There are four distinct phases in the development of an Avalon player before one can be said to have no need (and no option) for a safety harness while evolving into the character ready and equipped to play a lead role in the narratives involving his/her chosen facets of the gamesystem or playing through his/her chosen regions of interest and care.

First and second phases are NOVICE and LW (littlewho) where player is strictly protected and considered "new" to the realm. Novices and Apprentices cover most of those who have LW status and will show when you type LW for LITTLEWHO. These individuals should be considered off-limits, insofar as they should not be attacked or persecuted, stolen from or imprisoned; unless they attack personally first, in which case treating like for like (to teach them a lesson) is the extent of what is acceptable. There are, of course, sometimes extenuating circumstances but as a rule of thumb the aforementioned guidelines should be taken into account.

Third and fourth phases are MW and MIDDLING (midwho) where the player is crossing from end of junior time into the longer development phase where a character is built from 'extra' through 'supporting actor/actress' to one of the 'lead' roles - this stature being more about knowledge and experience than extrovert desire to upstage everyone else. You can type MW to see the juniors of this standing and JUNIORS to list those above NOVICE and below MIDDLING i.e. LW and MW. MIDS can be typed to show everyone of MW and MIDDLING standing. So many category lists, you may interject? But reflect a moment: the developing player is the lifeblood of Avalon's future and you who are experienced understand the unique complexity of the land. We do not cosset here but we are a realm the more poor if we do not allow the "migrants" to have a fair shot. Hand up, not hand out, as they say.

Juniors of MW standing and more so those middling standing do not need to be treated with the same indulgence as LWs but _some_ restraint remains necessary. You may judge the situation to require no pulling your punches but Avalon is a more competitive world if culture of conflict includes mature forethought and does not rely on Gods as police enforcing tedious rules that assume players are preschoolers. They say players make a world. They are wrong. Player don't make the world. They are not Gods. But what they do is more important: the players make the community and the society and all of us make the culture of the realm. Avalon is special and warts'n'all is a unique environment for gaming (per HELP FIVE). Let the children play in their sandboxes while we take to the stage...

Now: the Gods will frown upon persecution. Simply speaking, sending a junior/middling onto the Ship of Death once per Avalon year or the thievery of the odd select possession; this is acceptable. More than this risks incurring divine ire. Juniors will be at the apprenticeship phase or just beyond and can benefit from such boon as the junior-apprenticeship (see HELP SELECTION) to sample guild skill-sets.

Needless to say genuine LWs and MWs are not so restricted when it comes to competing with one another. The self-control required when dealing with juniors is a necessity of the higher levels; those whose skills have progressed above the junior phase into the senior ranks. You will find all Avalonians with at least a smattering of top-ranked guild or general skills beyond the junior phase. If you are attempting to be judicious about timing emergence from LW and MW, to avoid stepping onto the unadulterated battlefield, it is advised you manage your learning such as to avoid prematurely entering the senior world; at least until you are confident in your ability to defend yourself and to act aggressively against your enemies. Those who remain in the LW or MW junior phase will find, whenever they type STAT, will be told how far they have progress towards senior status.

NOTE: those of you of junior rank will find, as an ongoing boon, a bonus bestowed whenever you complete a quest for the first time. This bonus is given in lessons, determined by the difficulty rating of the quest. The gift is received once and once only; intended as both a catalyst for exploration of the land and its curiosities and a reward for those who do so.