Hello gamers, thanks for coming to Rising Phoenix GameCon. We have worked hard to put together a great con for you, but we’re going to need you to hold up your end of the deal by being respectful to your fellow gamers, convention staff, and our friends at the hotel. Please review the policies below, and let us know if you have any questions.

 Be Safe

• Follow all con policies, venue rules, and staff directions

• Follow State Covid-19 Guidelines while at gaming tables and in convention space

• No open alcohol in the convention space

• No eating or drinking at the game tables, please use the Que’Chen Dining Hall near Registration

• No running, jumping, throwing, or other unsafe shenanigans

• Support each other in maintaining a safe environment

• Report concerns to RPGameCon staff

Play Nice

• Don’t harass anyone

• Respect everyone’s physical and social boundaries and personal property

• No stealing, cheating, trolling, or griefing

Have Fun

• Make a friend

• Play some games

• Remember to eat, sleep, and shower

Everyone should observe common-sense rules for behavior, personal interaction, courtesy, and respect. Harassing or offensive behavior will not be tolerated. RPG Con reserves the right to revoke, without refund, the membership and badge of any participant not in compliance with this policy.  

The following items are prohibited from convention space:

• Drones, helium balloons, and other airborne objects or devices.

• Skateboards, roller skates, scooters (unless for legitimate medical/support).

• Pets, with the sole exception of official service animals. Emotional support animals are not permitted.

• Smoking and vaping are prohibited, as well as alcohol and any illicit substances.

Safety

 All personnel and volunteers serve to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone. Please show them the respect they deserve. Failure to comply with the directives issued by Convention or hotel security and staff may result in immediate expulsion without refund.

Costumes And Weapons  

Weapons and items that appear to be weapons are not allowed at RPGameCon. Self-defense, recreational and utility items such as knifes, Tasers, pepper spray, BB guns, cap guns, air-soft weapons, paintball guns, water guns, martial arts weaponry, including wooden practice weapons, etc., are not welcome, even if it is lawful to own and carry them in other public places. Off-duty security, law enforcement and military personnel are not allowed to bring their weapons to Rising Phoenix GameCon. Items resembling futuristic weapons, fantasy weapons, and non-projectile boffer weapons may be allowed, but if they are handled in a careless, threatening, or destructive manner against persons or property we reserve the right to confiscate them until the end of the con. 

Questionable items can be brought to the con office during operating hours to be checked for compliance with this policy. Some events may provide exceptions to this policy under strict circumstances defined by that event. Items purchased in the vendor area which violate this policy must be wrapped and immediately removed from the convention premises.  

Realistic 20th and 21st century uniforms may not be worn as costumes. These include any costume that can be construed as a military uniform from any country or a uniform worn in an official capacity, such as security guard, police officer, deputy, fire marshal, paramedic, etc. Active duty military personnel, however, are permitted to wear their government-issued uniforms.  

Rising Phoenix GameCon Event Staff or security personnel may inspect any item or costume at any time during the convention. Failure to comply with these policies and/or the instructions of Rising Phoenix GameCon Event Staff or security personnel may result in immediate removal from the convention without refund.  

If you have any questions about these policies, please contact Rising Phoenix GameCon before the convention or visit the con Registration Desk during operating hours.

Lost And Found  

The Rising Phoenix GameCon Registration Desk will serve as the center for lost and found items during the convention. Unclaimed property will be turned over to the hotel at the close of the convention. You can help protect your belongings by including identification tags with mobile phone numbers in wallets, purses, backpacks and other loose items. Labeling belongings helps us attempt to return recovered items to their rightful owners.

Anti-Harassment Policy  

Rising Phoenix GameCon is committed to providing a safe environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Harassment or unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, visual, or in any other form, is strictly prohibited. Rising Phoenix GameCon’s anti-harassment policy applies to all persons involved in the operation or attendance of the convention. Rising Phoenix GameCon will not tolerate harassment of anyone by anyone, including participants, vendors, venue staff, food delivery persons, or Rising Phoenix GameCon staff.

THIS IS THE REALLY IMPORTANT BIT RIGHT HERE:

Rising Phoenix GameCon defines harassment as any behavior that threatens a person or group or produces an unsafe or non-inclusive environment.  

Harassment includes, but is not limited to, offensive verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religious beliefs.  

Harassment also includes, but is not limited to, sexual or discriminatory images in public and quasi-public spaces (online and offline), intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.  

Harassment may take the form of comments, epithets, slurs, jokes, teasing, display or discussion of written or graphic material, repeatedly standing too close to or brushing up against a person or giving gifts of an unwanted or sexual nature.  

Advocating or encouraging any of the above is also considered harassment.

Harassment at Rising Phoenix GameCon does not include respectful disagreement or critique offered in good faith. Rising Phoenix GameCon reserves the right to alter or broaden its definition of harassment at its sole discretion.  

No one should tolerate any conduct of this type. Should you experience or witness harassment, you may choose to take any of the following actions:

1. If you feel safe and comfortable doing so, ask the offender to stop. Whether the offending behavior is intentional or unintentional, expressing your discomfort to the offender directly often puts a stop to that conduct.

2. Leave the area. While this may be unfair to you, it is sometimes best for your safety and well-being if you to choose to leave the area, especially if you feel uncomfortable around the offender or their conduct. After separating yourself from the conduct, you may still choose to take additional actions.

3. If you are comfortable doing so, ask a Rising Phoenix GameCon staff member for help. You can find Rising Phoenix GameCon staff roaming the halls or at the registration desk.

4. Report the incident formally to Rising Phoenix GameCon staff, on-site or online. You may go to the to the registration desk or ask one of the Rising Phoenix GameCon staff roaming the halls to file an incident report in person. This can also be done anytime during or after the show by emailing [email protected]

5. Contact the police or other appropriate authorities. Your health and safety is our most important concern. If you require immediate assistance from law enforcement, medical services, or other governmental entities, please do not hesitate to contact such services directly. We hope you will feel comfortable contacting us for support and assistance as well.

6. If you need assistance and you don’t feel safe, Call the Safety Officer on Duty 24/7 at:

1(203)343-3683

 Based on any informal or formal complaint or report of harassment, Rising Phoenix GameCon may take the following steps. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and other appropriate action may be taken as necessary.

     Read and investigate all reports. Rising Phoenix GameCon documents and reviews all reports. Reporting parties may be contacted for further clarifying information, unless they have submitted a report anonymously or asked to not be contacted further. Note that Rising Phoenix GameCon will not share the results of these reports with anyone, including the person who filed the report, unless required by law.

    Intercede if and when appropriate. Rising Phoenix GameCon staff may take immediate action to address harassment concerns, including but not limited to, escorting participants to a location in which they feel safe, refunding tickets, cancelling events, moving event locations, requesting participants leave a specific area, removing offenders from the event, or banning offenders from the show. Bans and removals may be on a temporary basis, for the duration of the show, or permanent.

     Contact police and medical authorities when appropriate. If, upon review, Rising Phoenix GameCon finds that relevant local government officials should be notified, Rising Phoenix GameCon may contact such entities and/or share confidential information as required by law.

      Sanction participants based on our investigations. Rising Phoenix GameCon participants found to have violated the Code of Conduct may be subject to sanctions, including but not limited to:

o    Verbal or written warning

o    Requiring the participant to avoid any interaction with, and physical proximity to the party or parties involved

o    Temporary suspension from any Rising Phoenix GameCon sponsored events or online services

o    Permanent ban from any Rising Phoenix GameCon sponsored events or online services

o    Immediate expulsion from the convention without refund

o    Reporting of the incident to the appropriate authorities 

Rising Phoenix GameCon’s Code of Conduct applies in all physical and online spaces within Rising Phoenix GameCon’s control. This includes, but is not limited to, event venues, Rising Phoenix GameCon social media pages, and Rising Phoenix GameCon forums. Occasionally Rising Phoenix GameCon is made aware of behavior by participants (or potential participants) that has occurred outside of Rising Phoenix GameCon—either online or offline—and is a gross violation of our Code of Conduct. These actions need not occur in Rising Phoenix GameCon-affiliated spaces to be considered for sanctions by Rising Phoenix GameCon.  

We understand that, at times, participants will have disagreements or interpersonal conflicts that do not necessarily escalate to the point of harassment or abuse. Rising Phoenix GameCon will not arbitrate such disagreements—we ask that you please leave these conflicts at home.  

Rising Phoenix GameCon continuously strives to create a safe and welcoming space. Should you have any suggestions for how we can improve, please email us at [email protected] or put a note in our suggestion box.