Staff, Requirements and Applications
Server Owner and Operator
The Server Owner and Operator serves as final veto in any disagreement among staff and the last stop for escalation. They are also responsible for ensuring that the server is available and functioning on the bare metal, paying for hardware, providing hosting and disambiguating their vision for The Domains of Dread.
There is no requirement, nor application, to be Server Owner and Operator. They alone will choose their successor and if they are indisposed before that choice can be made, an interim Server Owner and Operator will be chosen by a joint council of Team Leads.
Since the beginning of The Domains of Dread and to present, the Server Owner and Operator is Augur, also known as August.
Team Leads
A Team Lead is a person who manages another role on the team as their mentor and supervisor—for example, Lead Game Master or Lead Developer. They are someone who can be assumed has a deep well of knowledge about their niche and may make high level decisions within that niche.
A Team Lead is selected from anyone who is already participating as the role they are becoming Team Lead of by the Server Owner and Operator. There is no formal mechanism to apply to become Team Lead as such. Team Leads may nominate successors, though only the Server Owner and Operator confirms them.
Game Masters
A Game Master is a person who uses the live client to manage tasks which are out of scope for the average player, such as acting as non player characters, coordinating events, creating encounters and other such tasks to allow them to take an active role as referee for the story conducted inside The Domains of Dread.
Prospective Game Masters should already be a Developer, Moderator, Module Designer or Helper and have been in that position for at least 30 days before they are allowed to apply for Game Master. Applications are reviewed by the Lead Game Master and the Server Owner and Operator, though the latter's approval is not required to confirm a new Game Master unless they are to be vetoed from the opportunity. The application process for Game Master may be started from a ticket opened on the Discord.
Module Designers
A Module Designer is a person who contributes to the module of The Domains of Dread leveraging the Aurora Toolset, but do not necessarily work on the technical backend. They may be area or game designers, art contributors, and other such roles with the same distinction of Module Designer.
Prospective Module Designers must have examples of the work they intend to provide, either in the form of concepts or already submitted pull requests. There is no playtime minimum sought for this role. Applications are reviewed by the Lead Module Designer and the Server Owner and Operator, though the latter's approval is not required to confirm a new Module Designer unless they are to be vetoed from the opportunity. The application process for Module Designer may be started from a ticket opened on the Discord.
Developers
A Developer is a person who maintains and creates for the technical backend on The Domains of Dread. They may be scripters, programmers, and anyone else who is interfacing with NWN:EE directly or externally.
Prospective Developers must have at least ten accepted pull requests that have technical significance—eg, not icons, translations, typo corrections or assets—into the testing GitHub repository before they are able to apply. There is no playtime minimum sought for this role. Applications are reviewed by the Lead Developer and the Server Owner and Operator, though the latter's approval is not required to confirm a new Developer unless they are to be vetoed from the opportunity. The application process for Developer may be started from a ticket opened on the Discord.
Moderators
A Moderator is a person who helps primarily by interfacing with the community around The Domains of Dread—they arbitrate channels in the Discord, manage scheduling of player events, review reports, and provide input on player applications.
Prospective Moderators must have a proven track record and ability to interpret instruction and keep a level head. They must have played on The Domains of Dread for at least 60 days before opening an application. Applications are reviewed by the Lead Moderator and the Server Owner and Operator, though the latter's approval is not required to confirm a new Moderator unless they are to be vetoed from the opportunity. The application process for Moderator may be started from a ticket opened on the Discord.
Helpers
A Helper is a person who is a trusted player who has been granted the limited power to perform tasks inconsequential enough that they do not need access to privileged information or procedures. This may be providing input on player applications, applying remakes, teleporting stuck players to safety, advising new players and bringing forth collective player concerns to the rest of staff.
Prospective Helpers must have played on The Domains of Dread for at least 30 days before opening an application. Staff may, at their discretion, also invite players to this role assuming interest on part of the would-be Helper. Applications are reviewed and confirmed by Game Masters, though Team Leads and the Server Owner and Operator may veto prospective Helpers from the opportunity. The application process for Helper may be started from a ticket opened on the Discord.