Sitewide Announcements and Updates

Face Claims & the New HBO Harry Potter Series

With casting announcements for the new Harry Potter television series continuing to be released, we wanted to clarify how actors appearing in the series will be handled as Face Claims on Hogwarts.io.

As a reminder, Hogwarts.io exists within the Harry Potter universe rather than as an alternate universe. As actors become associated with canon characters in the new series, they will therefore become unavailable for new original characters.

How This Will Work

New Face Claims
Once an actor has been officially announced as portraying a character in the HBO series, or appears in the series, they will no longer be available as a Face Claim for newly validated characters.

Existing Face Claims Are Grandfathered
If your character was already using that actor as their Face Claim before the casting announcement, you may continue using them. We are not going to require established characters to change their appearance every time HBO announces a new cast member.

However, grandfathered characters may not use images, promotional material, costumes, or other imagery of the actor portraying their Harry Potter character in the HBO series. Please continue using imagery from the actor's other work or appearances.

Grandfathering Does Not Make the Face Claim Available to Existing Characters
The exception applies specifically to characters already using that Face Claim. An older or previously validated character cannot switch to an HBO Harry Potter cast member after that actor has become restricted simply because the character predates the television series or casting announcement.

In short:

If you were already using them, you may keep them.
If you weren't already using them, they are no longer available once their casting is announced.

We recognize that the new series will continue introducing and announcing actors over several years, so this policy is intended to protect established characters while keeping a reasonable distinction between our original characters and the new portrayals of canon characters.

Potions Classroom Description Update

Following the lore of the Nightroot Elixir release (read), the classroom description has been edited to add a new member of the potions family, Chompy. It also contains the moderation guide on how to interact with them. Sneak peek: if you disturb one of them, both plants will attack you. So please be kind to these cute creatures, Nibbles and Chompy. The map is also restructured to support the lore of the classroom. You can check the newest description of the classroom here: viewtopic.php?p=1420790#p1420790

Feel free to contact me by owl or Discord DM if you have any questions regarding this update. Thank you.

Alumni Quidditch Spectators Errand!

Take a short break from the intense competition at summer camp, watch a little quidditch, and maybe even get advice from a graduated alumnus. All adults and students are welcome! Sign-ups here, spectator thread here, and quidditch game thread here.

100 Days Before Christmas Errand

Christmas is just around the corner! And some students are celebrating early for a day of fun festivities to get Hogwarts ready for the Holiday Spirit. Everyone in the Hogwarts building when school start can participate! Sign ups can be found here, and the three roleplay threads for Ornaments, Cards, and Cookies, too!

TENT AND COMPETITION SIGN UPS NOW OPEN

🌲🧗‍♀️🌲❄️🌲⛵🌲⛵🌲❄️🌲🧗‍♀️🌲🌲🧗‍♀️🌲❄️🌲⛵🌲⛵🌲❄️🌲🧗‍♀️🌲

🌲🧗‍♀️🌲❄️🌲⛵🌲⛵🌲❄️🌲🧗‍♀️🌲🌲🧗‍♀️🌲❄️🌲⛵🌲⛵🌲❄️🌲🧗‍♀️🌲

Headmasters Albrecht and Bakari, along with the esteemed staff of Durmstrang and Uagadou, are excited to present to you an opportunity of a lifetime to interact with the beautiful wilderness. This one week will keep you in the wilderness, from learning with the San people, to sailing the icy lake of snowy landscapes, and perhaps even the opportunity to win some prizes. Adult characters may join, but may not compete in student only completions, or participate in errands. They may however join other threads. This event will occur from September 21st to September 28th. Tent sign ups open OOC September 7th [HERE]! All competition signups open September 12th. Deadline will be when thread is posted. OOC dates in parenthesis below.

SEPTEMBER 21st (September 15th)
Tent Set Up: Learn to set up tents the Muggle way. No magic allowed. Can you do it? Errand is neccesary to continue on in this event. Complete this errand [HERE]!

Opening Ceremony: Learn the world of Uagadou as your adventure begins [HERE]!

SEPTEMBER 22nd (September 20th)
Guided Walk: inspired by the guided walks the San people offer, this is an opportunity to learn about bush pharmacy, tracking, basic survival without use of magic (setting up a fire, etc.), as well as lessons about the local tribal culture. Join the thread [HERE]!

Climbing Competition: Come compete in scaling a steep mountain. There are obstacles students need to pass (high winds, rocks, etc.) and the fastest to the top of the mountain wins. Sign Up [HERE], Thread [HERE], Spectators [HERE]! Reward: 40 Sickles

SEPTEMBER 23rd (September 25th)
Trekking: Walk through the wilderness with experts and learn the terrain of Uagadou. Join the thread [HERE]!
Erumpent Encounter: Learn more about wild animals and have the chance of the lifetime to encounter an erumpent. Join the thread [HERE]!

SEPTEMBER 24th (September 30th)
Potions Brewing Competition: Using wild ingredients, brew an impromptu potion. Sign Ups [HERE], Thread [HERE], Spectators [HERE]! Reward: 10 Sickles
Stargazing: After a long day of competing, enjoy the stars on top of the mountain, and relax with friends, lovers, and nature. Join thread [HERE]!

SEPTEMBER 25th (October 5th)
First Day in the Durmstrang Cold: Experience the bitter cold of the Durmstrang nature. It's beautiful, but deadly up here. Join the thread to tell your best story as you are stuck in your tents [HERE]!

SEPTEMBER 26th (October 10th)
Hand-to-Hand Combat Competition: Durmstrang is famous for its combat readiness. Come learn from the professors and try your hand at competing against each other. Sign up [HERE]! Thread [HERE]! Spectators [HERE]!

SEPTEMBER 27th (October 15th)
Pay Respects to Stribog: Learn about the Slavic god Stribog whom some in Durmstrang still believe in. You will be given a wooden slate in which you are to write a letter of the changes they fear. The letters will be burned on a pyre. Complete errand [HERE]! Reward: 10 Sickles

SEPTEMBER 28th (October 20th)

Ship Ride: Whoever can reach the finish line the fastest wins. Come compete against each other in groups of three to make it across the icy lake first. Sign ups [HERE]! Thread [HERE]! Spectators [HERE]! Reward: 10 Sickles

Closing Ceremony: Come learn of the culture and world of Durmstrang as we announce the winners of the competitions and end the adventure [HERE]!

Deactivations

It has come to my attention that one or more members have been monitoring the Deactivation Thread and privately contacting departing players to ask that their wealth or other assets be transferred to them.

I want to be clear that this is not an appropriate use of private messages. Contacting someone who has announced their intention to deactivate specifically to request their assets places that player in an uncomfortable position where they may feel pressured either to comply or to directly refuse.

Much like we do not permit members to privately solicit others for customers, club participation, outside websites, or similar purposes, we ask that members refrain from entering another player's private messages to request or pressure them for handouts, wealth, or assets associated with their deactivation.

If a departing player independently chooses to give something to another member, that is their decision. The concern is with actively seeking out deactivating members for the purpose of requesting what they are leaving behind.

Please respect other players' boundaries and allow those who are departing the community to do so without being solicited.