Content Guidelines

Before submitting your story, please confirm that it follows these core rules:

• No explicit sexual or pornographic content.
  Romantic or mature themes are fine if written tastefully and without graphic detail.
• No hate, real-world violence, or discrimination.
  You may explore such topics critically in context, but not celebrate or promote them.
• No photographs or realistic images of real people.
  Use only original, stylized, or licensed fictional artwork. Avoid real faces entirely.
• No external promotions or clickable links.
  You may mention external platforms (e.g., Patreon, Ko-fi, personal website) in plain text on your author page, but not include clickable links or promotional calls to action. Mentions must remain factual and unobtrusive.
• Add accurate content warnings and select an appropriate age group for your story.
  Misleading or missing tags can result in restricted visibility.
• AI-generated content is allowed if used responsibly and fully disclosed.
  You must ensure you have the rights to use any AI-generated material.
• Ask if you’re unsure.
  You can contact moderators through the official Talescape Discord or via DM for guidance before publishing.

Talescape exists to give storytellers (“Bards”) the freedom to create and share interactive stories.
You may explore any theme, including moral conflict, social issues, violence, romance, or psychological depth, provided it remains within the boundaries below. Talescape supports artistic freedom and does not restrict content for political, philosophical, or religious reasons.

Scope

These guidelines apply to all user-generated content on Talescape, including stories, media uploads, titles, descriptions, and author pages.

2.1. Real-World Harm

Stories must not promote or celebrate real-world violence, hatred, or discrimination against any person or group. Depicting such behavior in context (for character development or critique) is allowed, but endorsement or incitement is not.

2.2. Language Use

Profanity and strong language must fit the selected age group. Excessive or targeted slurs are not allowed and may lead to moderation or removal.

2.3. Sexual Content

• Explicit sexual acts or pornographic scenes are not allowed.
• Romantic and mature themes, including implied intimacy, attraction, or desire, are permitted if described tastefully and as part of the story.
• Do not include detailed descriptions of sexual activity, anatomy, or physical sensations.
• Depictions involving minors in any sexual context are strictly prohibited.

2.4. Criminal or Dangerous Activity

Content must not:

• Instruct, encourage, or promote illegal acts.
• Depict realistic abuse, self-harm, or suicide in a way that glamorizes or teaches it.
• Contain threats, doxxing, or identifiable personal information of real people.

2.5. Copyright and Media Usage

All text, images, audio, and video used in your stories must be:

• Original work you created, or
• Licensed material you have explicit permission to use.

Additional requirements:

• Photographic depictions of real people are not permitted.

  • This includes photos, photorealistic renders, or AI images resembling identifiable individuals.
  • Only illustrations, stylized artwork, or fictional characters may be used.

• Do not upload real faces, even from stock sites, to avoid GDPR and consent issues.

• Using copyrighted or unlicensed assets may lead to removal or account suspension.

2.5.1 Fanfiction and Derivative Works

Talescape currently does not permit fanfiction or other derivative works based on existing copyrighted worlds, characters, or franchises. All stories must take place in original settings created by the author. This rule may be revisited in the future if Talescape introduces a dedicated system for licensed or permitted fan works.

2.5.2 Copying Other Works

You may not copy, reuse, or closely imitate the work of other authors, including other Talescape Bards, without explicit permission. Each story, image, or script must be your own creative work or properly licensed. Plagiarism or uncredited reuse of another Bard's material may result in removal or account suspension.

2.6. Spam, Promotion, and Malicious Content

Do not upload material designed to mislead, advertise, or harm users or the platform. This includes spam, scams, malware, or deceptive links.

Additionally:

• External links must not be clickable or promotional.
  • You may reference platforms such as Patreon, Ko-fi, or personal websites in plain text (e.g., “patreon.com/username”) on your author page or within your story bio.
  • Such mentions must not include calls to action (“support me on…”) or redirect readers outside Talescape.
  • Clickable URLs or embedded links remain prohibited across all story and author content.
• Metadata Accuracy: Story titles, tags, and descriptions must accurately represent the story’s content. Misleading or manipulative metadata is not permitted.
• Talescape reserves the right to remove or edit any content that redirects players outside the platform.

Stories may explore heavy or disturbing subjects such as death, addiction, abuse, or psychological distress if they:

• Treat the topic with respectful or critical intent, not glorification.
• Include clear content warnings.
• Avoid using real-world imagery of identifiable individuals when depicting harm or distress.

Talescape may restrict visibility or require age-gating for such material.

4.1. Content Warnings

• Bards must select all applicable content warnings during story publication.
• Warnings should cover violence, sexual themes, trauma, and any other sensitive material.
• Incorrect or missing tags may lead to the story being hidden or age-restricted until corrected.

4.2. Age Group Selection

Every story must declare an age group that reflects its overall tone, themes, and intensity. This ensures appropriate visibility, reader safety, and compliance with platform standards.

• Authors must select one age group before submitting a story for review.
• Moderators may adjust the chosen age group if it does not match the content.
• Age group information will be displayed to readers and may influence visibility or discoverability.

4.3. AI-Generated Content

AI tools can assist in the creative process, and Talescape welcomes their responsible and transparent use. You may use AI to support your work, for example, to generate concept art, assist with dialogue, or create background music, provided that:

• You disclose any significant AI involvement when publishing your story (e.g., “background art created with Stable Diffusion”).
• You hold the rights to use the AI service and all generated output.
• You remain fully responsible for copyright, likeness, and ethical use.
• AI may support, but not replace, genuine creative authorship.
• Deceptive use, such as pretending AI output is entirely human-made, is not allowed.
• AI-generated content that violates other rules (e.g., real people, explicit sexual acts, or hate speech) remains prohibited.

You may base stories on fictionalized or historical settings, but:

• Do not impersonate living individuals.
• Do not include real names, photos, or likenesses without verified public-domain rights.
• Do not present real events in a defamatory or misleading way.
• Parody and commentary are allowed when clearly recognizable as such.

• All stories undergo automated checks and may be subject to manual review.
• Talescape may hide, restrict, or remove stories that violate these rules or applicable law.
• Repeated or severe violations can lead to account suspension.
• Bards may appeal moderation decisions; appeals are reviewed by a human moderator.

Ongoing Compliance

Stories remain subject to these guidelines even after publication. Updates or edits must not introduce violations. Talescape may request changes or re-review a story if it becomes non-compliant.

By publishing a story on Talescape, you confirm that:

• You are the rightful author or hold rights to all included material.
• Your story contains no photographs or realistic depictions of real people.
• You have selected accurate content warnings and an appropriate age group.
• You have disclosed any AI use.
• Your story or author page contains no external links or off-platform promotions.
• Your work complies with these guidelines and applicable law.
• You understand that violating these rules may lead to removal or account action.

Talescape’s moderation exists to help creators, not limit them. If you’re unsure whether a story element, image, or theme follows these rules, please ask before publishing.

You can contact the team directly via the official Talescape Discord server or by sending a direct message to the moderators. We’ll review your question privately and help you adjust the content if needed.

When in doubt, just ask. We’d always rather help you fix something early than remove your story later.

These guidelines may evolve as the community grows. Talescape will always strive to protect both creative freedom and community safety. Updates will be announced transparently, and creators will be notified of significant changes.

Enforcement Rights

Talescape reserves the right to interpret and enforce these guidelines at its discretion to maintain a safe and fair platform.

Talescape exists to protect creativity, not restrict it.
These rules ensure stories can thrive in a space built on trust, respect, and imagination.