., to have one's citizenship changed from Unregistered to Registered), and the verb "to be deregistered" means to cease to be a player (i.e., to have one's citizenship changed from Registered to Unregistered). Where the verb "to register" or "to deregister" is used without an explicit direct object, the action is implicitly reflexive. A person CAN register, unless prevented by the rules, by announcing that e registers, wishes to register, requests registration, or requests permission to register. A player CAN deregister by announcement. E CANNOT register within thirty days after doing so. A player who is not a person and has never been a first-class person CAN be deregistered by any player by announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2144/8 (Power=1) Limited Partnerships A partnership SHALL NOT register if its basis is the same as that of any player. Whenever a judgement of GUILTY is assigned in a criminal case alleging that a partnership has violated this rule, the judge SHOULD assign an EXILE judgement to the question on sentencing in that case. If a registered partnership has the same basis as another player, any player CAN deregister it with Agoran Consent. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2139/1 (Power=1) The Registrar The Registrar is an office; its holder is responsible for keeping track of players. The Registrar's report includes, for each player: a) Information sufficient to identify and contact em. b) The date on which e most recently became a player. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1789/3 (Power=1) Cantus Cygneus Whenever a Player feels that e has been treated so egregiously by the Agoran community that e can no longer abide to be a part of it, e may submit a document to the Clerk of the Courts, clearly labeled a Cantus Cygneus, detailing eir grievances and expressing eir reproach for those who e feels have treated em so badly. As soon as possible after receiving a Cantus Cygneus, the Clerk of the Courts shall publish this document along with a Writ of Fugere Agorae Grandissima Exprobratione, commanding the Player to be deregistered and instructing the Registrar to note the method of deregistration for that Player in subsequent Registrar Reports, as long as the Player remains deregistered. The Player is deregistered as of the posting of the Writ, and the notation in the Registrar's Report will ensure that, henceforth, all may know said Player deregistered in a Writ of FAGE. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2130/9 (Power=1) Activity Activity is a player switch with values Active (default) and Inactive, tracked by the Registrar. The Registrar's report includes the date on which each non-Active player's activity last changed. A player CAN flip eir activity by announcement. "To go on hold" is to become Inactive; "to come off hold" is to become Active. A player CAN flip another player's activity to Inactive without objection. A player who has been continuously Inactive for at least three months CAN be deregistered by any other player without objection. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Definitions ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 478/22 (Power=3) Fora Freedom of speech being essential for the healthy functioning of any non-Imperial nomic, it is hereby resolved that No Player shall be prohibited from participating in the Fora. Publicity is a forum switch with values Public, Discussion, and Foreign (default), tracked by the Registrar. The Registrar's report includes, for each forum with non-Foreign publicity, sufficient instructions for players to receive messages there. The Registrar may change the publicity of a forum without objection as long as: (a) e sends eir announcement of intent to that forum; and (b) if the forum is to be made public, the announcement by which the Registrar makes that forum public is sent to all existing public fora. Each active player should ensure e can receive messages via each public forum. A message is public if and only if it is sent via a public forum or is sent to all players and contains a clear designation of intent to be public. A player "publishes" or "announces" something by sending a public message. Where the rules define an action that CAN be performed "by announcement", a player performs that action by announcing that e performs it. Any action performed by sending a message is performed at the time date-stamped on that message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2170/1 (Power=3) Who Am I? A public message's claim as to who published it is self-ratifying, unless the claim is self-contradictory, or a challenge of identity pertaining to the claimed publisher has been issued within one month before its publication. The Executor of a public message is the first-class person who sends it, or who most directly and immediately causes it to be sent. The executor of an action performed by announcement is the executor of the announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 754/7 (Power=3) Definition Definitions Regularity of communication being essential for the healthy function of any nomic, it is hereby resolved: (1) A difference in spelling, grammar, or dialect, or the use of a synonym or abbreviation in place of a word or phrase, is inconsequential in all forms of communication, as long as the difference does not create an ambiguity in meaning. (2) A term explicitly defined by the Rules by default has that meaning, as do its ordinary-language synonyms not explicitly defined by the rules. (3) Any term primarily used in mathematical or legal contexts, and not addressed by previous provisions of this Rule, by default has the meaning it has in those contexts. (4) Any term not addressed by previous provisions of this Rule by default has its ordinary-language meaning. This rule takes precedence over any other rules which dictate terminology or grammar. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2152/3 (Power=3) Mother, May I? The following terms are defined. These definitions are used when a rule includes a term in all caps, and SHOULD be used when a rule includes a term otherwise. Earlier definitions take precedence over later ones. If a rule specifies one or more players in connection with a term, then the term applies only to the specified player(s). 1. CANNOT, IMPOSSIBLE, INEFFECTIVE, INVALID: Attempts to perform the described action are unsuccessful. 2. MUST NOT, MAY NOT, SHALL NOT, ILLEGAL, PROHIBITED: Performing the described action violates the rule in question. 3. SHOULD NOT, DISCOURAGED, DEPRECATED: Before performing the described action, the full implications of performing it should be understood and carefully weighed. 4. CAN: Attempts to perform the described action are successful. 5. MAY: Performing the described action does not violate the rule in question. 6. MUST, SHALL, REQUIRED, MANDATORY: Failing to perform the described action violates the rule in question. 7. SHOULD, ENCOURAGED, RECOMMENDED: Before failing to perform the described action, the full implications of failing to perform it should be understood and carefully weighed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1023/23 (Power=2) Common Definitions The following terms are defined: (a) The phrases "in a timely fashion" and "as soon as possible" mean "within seven days". (b) The term "paragraph" means a subset of text determined as follows: (1) Each bulleted or enumerated (hereafter simply "bulleted") section is a unit of text. (2) Any remaining text is divided into units at blank lines. (3) Each unit of a document has a level as follows. All unbulleted units have level 1. Each bulleted unit has level n+2, where n is the number of bulleted units it is nested inside. (4) A barrier between two units is a unit appearing between those units which has level no greater than that of the unit appearing first. (5) The units of a document form an ordered tree, with the hierarchy determined as follows. The root is an empty unit with level zero, which nominally appears at the beginning of the document. One unit is a descendant of another unit if it appears after the latter, has strictly greater level, and is not separated from the latter by a barrier. The tree's ordering follows the order of the units in the document. (6) A "paragraph" identified by partial quotation is determined by the minimum sub-tree containing the entirety of that quotation. (7) A "paragraph" identified by an ordinal n is determined by the nth unbulleted unit and its descendants. (8) A "paragraph" identified by enumerated section labels is determined by the sub-tree arrived at by traversal from the root, using the specified series of labels. (c) Agoran epochs: (1) Agoran days begin at midnight UTC. (2) Agoran weeks begin at midnight UTC on Monday. (3) Agoran months begin at midnight UTC on the first day of each Gregorian month. (4) Agoran quarters begin when the Agoran months of January, April, July, and October begin. (5) Agoran years begin when the Agoran month of January begins. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2161/2 (Power=2) ID Numbers If a rule defines a type of entity as having ID numbers, then: (a) Whenever an instance of that type does not have an ID number, the player held responsible by that rule SHALL assign an ID number to it by announcement as soon as possible. (b) Such an assignment is INVALID unless the number is a natural number (expressed as a decimal literal with at most 14 digits) distinct from any ID number, and greater than any orderly ID number, previously assigned to an entity of that type. The player SHALL select the smallest number possible, unless e reasonably believes that selecting any smaller number might be invalid or confusing. (c) Each ID number is either orderly (default) or chaotic. Upon a judicial finding that the assignment of an ID number was ILLEGAL, the ID number becomes chaotic. (d) Once assigned, an ID number cannot be changed. (e) If an office is responsible for assigning ID numbers, then that officer's report includes the greatest orderly ID number, and a list of all chaotic ID numbers, previously assigned to the type of entity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2146/1 (Power=2) Indices Indices are elements of the extended real numbers, which is a total order consisting of the real numbers plus a minimum element, called negative infinity, and a maximum element, called positive infinity or unanimity. The ratio of a positive index to zero is positive infinity. The ratio of a negative index to zero is negative infinity. The ratio of zero to any index is zero. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2162/1 (Power=2) Switches A type of switch is a property that the rules define as a switch, and specify the following: a) The type(s) of entity possessing an instance of that switch. No other entity possesses an instance of that switch. b) One or more possible values for instances of that switch, exactly one of which is designated as the default. No other values are possible for instances of that switch. c) Exactly one officer who tracks instances of that switch. That officer's report includes the value of each instance of that switch whose value is not its default value. At any given time, each instance of a switch has exactly one possible value for that type of switch. If an instance of a switch comes to have a value, it ceases to have any other value. If an instance of a switch would otherwise fail to have a possible value, it comes to have its default value. "To flip an instance of a switch" is to make it come to have a given value. "To become X" (where X is a possible value of exactly one of the subject's switches) is to flip that switch to X. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2150/2 (Power=2) Personhood A person is an entity that has the general capacity to be the subject of rights and obligations under the rules. An entity is a person if and only if it is defined to be so by rules with power 2 or greater. Any biological organism that is capable of communicating by email in English is a person. "First-class person" means a person of a biological nature. "First-class player" means a player who is a first-class person. The basis of a a first-class person is the singleton set consisting of that person. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2166/2 (Power=2) Assets An asset is an entity defined as such by an instrument or contract (hereafter its backing document). Each asset has exactly one owner. If an asset would otherwise lack an owner, it is owned by the Bank. If an asset's backing document restricts its ownership to a class of entities, then that asset CANNOT be gained by or transferred to an entity outside that class, and is destroyed if it is owned by an entity outside that class. The recordkeepor of a class of assets is the entity defined as such by its backing document. That entity's report includes a list of all instances of that class and their owners. This portion of that entity's report is self-ratifying. An asset whose backing document is not a rule generally CAN be created by its recordkeepor by announcement, subject to modification by its backing document. To "gain" an asset is to have it created in one's possession; to "award" an asset to an entity is to create it in that entity's possession. An asset generally CAN be destroyed by its owner by announcement, and an asset owned by the Bank generally CAN be destroyed by its recordkeepor by announcement, subject to modification by its backing document. To "lose" an asset is to have it destroyed from one's possession; to "revoke" an asset from an entity is to destroy it from that entity's possession. A asset generally CAN be transferred by its owner to another entity by announcement, subject to modification by its backing document. A fixed asset is one defined as such by its backing document, and CANNOT be transferred; any other asset is liquid. A currency is a class of asset defined as such by its backing document. Instances of a currency with the same owner are fungible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2181/0 (Power=1) The Accountor The Accountor is an office; its holder is responsible for keeping track of assets. The Accountor is the default recordkeepor for all assets that do not specify a different recordkeepor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1728/18 (Power=2) Dependent Actions A player CAN perform an action dependently (a dependent action) if and only if the Rules explicitly authorize the player to perform the action by one of the following methods: - Without N Objections, where N is a nonnegative integer; - With N Supporters, where N is a nonnegative integer; or - With N Agoran Consent, where N is an integer multiple of 0.1, with a minimum of 1.0. The phrase "Without Objection" is synonymous with "Without 1 Objection"; the phrase "With Support" is synonymous with "With 1 Supporter"; the phrase "With Agoran Consent" is synonymous with "With 1.0 Agoran Consent". A player authorized to perform a dependent action (the initiator) CAN publicly announce eir intent to do so, unambiguously describing both the action and the method, including the required value for N. A player (the performer) CAN perform a previously unambiguously described dependent action by announcement, if and only if all of the following are true: (a) the time elapsed since the announcement of intent is no more than fourteen days, and (if the action is to be performed Without N Objections or With N Agoran Consent) at least four days; (b) either the performer was the initiator, or the initiator was authorized to perform the action by virtue of holding a rules-defined position and the performer is the holder of that position when e attempts to perform the action; and (c) At the time the action is attempted, Agora is Satisfied with the announced intent, as described elsewhere. The specification in the rules that an action may be performed dependently does not prohibit performing that action independently if doing so would otherwise be permissible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2124/6 (Power=2) Agoran Satisfaction A Supporter of a dependent action is a first-class player who has publicly posted (and not withdrawn) support for an announcement of intent to perform the action. An Objector to a dependent action is a first-class player who has publicly posted (and not withdrawn) an objection to the announcement of intent to perform the action. The Executor of such an announcement of intent CANNOT support nor object to it. A rule authorizing the performance of a dependent action may further restrict the eligibility of players to support or object to that specific action. Agora is Satisfied with an intent to perform a specific action if and only if: (1) the action is to be performed Without N Objections, and it has fewer than N objectors; (2) the action is to be performed With N supporters, and it has N or more supporters; or (3) the action is to be performed with N Agoran Consent, and the ratio of supporters to objectors is greater than N, or the action has at least one supporter and no objectors. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1769/5 (Power=2) Holidays A Holiday is a period of time designated as such by the Rules. During a Holiday, the Promotor SHALL NOT distribute any proposals, and judges SHALL NOT be assigned to any judicial case, and judges SHALL NOT assign judgement to any judicial question. If some Rule requires that an action be done prior to a given time, and that given time falls during a Holiday, or within the 72-hour period immediately following that Holiday, then that action need not be done until 72 hours after that Holiday ends. If some Rule bases the time of a future event upon the time of another event, or requires that a Player perform some action within some time of another event, and that other event occurs during a Holiday, the time at which the Holiday ends shall be used instead for the purpose of determining the time of the future event or of the time by which the Player must perform the specified action. This Rule takes precedence over all Rules pertaining to the timing of events, and over all Rules which require Players to perform events before a specified time. The period each year from midnight GMT on the morning of 24 December to the beginning of the first Agoran week to begin after 2 January is a Holiday. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1750/1 (Power=1) Read the Ruleset Week The first Agoran week each year which falls entirely in February is Read the Ruleset Week. Agorans are encouraged to read the ruleset during Read the Ruleset Week. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Offices ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1006/23 (Power=2) Offices A role is an office if and only if it is so defined by the rules. Each office at any time either is vacant (default) or is filled (held) by exactly one player. The holder of an office is an officer, and may be referred to by the name of the office. An office is imposed if it is so described by the rule defining it; otherwise, it is elected. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2154/7 (Power=2) Replacing Officers Any player CAN make an active player (hereafter the nominee) the holder of an elected office, thus removing any previous holder from the office, with Agoran Consent and the nominee's consent; this process is known as installation. If, during the minimum waiting period between intent and action defined for Agoran Consent, another active player is nominated in this way and consents, then the IADoP SHALL as soon as possible initiate an Agoran decision to determine the new officeholder; this process is known as election. Until the election is resolved, the office CANNOT change hands via installation, the remainder of this rule notwithstanding. In an election, the valid options are the consenting nominees (hereafter the candidates), quorum is the lesser of three and the number of active players (other rules on quorum notwithstanding), the eligible voters are the active players. In the notice resolving the decision, the IADoP will select a candidate that received at least as many votes as any other candidate; this candidate thereby becomes the officeholder. Stability is an elected office switch, tracked by the IADoP, with values Temporal (default) and Perpetual. Any player CAN flip an office's stability without 2 objections. A Perpetual office becomes Temporal when its holder leaves office. If an office is Temporal at the end of a quarter, and no attempt to install a player into that office was made during that quarter, then the IADoP SHALL make at least one such attempt during the following quarter, and SHALL make the change if possible; however, these requirements are waived if another player makes such a change during the following quarter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2138/3 (Power=1) The International Associate Director of Personnel The International Associate Director of Personnel is an low-priority office; its holder is responsible for keeping track of officers and reports. The IADoP's report includes the following: a) The holder of each office. b) The date on which each holder last came to hold that office. c) The date of the most recent attempt to achieve Agoran Consent for changing the holder of that office. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2143/1 (Power=1) Official Reports For each office: a) If any information is defined by the rules as part of that office's weekly report, then the holder of that office SHALL maintain all such information, and SHALL publish it at least once each week. Otherwise, that office has no weekly report. b) If any information is defined by the rules as part of that office's monthly report, then the holder of that office SHALL maintain all such information, and SHALL publish it at least once each month. Otherwise, that office has no monthly report. Any information defined by the rules as part of an office's report, without specifying which one, is part of its weekly report (unless the office is defined by the rules as low-priority, in which case it is part of its monthly report). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1551/11 (Power=3) Ratification A public document is part (possibly all) of a public message. An official document is a public document purported to be part (possibly all) of an official report; this part is the document's scope. Any player CAN, without objection, ratify an official document, specifying its scope. The date of this ratification and the scope of the ratified document become part of the official report in question, until the same scope is ratified at a later date. Any public document defined by the rules as self-ratifying is ratified one week after its publication, unless explicitly and publicly challenged during that period via one of the following methods, explaining the scope and nature of the perceived error: a) An inquiry case, appropriate for questions of legal interpretation. b) A claim of error, appropriate for matters of fact. The publisher of the original document SHALL respond to a claim of error as soon as possible, either publishing a revision or denying the claim. If e denies the claim, then the original document is ratified one week after the denial, unless it is challenged again (subject to the same requirements) during that period. When a public document is ratified, the gamestate is modified so that the ratified document was completely true and accurate at the time it was published. Nevertheless, the ratification of a public document does not invalidate, reverse, alter, or cancel any messages or actions, even if they were unrecorded or overlooked, or change the legality of any attempted action. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2160/2 (Power=1) Deputisation Any player (a deputy) CAN perform an action as if e held a particular position (deputise for that position) if: (a) the rules require the holder of that position, by virtue of holding that position, to perform the action (or, if the position is vacant, would so require if the position were filled); and (b) a time limit by which the rules require the action to be performed has expired; and (c) the deputy announced between two and fourteen days earlier that e intended to deputise for that position for the purposes of the particular action; and (d) it would be POSSIBLE for the deputy to perform the action, other than by deputisation, if e held the position. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Agoran Decisions ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 693/9 (Power=3) Agoran Decisions When the rules calls for an Agoran decision to be made, the decision-making process takes place in the following three stages, each described elsewhere: (a) Initiation of the decision. (b) Voting of the people. (c) Resolution of the decision. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 107/9 (Power=3) Initiating Agoran Decisions An Agoran decision is initiated when a person authorized to initiate it publishes a valid notice which sets forth the intent to initiate the decision. This notice is invalid if it lacks any of the following information, and the lack is correctly identified within one week after the notice is published: (a) The matter to be decided (for example, "the adoption of proposal 4781"). (b) A description of the class of eligible voters sufficient to enable public agreement on which persons are eligible. In particular, an explicit list of the eligible voters is always sufficient for this purpose. (c) A clear indication of the options available. (d) The identity of the vote collector. (e) Any additional information defined by the rules as essential parameters. The publication of such a valid notice initiates the voting period for the decision. By default, the voting period lasts for seven days. Rules to the contrary notwithstanding, the voting period for a decision cannot be shorter than seven days. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2137/2 (Power=1) The Assessor The Assessor is an office; its holder is responsible for collecting votes and keeping track of related properties. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 683/14 (Power=3) Voting on Agoran Decisions An eligible voter on a particular Agoran decision submits a ballot to the vote collector by publishing a valid notice indicating which one of the available options e selects. To be valid, the ballot must satisfy the following conditions: (a) The ballot is submitted during the voting period for the decision, and the submitter is an eligible voter at the time of submission. (b) The ballot clearly identifies the matter to be decided. (c) The ballot clearly identifies the option selected by the voter. (d) The voter has not publicly retracted the ballot during the voting period. Among the otherwise-valid votes on an Agoran decision, only the first N submitted by each entity are valid, where N is the entity's voting limit on that decision. The voting limit of an entity that is not an eligible voter on an Agoran decision is zero. The voting limit of an eligible voter on an Agoran decision is one, except where rules say otherwise. The strength of an option is the number of valid ballots selecting that option. Other rules may place further constraints on the validity of ballots. This rule takes precedence over any rule that would loosen the constraints specified by this rule. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2127/1 (Power=1) Conditional Votes A ballot option (vote) on an Agoran decision may be submitted conditionally, and the truth or falsity of the condition and thus the selected option will be determined as it exists at the end of the voting period. The option selected shall be considered to be clearly identified if and only if the truth or falsity of the specified condition(s) can be reasonably determined, without circularity or paradox, from information published within the voting period. Casting a vote endorsing another voter is equivalent to conditionally casting a vote whose value is the same as the most common value (if any) among that voter's valid votes on that decision. Casting a vote denouncing another voter is equivalent to conditionally casting a vote whose value is opposite to the most common value (if any) among that voter's valid votes on that decision. FOR and AGAINST are opposites; SUPPORT and OBJECT are opposites; PRESENT is its own opposite. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2168/0 (Power=1) Extending the voting period Whenever the voting period of an Agoran decision would end, and the result would be FAILED QUORUM, the length of the voting period for that decision will immediately be doubled, provided this has not already happened for the decision in question. Upon such an occurrence, the vote collector for the decision SHOULD issue a humiliating public reminder to the slackers who have not yet cast any votes on it despite being eligible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 208/7 (Power=3) Resolving Agoran decisions The vote collector for an unresolved Agoran decision CAN resolve it by announcement, indicating the option selected by Agora. If it was required to be initiated, then e SHALL resolve it as soon as possible after the end of the voting period. To be valid, this announcement must satisfy the following conditions: (a) It is published after the voting period has ended. (b) It clearly identifies the matter to be resolved. (c) It specifies which option was selected by Agora, as described elsewhere, and provides a tally of the voters' valid ballots on the various options. Each Agoran decision has exactly one vote collector, defaulting to the initiator of the decision. If the vote collector is defined by reference to a position (or, in the default case, if the initiator was so defined), then the vote collector is the current holder of that position. This rule takes precedence over any rule that would provide another mechanism by which an Agoran decision may be resolved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2196/1 (Power=3) Standard Classes of Agoran Decisions An Agoran decision with an adoption index is either ordinary or democratic. An Agoran decision with an adoption index greater than or equal to 2 is democratic. Any other Agoran decision with an adoption index is ordinary by default. If an Agoran decision has an adoption index, then the following are essential parameters: a) Its adoption index. b) Whether it is ordinary or democratic. For any Agoran decision with an adoption index, the available options are FOR, AGAINST, and PRESENT. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 955/13 (Power=3) Determining the Will of Agora The outcome of an Agoran decision is determined as follows. (a) If there is more than one available option, and the number of distinct voters who submitted valid ballots is less than quorum, then the outcome is FAILED QUORUM, regardless of the remainder of this rule. Otherwise, the decision achieved quorum. (b) If the decision is ordinary or democratic, then the voting index is the ratio of the strength of FOR to the strength of AGAINST. If the voting index is greater than 1, and greater than or equal to the decision's adoption index, then the outcome is ADOPTED; otherwise, the outcome is REJECTED. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 879/27 (Power=2) Quorum Quorum for an Agoran decision is N/3 (where N is the number of eligible voters with a positive voting limit on that decision), rounded up, with a minimum of five (unless this is greater than N, in which case quorum is N). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2034/4 (Power=3) Vote Protection and Cutoff for Challenges Any proposal that would otherwise change the validity of any existing vote on any specific unresolved Agoran decision is wholly without effect, rules to the contrary notwithstanding. This does not prevent amendment of the rules governing the validity of votes on Agoran decisions in general. Once an Agoran decision has been resolved, votes on it CANNOT be validly submitted or retracted, and its outcome CANNOT be changed in any way, rules to the contrary notwithstanding. This does not prevent correcting errors in reporting its resolution. A public document purporting to resolve an Agoran decision is self-ratifying. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Proposals ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 106/12 (Power=3) Adopting Proposals A proposal is a document outlining changes to be made to Agora, including enacting, repealing, or amending rules, or making other explicit changes to the gamestate. A player submits a proposal by publishing it with a clear indication that it is intended to become a proposal, which places the proposal in the Proposal Pool. That player is its author (syn. proposer). The author of a proposal may remove it from the Pool by announcement. A person is a co-author of a proposal if and only if e is distinct from its author, and unambiguously identified by its author as being its co-author at the time of submission. The adoption index of a proposal is an integral multiple of 0.1, with a minimum value of 1.0. It may be set by the proposer at the time of submission, or otherwise defaults to 1.0. Determining whether to adopt a proposal is an Agoran decision. For this decision, the adoption index is the adoption index of the proposal, and the vote collector is the Assessor. If the option selected by Agora on this decision is ADOPTED, then the proposal is adopted, and unless other rules prevent it from taking effect, its power is set to the minimum of four and its adoption index, and then it takes effect. It does not otherwise take effect. Preventing a proposal from taking effect is a secured change. This rule takes precedence over any rule which would permit a proposal to take effect. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2153/1 (Power=1) Interest Index The interest index of a proposal is an integer from 0 to 3. It CAN be set by the proposer at the time of submission, or otherwise defaults to 1. A proposal's interest index SHOULD be proportional to its complexity. "Disinterested" is a synonym for "interest index 0". A proposal SHOULD be disinterested if and only if its effects are limited to correcting errors and/or ambiguities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1607/16 (Power=1) The Promotor The Promotor is an office; its holder is responsible for receiving and distributing proposals. The Promotor MAY distribute a proposal in the Proposal Pool at any time. During each week, the Promotor SHALL distribute each proposal that has been in the Proposal Pool since the beginning of that week. The Promotor distributes a proposal by publishing it with the clear intent of distributing it. When a proposal is distributed, it is removed from the Proposal Pool. The distribution of a proposal initiates the Agoran decision of whether to adopt the proposal, as described elsewhere. When distributing a proposal, the Promotor SHALL specify the following: a) Its author (and co-authors, if any). b) Whether it is interested or disinterested. Distributed proposals have ID numbers, to be assigned by the Promotor. The Promotor's report includes a list of all proposals in the Proposal Pool. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1450/7 (Power=2) Separation of Powers Any change in officeholdings that would result in a single entity holding the offices of promotor and assessor simultaneously is INVALID. This rule takes precedence over all other rules regarding offices. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1698/0 (Power=3) The Proposal System Is Protected It must always be possible to adopt Proposals within a 4 week period. Any change to the game state which would result in this condition becoming false is cancelled and does not take place, any Rule to the contrary notwithstanding. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1950/20 (Power=3) Voting on Democratic Decisions The eligible voters on a democratic decision are those entities that were active first-class players at the start of its voting period. The voting limit of each eligible voter on a democratic decision is one. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2156/6 (Power=2) Voting on Ordinary Decisions Each player has an associated number known as eir base voting limit on ordinary decisions (BVLOD). The BVLOD of a first-class player is four, the BVLOD of a province is four, and the BVLOD of any other player is zero. BVLOD cannot be modified. Each player has an associated number known as eir volatile voting limit on ordinary decisions (VVLOD). Whenever a player is registered, eir VVLOD is set to eir BVLOD. Changes to VVLOD are secured Each player has an associated number known as eir effective voting limit on ordinary decisions (EVLOD). Whenever a player is registered, eir EVLOD is set to eir BVLOD. At the end of each week, each player's EVLOD is set to eir VVLOD, rounded to an integer, breaking ties towards odd integers, and eir VVLOD is set to the same rounded value. EVLOD cannot be modified by any other means. The assessor's report includes each player's EVLOD. The eligible voters on an ordinary decision are those entities that were active players at the start of its voting period. The voting limit of an eligible voter on an ordinary decision is eir EVLOD at the start of its voting period, or half that (rounded up) if the voter is in the chokey at the start of the voting period. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2134/4 (Power=2) Win by Clout Upon a win announcement that a specified player's voting limit on an ordinary decision initiated at that time would exceed the combined voting limits of all other players on that decision, the specified player satisfies the Winning Condition of Clout. Cleanup procedure: Each player's VVLOD is set to eir BVLOD, and no player satisfies this Winning Condition again (the remainder of this rule notwithstanding) until after the next time that each player's EVLOD is set based on eir VVLOD. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2126/50 (Power=2) Notes Notes are a class of fixed assets. Ownership of Notes is restricted to players. Changes to Note holdings are secured. Each Note has exactly one pitch from the chromatic scale (ignoring octaves, and treating enharmonics as equivalent). Each pitch of Note is a currency. The Conductor is an office, and the recordkeepor of Notes. Notes are gained as follows: (1) At the end of each week, for each player, let X be the number of eir interested proposals that were adopted during that week, and let Y be the number of eir interested quorate proposals that were rejected during that week with VI >= AI/2: (F) If X > Y > 0, then e gains an F Note. (F#) If X > Y = 0, then e gains an F# Note. (G) If X = Y > 0, then e gains a G Note. (Ab) If Y > X = 0, then e gains an Ab Note. (A) If Y > X > 0, then e gains an A Note. (2) (E) At the end of each week, each player who published at least one weekly report during that week gains an E Note. (Eb) At the end of each month, each player who published at least one monthly report during that month gains an Eb Note. (3) (D) At the end of each week, each player who published at least one on-time judgement during that week gains a D Note. (4) (C) At the end of each week, each player who gained at least one Point during that week gains a C Note. (C#) At the end of each week, each contestmaster who awarded at least one Point during that week gains a C# Note. Notes CAN be spent (destroyed) as follows: (1) A player CAN spend three Notes forming a major chord to increase another player's VVLOP by 1. (2) A player CAN spend five Notes forming the start of a major scale to increase eir own VVLOP by 1. (3) A player CAN spend three Notes forming a minor chord to decrease another player's VVLOP by 1. (4) A player CAN spend two Notes of the same pitch to make another player gain one Note of that pitch. (5) During Agora's Birthday, a player CAN spend Notes forming the melody "Happy Birthday" (GGAGCB GGAGDC GGGECBA FFECDC or a translation thereof) to satisfy the Winning Condition of Musicianship, unless another player has already done so during that Birthday. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2142/4 (Power=2) Support Democracy A player CAN, with 2 support, change an ordinary decision to be democratic. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2019/14 (Power=2) Prerogatives In a timely fashion before the beginning of each month, the Speaker SHALL randomly assign each Minister Without Portfolio a different Prerogative for the upcoming month by announcement. If there are more members in one set than the other, then e SHALL randomly choose which members of the larger set take part in the assignment. The following Prerogatives are defined: a) Default Officeholder. The Default Officeholder CAN become holder of a vacant elected office by announcement, unless e is prevented from holding that office on an ongoing basis. b) Default Justice. Whenever the Clerk of the Courts assigns a judicial panel, e SHALL assign one with the Default Justice as a member, unless no such panel is eligible to be so assigned. c) Wielder of Veto. The Wielder of Veto CAN veto an ordinary decision in its voting period by announcement; this increases its Adoption Index by 1. d) Wielder of Rubberstamp. The Wielder of Rubberstamp CAN rubberstamp an ordinary decision in its voting period by announcement; this decreases its quorum to 3, rules to the contrary notwithstanding. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2188/0 (Power=2) Win by Proposal Upon the adoption of a proposal awarding a win to one or more persons, all those persons satisfy the Winning Condition of Legislation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Adjudication ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 991/10 (Power=2) Judicial Cases Generally A judicial case, also known as a call for judgement (CFJ), is a procedure to settle a matter of controversy. Each judicial case has exactly one subclass, with particular features as defined by other rules. Subclasses of judicial case exist only as defined by the rules. A judicial case's subclass CAN be specified by its initiator, or otherwise defaults to inquiry. The Clerk of the Courts (CotC) is an office, responsible for managing judicial activity. The CotC's report includes the status of all judicial cases that either require a judge or have at least one applicable judicial question that has no judgement. Judicial cases (other than appeal cases, which have historically been identified by reference to the prior case) have ID numbers, to be assigned by the Clerk of the Courts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2175/2 (Power=1) Judicial Retraction and Excess If a judicial case has not had any judge assigned to it, then: a) Its initiator CAN retract it by announcement, thus causing it to cease to be a judicial case. b) If its initiator previously initiated five or more cases during the same Agoran week as that case, then it is an excess case, and the Clerk of the Courts CAN refuse it by announcement, thus causing it to cease to be a judicial case. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1868/12 (Power=2) Judge Assignment Generally At any time, a judicial case either has no judge assigned to it (default) or has exactly one entity assigned to it as judge. This is a persistent status that changes only according to the rules. At any time, a judicial case either does not require a judge (default) or requires a judge. This is not a persistent status, but is evaluated instantaneously. When a judicial case requires a judge and has no judge assigned, the CotC CAN assign a qualified entity to be its judge by announcement, and SHALL do so as soon as possible. The entities qualified to be assigned as judge of a judicial case are the active first-class players, subject to modification by other rules. Being unqualified to be assigned as a judge does not inherently prevent an entity from continuing to be judge of a case to which e is already assigned. When a player is poorly qualified to be assigned as judge of a judicial case, the Clerk of the Courts SHALL not assign em to be the judge of that case; if e has done so, and that player is still the judge of that case, then e CAN recuse that judge from that case by announcement. Making an entity unqualified or poorly qualified to judge is secured, with a power threshold of 1.5. To recuse a judge from a case is to deassign em as its judge. Assigning a judge to a case implicitly recuses its existing judge, if any. A recusal is "with cause" if and only if stated as such by the rules. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1871/20 (Power=1.5) The Standing Court Posture is a player switch with values Standing, Sitting, Leaning, and Supine (default), tracked by the Clerk of the Courts. A player CAN flip eir posture to any non-standing value by announcement. A supine player is unqualified to be assigned as judge of any judicial case. A sitting or leaning player is poorly qualified to be assigned as judge of any judicial case. Hawkishness is a player switch with values Hanging, Hugging, and Hemming-and-Hawing (default), tracked by the Clerk of the Courts. A player CAN flip eir hawkishness by announcement. A hanging player is unqualified to be assigned as judge of any inquiry case. A hugging player is unqualified to be assigned as judge of any criminal case, and poorly qualified to be assigned as judge of any equity case. When the CotC assigns a standing player as judge of a judicial case, the player becomes sitting, except in the situation discussed in the next sentence. If the CotC assigns a standing player as judge of more than one judicial case consecutively in the same announcement, and states in the announcement that these are linked assignments, the player becomes sitting upon the last of these assignments, but not any of the earlier ones. The CotC SHOULD NOT perform linked assignments unless the cases being linked are closely related in their subject matter. The CotC CAN change all sitting players to standing by announcement. The CotC SHALL NOT do this unless there is a judicial case to which e is obliged to assign a judge, all entities qualified to be so assigned are poorly qualified, and e immediately afterwards (in the same announcement) assigns a judge to that case. When the CotC recuses a judge with cause, e SHALL flip that player's posture to supine by announcement within one week. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2157/3 (Power=1.7) Judicial Panels A judicial panel is a structure whereby a group of two or more persons (its members) act together for the purpose of judging judicial cases. A judicial panel's membership cannot change, and if two panels have the same membership then they are the same panel. Judicial panels exist implicitly, without any specific act of formation. A judicial panel CAN send messages by means of any of its members sending a message identified as being from the panel, with the unanimous agreement of the panel's members, or (if the CotC is not a member) with the majority agreement of the members and the consent of the CotC. The CotC SHOULD consent to a majority action if the panel has made a reasonable effort to achieve consensus. By this mechanism a judicial panel can act, in situations where the rules state that an action is performed by sending a message. A judicial panel can incur obligations. The members of a panel SHALL act collectively to ensure that the panel satisfies all of its obligations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2158/3 (Power=2) Judicial Questions A judicial question is a question that arises within a judicial case. Judicial questions arise only as defined by the rules. At any time, each judicial question is either inapplicable (default) or applicable. This is not a persistent status, but is evaluated instantaneously. At any time, each judicial question is either open (default), suspended, or has exactly one judgement. This is a persistent status that changes only according to the rules. The possible types of judgement for a judicial question depend on the type of question. When a judicial question is applicable and open, its case requires a judge. When a judicial question is applicable and open, and its case has a judge assigned to it, the judge CAN assign a valid judgement to it by announcement, and SHALL do so as soon as possible. A judge SHALL NOT assign an inappropriate judgement to any judicial question. A judgement is valid and/or appropriate only as defined by the rules. If more than one judgement is valid and appropriate, then the choice between them is left to the judge's discretion. When a judicial question is applicable and open, and its case has the same judge assigned to it, continuously for one week, the Clerk of the Courts CAN recuse that judge with cause by announcement. When these conditions have all held continuously for two weeks, the Clerk of the Courts SHALL so recuse that judge as soon as possible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2164/1 (Power=1) Judicial Self-Recusal and Case Transfer The judge of a judicial case CAN recuse emself from it at any time by announcement. If e has been assigned to the case for at least four days, such a recusal is with cause. Judicial cases can generally be transferred between judges by this procedure: an entity (the transferee) CAN assign emself as the judge of a judicial case by announcement if: (a) the case has a judge assigned (the transferor); and (b) the transferor and the transferee are different entities; and (c) the transferor has previously publicly consented to the transfer and not publicly withdrawn that consent; and (d) the transferee is qualified to be assigned as judge of the case; and (e) the transferee immediately (in the same announcement) assigns a judgement to a judicial question in the case. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 591/24 (Power=1.7) Inquiry Cases There is a subclass of judicial case known as an inquiry case. An inquiry case's purpose is to determine the veracity of a particular statement. An inquiry case CAN be initiated by any first-class person, by announcement which includes the statement to be inquired into. (Including a yes/no question is equivalent to including a statement that the answer to that question is yes.) The initiator is unqualified to be assigned as judge of the case, and in the initiating announcement e CAN disqualify one person from assignment as judge of the case. An inquiry case has a judicial question on veracity, which is always applicable. The valid judgements for this question are: * FALSE, appropriate if the statement was factually and logically false at the time the inquiry case was initiated * TRUE, appropriate if the statement was factually and logically true at the time the inquiry case was initiated * UNDECIDABLE, appropriate if the statement was logically undecidable or otherwise not capable of being accurately described as either false or true, at the time the inquiry case was initiated * IRRELEVANT, appropriate if the veracity of the statement at the time the inquiry case was initiated is not relevant to the game * UNDETERMINED, appropriate if the statement is nonsensical or too vague, or if the information available to the judge is insufficient to determine which of the FALSE, TRUE, and UNDECIDABLE judgements is appropriate; however, uncertainty as to how to interpret or apply the rules cannot constitute insufficiency of information for this purpose The judgement of the question in an inquiry case, and the reasoning by which it was reached, SHOULD guide future play (including future judgements), but do not directly affect the veracity of the statement. The rulekeepor is ENCOURAGED to annotate rules to draw attention to relevant inquiry case judgements. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1504/22 (Power=1.7) Criminal Cases There is a subclass of judicial case known as a criminal case. A criminal case's purpose is to determine the culpability of a particular person, known as the defendant, for an alleged breach of the rules, and to punish the guilty. A criminal case CAN be initiated by any first-class person who is a member of the basis of any player, by announcement which clearly specifies all of the following: a) The identity of the defendant. b) Exactly one rule allegedly breached by the defendant. c) The action (which may be a failure to perform another action) by which the defendant allegedly breached this rule. The initiation of a criminal case begins its pre-trial phase. In the pre-trial phase the CotC SHALL as soon as possible inform the defendant of the case and invite em to rebut the argument for eir guilt. The pre-trial phase ends one week after the defendant has been so informed. At any time during the pre-trial phase, the defendant CAN end the pre-trial phase by announcement. The initiator and each member of the defendant's basis are unqualified to be assigned as judge of the case. During the pre-trial phase, the defendant CAN disqualify one person from assignment as judge of the case, by announcement. If e disqualifies the judge, then the judge is recused. A criminal case has a judicial question on culpability, which is applicable at all times following the pre-trial phase. The valid judgements for this question are: * OVERLOOKED, appropriate if the alleged act allegedly occurred at least 200 days before the case was initiated * ALREADY TRIED, appropriate if judgement has already been reached in another criminal case with the same defendant, the same rule, and substantially the same alleged act * UNIMPUGNED, appropriate if the alleged act was not proscribed by the specified rule at the time it allegedly occurred * INNOCENT, appropriate if the defendant did not perform the alleged act * SLIPPERY, appropriate if the information available to the judge is insufficient to determine beyond a reasonable doubt whether or not the defendant performed the alleged act * UNAWARE, appropriate if the defendant reasonably believed that the alleged act did not violate the specified rule * EXCUSED, appropriate if the defendant could not reasonably avoid breaching the rules in a manner at least as serious as that alleged * GUILTY, appropriate if the defendant breached the specified rule via the specified act and none of the above judgements is appropriate A criminal case has a judicial question on sentencing, which is applicable if the question on culpability is applicable and has a judgement of GUILTY. If a criminal case has an applicable question on sentencing which has a judgement, the defendant is hereafter known as the ninny, the judgement in the question on sentencing is known as the sentence, and the sentence is in effect. Some types of sentence include a duration known as the tariff. When a sentence with a tariff is in effect, the sentence is thereafter either active or not. The sentence is inactive for the first week after it first takes effect. Thereafter, the sentence is active if and only if it is still in effect and sentences of the same type on the same question on sentencing have been active for a total duration less than the tariff. The CotC's report includes the status of all active sentences. The valid sentences are: * DISCHARGE, appropriate only in extraordinary circumstances, if any available non-null punishment would be manifestly unjust. Has no effect. * APOLOGY with a set of up to ten words (the prescribed words), appropriate for rule breaches of small consequence. When in effect, the ninny SHALL within 72 hours publish a formal apology of at least 200 words, including all the prescribed words, explaining eir error, shame, remorse, and ardent desire for self-improvement. The ninny is only obliged to publish one apology per question on sentencing, even if sentences of this type are assigned more than once or go into effect more than once. * FINE, appropriate for rule breaches of small consequence. When in effect, the ninny SHALL within 72 hours destroy one of eir Notes. The ninny is only obliged to perform one destruction per question on sentencing, even if sentences of this type are assigned more than once or go into effect more than once. * CHOKEY with a duration (the tariff) up to 60 days multiplied by the power of the highest-power rule allegedly broken, appropriate if the severity of the rule breach is reasonably correlated with the length of the tariff, the middle of the tariff range being appropriate for rule breaches of intermediate severity. While a sentence of this type is active, the ninny is in the chokey. No entity is in the chokey except as required by this rule. * EXILE with a duration (the tariff) up to 60 days multiplied by the power of the highest-power rule allegedly broken, appropriate if the severity of the rule breach is reasonably correlated with the length of the tariff, the middle of the tariff range being appropriate for severe rule breaches amounting to a breach of trust. While a sentence of this type is active, the ninny is exiled. No entity is exiled except as required by this rule. If an exiled entity is ever a player, e is deregistered. An exiled entity CANNOT register. An appeal concerning any assignment of judgement in a criminal case within the past week CAN be initiated by the defendant by announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2190/0 (Power=2) Crime Doesn't Pay Being in exile is a Losing Condition. Being in the chokey is a Losing Condition. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2169/4 (Power=1.7) Equity Cases There is a subclass of judicial case known as an equity case. An equity case's purpose is to correct a potential injustice in the operation of a particular contract. An equity case CAN be initiated by any party to the contract, by announcement which clearly identifies the contract, the set of parties to the contract, and a state of affairs whereby events have not proceeded as envisioned by the contract (such as, but not limited to, a party acting in contravention of eir contractual obligations). The initiation of an equity case begins its pre-trial phase. During the pre-trial phase, the case requires a judge. In the pre-trial phase the judge SHALL as soon as possible inform all the contracting parties of the case and invite them to submit arguments regarding the equitability of the situation. The pre-trial phase ends one week after the parties have been so informed, or immediately when all parties have announced that they wish to terminate the pre-trial phase. The members of the bases of the parties to the contract are all unqualified to be assigned as judge of the case. An equity case has a judicial question on equation, which is applicable at all times following the pre-trial phase. The valid judgements for this question are the possible agreements that the parties could make that would be governed by the rules. A judgement is appropriate if and only if it is a reasonably equitable resolution of the situation at hand with respect to the matters raised in the initiation of the case and by the parties in the course of the case. When an applicable question on equation in an equity case has a judgement, and has had that judgement continuously for the past week (or all parties to the contract have approved that judgement), the judgement is in effect as a binding agreement between the parties. In this role it is subject to modification or termination by the usual processes governing binding agreements. An appeal concerning any assignment of judgement in an equity case within the past week CAN be initiated by any party to the contract in question by announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 911/19 (Power=1.7) Appeal Cases There is a subclass of judicial case known as an appeal case. An appeal case's purpose is to determine the appropriateness of a judgement that has been assigned to a judicial question, and make remedy if the judgement was poorly chosen. The assignment of judgement being questioned (appealed against, or appealed) is referred to as the prior assignment; the word "prior" in this rule is used to refer to the circumstances of the prior assignment. An appeal concerning any assignment of judgement in a non-appeal case within the past two weeks CAN be initiated by any player with 2 support. However, rules to the contrary notwithstanding, an appeal CANNOT be initiated concerning an assignment caused by a judgement in an appeal case, nor an assignment for which an appeal has already been initiated. The entities qualified to be assigned as judge of an appeal case are the judicial panels consisting of three members, where each of the members is qualified to be assigned as judge of the prior case and none of the members is the prior judge. An appeal case has a judicial question on disposition, which is applicable if and only if the prior question is applicable. The valid judgements for the question on disposition are: * AFFIRM, appropriate if the prior judgement was appropriate for the prior question * REMAND, appropriate if there is serious doubt about the appropriateness of the prior judgement but the judge believes that the judge of the prior case can make a better judgement if given a new opportunity * REASSIGN, appropriate if there is serious doubt about the appropriateness of the prior judgement * OVERRULE with a valid replacement judgement for the prior question, appropriate if the prior judgement was inappropriate in the prior question and the replacement judgement is appropriate for the prior question Initiation of an appeal case renders the prior question suspended. It remains suspended as long as the question on disposition in the appeal case has no judgement. When the question on disposition has a judgement, things happen according to that judgement: * if AFFIRM, the prior judgement is assigned to the prior question again * if REMAND, the prior question is rendered open again * if REASSIGN, the judge of the prior case (if any) is recused, and the prior question is rendered open again * if OVERRULE with a replacement judgement, the replacement judgement is assigned to the prior question A panel CAN publish a concurring opinion when judging AFFIRM, and SHALL do so if and only if the reasoning by which the prior judge reached eir judgement was incorrect in whole or part. Each concurring opinion SHALL explain the nature of the error(s) in the prior judge's reasoning. Each concurring opinion has an error rating, an integer from 1 to 99; it CAN be specified by the panel when the concurring opinion is published, or else defaults to 50. In the week after the panel publishes a valid judgement, any panel member may publish a formal Dissenting Opinion with Support. This Dissenting Opinion becomes a part of the record of the case, and SHOULD aid in interpreting the decision. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2171/0 (Power=1) Rules Viewed as Binding Agreement In general, the Rules shall be adjudicated as if the Rules were a binding agreement between all Players, entered into by every player as a part of becoming a Player. An actual or alleged Rule violation shall be treated as the violation of a binding agreement to be bound by the Rule or Rules in question. The proposal, fora, and registration processes shall, prima facie, be considered to be protective of a Player's rights and privileges with respect to making and changing the agreement to be bound by the rules. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Patent Titles and Degrees ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 649/27 (Power=1.5) Patent Titles A Patent Title is a legal item given in recognition of a person's distinction. The herald is a low-priority office; its holder is responsible for tracking patent titles. A Patent Title CAN only be awarded by a proposal, or by the announcement of a person specifically authorized by the Rules to make that award. A person so authorized SHALL make the award as soon as possible as the conditions authorizing em to make the award are posted publicly, unless there is an open judicial question contesting the validity of the conditions. Awarding or revoking a Patent Title by Proposal is a secured change. When a Patent Title is awarded to a person, that person is said to Bear that Patent Title. When a Patent Title is revoked from an entity, that entity ceases to Bear that Patent Title. The status of Bearing a Patent Title can only be changed as explicitly set out in the Rules. The Herald's report includes a list of each Patent Title that at least one entity Bears, with a list of which entities Bear it. As soon as possible after a patent title is awarded or revoked, the herald SHALL announce the award or revocation. When a patent title is used as a noun to refer to bearers of the patent title, it is assumed to refer only to persons who Bear that patent title unless context clearly indicates otherwise. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1922/23 (Power=1) Defined Regular Patent Titles The following are Patent Titles: (a) Scamster, which may be awarded to any Player who has shown great enthusiasm, persistence, or skill in the perpetrating of scams. This title may not be declined, retracted, or revoked. (b) A Patent Title (non-unique) now will Be known as "Bard", and granted those with wit. In order for the Title to be filled, A level of Support must call for it. Three players to a fourth may grant this name If these three write as one, with two Support. A current Bard may also grant the same, Provided that a second Bard's a sport. And so we don't the name of Bard debase, A Player with three Supporters can conspire To (from a Bard), this Title to erase: Or Bard (plus two Bards) make a Bard retire. But lest we ruin some poor minstrel's fun No bard will be dis-bard for eir bad pun. (c) Three Months Long Service, Six Months Long Service, Nine Months Long Service, Twelve Months Long Service, to be awarded by the IADoP to any player who has held a particular Office continuously for the specified duration. Each of these titles shall be awarded only once per player. (d) Champion, to be awarded by the Herald to any person who wins the game. The Herald's report includes how the player won. (e) Minister Without Portfolio, to be awarded by the Herald to any player who wins the game and does not already bear the title. If the number of players bearing this title is greater than the number of Prerogatives defined by the rules, then this title is administratively revoked from the Speaker. (f) Left in a Huff, to be awarded by the Clerk of the Courts or the Registrar (whichever one gets around to it first) to any player who publishes a Cantus Cygneus. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1367/11 (Power=1.5) Degrees Certain patent titles are known as degrees. The degrees are - Associate of Nomic (A.N.) - Bachelor of Nomic (B.N.) - Master of Nomic (M.N.) - Doctor of Nomic History (D.N.Hist.) - Doctor of Nomic Science (D.N.Sci.) - Doctor of Nomic Philosophy (D.N.Phil.) Degrees are ranked in the order they appear in this rule, with degrees listed later being ranked higher. A degree CANNOT be awarded to any person more than once, and CANNOT be revoked once awarded. A degree SHOULD be awarded ONLY IF its new bearer has published a suitable thesis with explicit intent to qualify for a degree (though not necessarily for the specific degree being awarded). A thesis is an essay whose topic is any facet of Agora Nomic or of nomic in general. A thesis's suitability depends on its originality and quality, with regard to the rank of the degree to be awarded. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Contract Law ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1742/14 (Power=1.5) Contracts Contracts are binding agreements governed by the rules. Any agreement made by one or more persons with the intention that it be binding on them and governed by the rules is a contract (unless it would automatically terminate as a contract). A contract automatically terminates if the number of parties to it falls below the number of parties the rules require for the contract. If other rules do not specify such a number for a contract, then a contract requires at least two parties. Parties to a contract SHALL act in accordance with that contract. This obligation is not impaired by contradiction between the contract and any other contract, or between the contract and the rules. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2197/0 (Power=1.5) Defining Contract Changes A Contract Change can be one or more of any of the following: (a) a person who intends to be bound by a contract becoming a party to the contract; (b) a person ceasing to be a party to the contract; (c) amending a contract; and (d) terminating a contract If a Contract Change is ambiguous or the its permissability cannot be determined with certainty at the time it is attempted, then that change has no effect. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2198/0 (Power=1.5) Making Contract Changes If a contract specifies a mechanism by which Contract Changes to it can be performed, then such changes CAN be performed using that mechanism. If a contract does not purport to regulate becoming a party to it, than any person CAN become a party to it by announcement. If the minimum number of parties for a contract is at least two, then Contract Changes CAN be made to it by agreement between all the parties to the contract. Otherwise, any party to the contract CAN make Contract Changes to that contract without Objection if, before the dependant action is resolved, no party blocks the change by announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2178/2 (Power=1.5) Public Contracts A public contract is a contract that has been identified as such, as specified by this rule. Any other contract is private. A member of a contract CAN identify it as a public contract by publishing its text and membership, provided that at least one of the following is true: (a) The contract contains a clause identifying it as public. (b) The publication is accompanied by a notice, indicating unanimous consent of members, that the contract be public. (c) The publication is accompanied by a notice, published without objection of its members, that the contract be public. A partnership CAN identify its contract as a public contract by publishing its text and membership. If the text of a potential contract is published with a clear indication that the contract will be public when it forms, then it is identified as a public contract when it becomes a contract. Changes in the text or membership of a public contract do not become effective until they are published. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2173/0 (Power=1) The Notary The Notary is a low-priority office; its holder is responsible for keeping track of contracts. The parties to a public contract SHALL keep the Notary informed of its text and set of parties. The Notary's report includes this information for each public contract. The parties to a private contract SHOULD keep the Notary informed of its text and set of parties. The Notary SHALL disclose this information (to the extent that e has been informed of it) to the judge of an equity case pertaining to that contract. The Notary SHALL NOT disclose it otherwise, except as explicitly allowed by the contract, or with the explicit consent of all parties. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2191/2 (Power=1.5) Pledges A pledge is a contract identifying itself as such. A pledge requires at least one party. An equity case regarding a pledge CAN be initiated by a non-party, provided that all other requirements for initiating an equity case are met. The initiator of such a case is considered to be a party to the pledge for the purpose of that case. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2145/4 (Power=2) Partnerships A binding agreement governed by the rules which devolves its legal obligations onto a subset of its parties, numbering at least two, collectively, is a partnership. The members of a partnership are those parties onto whom the partnership's legal obligations are collectively devolved. A partnership's identity and partnershiphood are not disrupted by changes to its membership provided that it continues to meet the definition of a partnership. A partnership's basis is the set consisting of the union of the the bases of each of its members. Where circularity occurs in this definition, it is resolved by using the minimum basis sets that provide consistency. A partnership that is a public contract and whose basis contains at least two persons is a person. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2174/0 (Power=1) Aliens An alien is a non-player who is a member of the basis of one or more contracts (hereafter eir visas). A resident alien is an alien with one or more registered visas. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2136/18 (Power=1) Contests A first-class player who is a member of an existing public contract CAN make the contract into a Contest, with emself as the sole contestmaster, without 3 objections, provided e is not the contestmaster of another contest. Another first-class player who is a member may replace the current contestmaster as the sole contestmaster without 3 objections, but only as explicitly described in the contest regulations and provided e is not the contestmaster of another contest. A contest requires at least one party. Any player may make a contest cease to be a contest without 3 objections. Players SHOULD decide on whether a contract deserves to be a contest based on its fairness or interest to players as a whole. The total number of points a Contest MAY award in a given week is equal to 5 times the number of its members that are first- class players. Points up to this total CAN be awarded by the contestmaster to other members by public announcement, and MUST be awarded as explicitly described in the contract. The total number of points a Contest MAY revoke in a given week is equal to 2 times the number of its members that are first- class players. Points up to this total CAN be revoked by the contestmaster from other members by public announcement, and MUST be revoked as explicitly described in the contract. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2179/1 (Power=1) Points Points are a class of fixed assets. Ownership of points is restricted to players. Points are a currency. The number of points owned by a player is eir score. The Scorekeepor is a high-priority office, and the recordkeepor of points. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2187/0 (Power=2) Win by High Score Upon a win announcement that one or more players have a score of at least 100 (specifying all such players), all those players satisfy the Winning Condition of High Score. Cleanup procedure: Each player's score is set to 0. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2180/1 (Power=1) Locations A location is a public contract that describes itself as a location. A person who becomes a party to a location is said to move to that location. A person who is a party to a location is said to be in that location. A person who ceases to be a party to a location is said to leave that location. A person cannot be in more than a single location at one time. A person who moves to a location automatically leaves any location e is already in. Whenever a person's location does not permit em to leave it, e CANNOT move to any other location. A location requires at least zero parties. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Frankenstein's Monster ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2193/2 (Power=1) The Monster Raaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! A public Monster purporting to resolve an Agoran decision is self-ratifying. There is a format of the Monsterset known as the Short Logical Monsterset (SLM). In this format, each Monster is assigned to a category, and the Monsters are grouped according to their category. Monsters are assigned to, ordered within, or moved between categories, and categories are added, changed, or empty categories removed, as the Monsterkeepor sees fit. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2192/0 (Power=1) The Mad Scientist The Mad Scientist is an office; its holder is responsible for building the Monster. At least once each week, the Mad Scientist SHALL: a) Randomly select exactly one rule. If the selected rule is either this rule or the rule "The Monster", then the villagers have shown up with torches and pitchforks; skip directly to proposal submission. b) Select one or more contiguous sentences from the selected rule. c) Select exactly one noun from the selected text, and replace each instance of that noun with "Monster" (including grammatical variations, e.g. replacing "'s" with "Monster's"). d) Submit a proposal, with adoption index equal to the Power of the selected rule, and interest index 0, to append the modified text to the rule "The Monster" (or, if the villagers have shown up with torches and pitchforks, to repeal both that rule and this one). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Foreign Relations ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2200/0 (Power=1) Nomic Definitions A nomic ruleset is a set of explicit rules that provides means for itself to be altered arbitrarily, including changes to those rules that govern rule changes. Not all rule changes need be possible in one step; an arbitrarily complex combination of actions (possibly including intermediate rule changes) can be required, so long as any rule change is theoretically achievable in finite time. A nomic is the single entity defined by a nomic ruleset as a whole. Each nomic ruleset defines exactly one nomic, and each nomic is defined by exactly one nomic ruleset. A foreign nomic is a nomic that is not Agora. Adopting the name of "Agora" does not disqualify a nomic from being foreign; any nomic that is not the One True Agora is a foreign nomic. A province is a protectorate that is registered as a player. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2135/2 (Power=1) Advertising Every month the ambassador shall update the page about Agora on the NomicWiki at nomic.net, provided that that wiki is operational. This page, when updated, is to include a list of the current players. In updating the page the ambassador shall ensure that information that is currently incorrect is either corrected or removed, and that all links on the page point to extant pages that are correctly described. The ambassador may add new correct information to the page at eir discretion. The ambassador is encouraged to also advertise Agora in other suitable locations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 402/24 (Power=1) Identity of the Speaker The Speaker is the player who has borne the Patent Title of Minister Without Portfolio the longest, with ties broken in favor of the player who has been registered the longest. The Herald's report includes the date on which each Minister Without Portfolio most recently was awarded the title. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 103/4 (Power=3) Role of the Speaker The Speaker is an imposed office. The Speaker is the figurehead of Agora, embodying its spirit. Diplomatic missions from Agora to foreign nomics operate on the Speaker's behalf. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2184/0 (Power=1) Foreign communications When the Ambassador informs a foreign nomic of an event, e SHALL use the forum (if any) specified by that nomic for announcing that type of event. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2148/2 (Power=2) The Ambassador The ambassador is a low-priority office, responsible for relations with foreign nomics. A foreign nomic may grant certain powers and privileges to Agora's ambassador. If so, the ambassador shall generally exercise such powers in such manner as e sees fit, subject to other rules and orders. All players are prohibited from falsely claiming, to any nomic, to be the ambassador. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2172/0 (Power=1) Acting on Behalf of Agora A player MAY perform an action on behalf of Agora with Agoran Consent. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2189/0 (Power=2) Win by Extortion Upon a player acting on behalf of Agora to award a win to one or more persons, all those persons satisfy the Winning Condition of Extortion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2185/0 (Power=1) Foreign Relations Recognition is a foreign nomic switch, tracked by the Ambassador, with values Unknown (default), Protected, Friendly, Neutral, Sanctioned, Hostile, and Abandoned. When a foreign nomic becomes a Protectorate, its Recognition becomes Protected. When a foreign nomic ceases to be a Protectorate, its Recognition becomes Unknown. A foreign nomic's Recognition CANNOT change to or from Protected in any other way. The Ambassador CAN, without objection, flip a foreign nomic's Recognition to any value (subject to the above restriction). E SHALL inform that nomic of the change as soon as possible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2147/5 (Power=2) Protectorates Whereas Agora, being the superpower of nomics, has an inherent responsibility to lead the nomic world; and whereas Agora desires to encourage growth and promotion of the nomic community, be it hereby known that Agora shall serve as benevolent protector to any nomic which requests such status (hereafter referred to as the protectorate). In order to become a protectorate, a nomic must specify in its ruleset that it submits to Agora as its benevolent protector. It must also have rules or other gamestate arranged such that any protective decree proclaimed by the ambassador will take full effect upon proclamation. Any restriction whatsoever on the content of a protective decree disqualifies the nomic from being a protectorate. If the criteria specified in the preceding paragraph are met, the ambassador may make the nomic a protectorate with Agoran Consent. If a protectorate ever does not meet these criteria, it ceases to be a protectorate. The ambassador shall check every month whether each protectorate continues to meet the criteria, and shall announce whenever a protectorate has ceased to be a protectorate. The ambassador's report includes a list of all protectorates, with contact details for each, and for each the forum in which it is most appropriate to proclaim protective decrees that target that protectorate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2159/2 (Power=2) Protective Decrees A protective decree is an act of Agora the intended effect of which is to make explicit changes to the state of a protectorate nomic. The changes may include enacting, repealing, or amending rules of the protectorate, changing the set of players of the protectorate, or any other instantaneous changes to the protectorate's gamestate. The initiation of a protective decree is a secured change. The initiating instrument must specify the target protectorate and the changes to be made to it. Any ambiguity in the specification of a protective decree causes it to be void and without effect. This is the only mechanism by which a protective decree can be initiated. As soon as possible after a protective decree has been initiated, the ambassador SHALL proclaim it to the target nomic. The decree takes effect upon this proclamation. Protective decrees should be initiated only for the purpose of assisting the protectorate in its growth and enabling its longevity. Protective decrees should always be benevolent. All players are prohibited from falsely claiming, to any nomic, that a document is a protective decree. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Trophies ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2105/3 (Power=1) The Map of Agora ____ _ /| DARWIN -> \_ |/ | / \ __/ / | | <- DSV / / | \ _ \ \_ | \ MORNINGTON CRESCENT -> / | <- GOETHE BARRIER _ _/ | \_/\_/ \ REEF / \\ <- SHARK BAY | | / | | \ <- TOWNSVILLE ___/ | | \_ __/ | | .___o ) | / | | ~~vv ===~~~ <-OSCAR'S MIRE / O <- SHERLOCK NESS | |/\ | | | |_ | | | EMERALD -> \ \ |__________=_____, \ BRISBANE / | | | <-' \ O <- LT. ANNE MOORE | __ _\ \ | |_______/ \/ | LORD | __/\ <- TARCOOLA / HOWE -> \ PERTH __/ \_ / / | <-' _ __/ | /| IVANHOE -> | <-. / _/ \/ \ / / | / WOLLONGONG |_ / <- ESPERANTO v /__ |_ / <- CANBERRA \_/ \ | \_ _| __ __ | | \__/ __ \ / __ \___=_ ___| / \ | / \ MANUBOURNE -> \/ \|/ _,.---v---._ /\__ /\__/\ / \ | | \_ _/ / \ | / \ \_| @ __| \_/ <- HOBART \ \_ \ ,__/ / ~~~`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/~~~~ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 1727/17 (Power=1) Happy Birthday WHEREAS, in June 1993, the world's only MUD-based nomic, Nomic World, had recently collapsed; yet, many of its players enjoyed nomic and did not wish to forego such a noble pursuit; And WHEREAS, Originator Chuck Carroll therefore composed an Initial Ruleset for an email nomic, based on the Initial Rulesets of Peter Suber, inventor of Nomic, and on the Rulesets of Nomic World and other nomics, And WHEREAS, a nomic thus rose like a phoenix from the ashes of Nomic World, played on the mailing list originally set up for discussion of Nomic World, and coming into existence at June 30, 1993, 00:04:30 GMT +1200, with a message sent by FIRST SPEAKER Michael Norrish, which read, in part, "I see no reason to let this get bogged down; there are no precedents or rules that cover this situation, so I think we may as well begin directly.... Proposals for new rules are invited. In accordance with the rules, these will be published, numbered and distributed by me at my earliest convenience." And WHEREAS, this nomic began as a humble and nameless nomic, known unofficially as yoyo, after the mailing list it was played on, until its Players, much later, gave it its OFFICIAL NAME of Agora, And WHEREAS, Agora has now become the wisest, noblest, eldest, and most interesting of all active email nomics, due to the hard work and diligence of Agorans as well as the frequent advice of Agoraphobes, And WHEREAS, Agorans desire to joyously commemorate Agora's founding, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that Agora's Birthday is defined to be the entire day of June 30, GMT +1200, of each year. BE IT FURTHERMORE RESOLVED that Agora's Unbirthday is defined to be the entire day of December 30, GMT +1200, of each year; but, since that falls within a Holiday, is observed during the entire days of January 12 through 14, GMT +1200, of each year. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 104/0 (Power=3) First Speaker The Speaker for the first game shall be Michael Norrish. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2151/1 (Power=1) Agoran Arms The escutcheon of Agora is defined by the following blazon: Tierced palewise sable, argent, and sable, charged with a quill and an axe in saltire, proper, and in the chief a capital letter A, gules. Agora's adopted motto is "Agora n'est pas une fontaine." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rule 2029/0 (Power=4) Town Fountain /\ /\ / \ / \ T his Power-4 Rule (the first ever) was placed to honor The Agoran Spirit Of The Game by Goethe, Steve, Murphy, root and OscarMeyr, Scamsters. Look on our works, ye Marvy, but do always Dance a Powerful Dance. Hail Eris! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF THE SHORT LOGICAL RULESET