Safety Tools

Lines & Veils

Establish boundaries before play begins

What Is It?

Lines & Veils is a safety tool developed by Ron Edwards for establishing content boundaries before play begins.

Lines are hard limits—content that will not appear in the game at all. If something is a Line, it simply doesn't exist in the story. Examples might include harm to children, sexual violence, or specific phobias.

Veils are content that can exist in the game world but will be handled "off-screen." The camera fades to black, we skip ahead, or we acknowledge that something happened without depicting it in detail. Romance and intimacy are common Veils—the characters may have a relationship, but we don't roleplay the intimate details.

Lines & Veils works best when established before play begins, often during Session Zero. However, players can always add new Lines or Veils as they discover their boundaries during play.

How It Works

  1. 1Before the game (often in Session Zero), the GM asks players to share their Lines and Veils.
  2. 2This can be done verbally, via anonymous survey, or through private messages to the GM.
  3. 3The GM compiles all Lines and Veils (without attribution) and shares them with the group.
  4. 4During play, the group respects all stated Lines and Veils. New ones can be added at any time.

When to Use It

  • During Session Zero or before a new campaign
  • When joining a new group or game
  • Anytime you discover a new boundary you want to establish
  • When the GM asks about content preferences

At Mostly Magic

Your Lines & Veils are part of your Mostly Magic profile. When you apply for or book a game, your Lines & Veils are automatically shared with the GM (but not other players). This helps GMs ensure their games are a good fit and prepare content accordingly.

You can update your Lines & Veils anytime from your profile settings.

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