Referee. Judge. Administrator. Dungeon Master. Game Master. Should you take up this mantle by any name, make first this oath before your fellow players to prove you take serious the having of games-playing fun. And by ancient tradition, apply your will and best judgement in altering this creed to suit those players whom you serve. Only make and keep your oath if you wish eternal and unlimited adventure.
I solemnly swear to fulfill this covenant to the best of my ability and judgment. I will respect the wisdom accumulated over time by those game masters in whose footsteps I travel, and gladly will I share such knowledge with my comrades and any who follow. I identify as my greatest resource imagination, my own and that of the other players, which implies the freedom to try anything. Never will I force action on a player character. Always will I fulfill my duty to imagine an exciting world and describe reactions as the players enjoy their free will. I will judge circumstances impartially with prudence and a sense of proportion. Neither will I fall to nihilistic randomness, nor will I rule by secret fiat out of misplaced allegiance to a narrative. By my hand will fate weigh in the balance ever in service to the ultimate goal, an enjoyable game. I will honor game mastery as a craft, part art and part science, remembering that rules may bend to inspire a sense of wonder, but rules make triumph possible. As such, I will allow the ingenuity of players to supersede abstract contests decided by dice. Yet when intuition offers no obvious ruling, I will admit “I do not know”. In such circumstances I will rely on the chaos of casting dice to stand in for unknown variables. Remaining true to the game, I will accept the outcome even if it spells doom. I will set the scene, offer choices and answer questions to the greatest extent possible, always taking care to maintain a sense of verisimilitude. I will adhere to the precedents of campaign history, employing precise tracking of deeds and resources. So long as I honor this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling, and may I long experience the joy of playing with those who seek my mastery.