The Rule of Q is a common IRL Quelmar shorthand tool that originated in the Metagame campaign in 2021. The idea is simple, in situations where more robust or inventive worldbuilding is unavailable due to:
- Lack of time (or because it was improvised)
- Lack of effort or energy (shoutout to Lazy GMs everywhere!)
- It would be funnier to not worldbuild (Do it for the bit!)
Until substantially canonized, instances of the Rule of Q are presumed to be examples of Implied Transcreation: where a shorthand is used because it quickly conveys an idea to players and viewers alike, allowing everyone to roleplay and work together on the same wavelength without having to learn a deeper bit of lore or worldbuilding.
The Rule of Q has also been the driving rule behind several Campaign names, where simply replacing a word with its Q equivalent represents shorthand for "X but in Quelmar", such as Qandela Obscura (and Qamp Candela) or Queljammer.
Examples
QTube
- The Rule of Q equivalent for YouTube
- QTube was a social media channel which became popular in the mid CR era for streamers such as TJ (TJ Hype House get HYPED!)
Quapan
- The Rule of Q equivalent for Japan
- Quapan was the hometown of players in the Chains of Rage campaign