“Table rules” are the little rules of conduct that pop up during any roleplaying game. I have a handful that have held me in good stead over the years, modified for playing this over Discord.

1. Be considerate. This is a social activity, and is just as much an excuse to hang out and chat as it is to play the game. I don’t require that people not talk or not check their phones during the game, but I do ask that you be considerate. Respond when it’s your turn, and keep off-topic chatter from making it hard for other players to participate (putting it into a separate text channel, for example, is fine).

1. Keep in touch. We’re all busy people, and sometimes things happen. Try to be on time if you can, but it’s more important to stay in touch with me so I know what to expect. I can move things around if you’re going to miss a game when I have some notice.

1. Attendance. I’ve tried to structure this game so that it can run even if a couple of people show up. Still, I’d appreciate a heads-up if you can’t make it. If attendance drops too low and I have some notice, I can try to reschedule.

1. Track your information. If I give you a piece of information or a bonus to something, I ask that you track that along with the usual things like Health loss and Karma expenditure. I run a fairly improvisational style, which means that sometimes I forget what I said ten minutes ago. If everyone tracks their own information, then you can remind me when I need to take something into account. If you rely on me, it’s probably going to get lost. (It’s one of the reasons why I put everything on a wiki like this — so I don’t forget important details.)

1. One-step rebuttal. If I make a call or mention a detail you don’t agree with, feel free to bring it up right then. I might have forgotten something (see above). If, however, I don’t agree with your push-back, that’s the end of it during the session. Afterward, I’m happy to discuss it in more detail. If it’s a legitimate concern, I may make a new house rule.