The Campaign Builder's Guild

Hello!

Any advice on the following is appreciated:

Do you know of good books in the sub-genre of "future bureaucracy", and if so, could you please recommend? I like the sub-genre because authors who delve into this minutiae are hard to find (most sci-fi authors are military sci fi or hard sci fi focusing on the "science" technology rather than the bureaucracy of "systems" or focusing on biological issues or psychological issues/concepts.

I am looking for books that follow (and delve deep into details) of sci-fi accountants, engineers, lawyers, merchants, (and to a lesser degree politicians). I prefer "good reads" rather than depressing reads.

I would like to find more books like the below:
Jennifer Government by Max Berry   (excellent) (corporate controlled future dystopia told in a hilariously coy fashion following the lives of a government agent, middle management marketers, the NRA, and a hacker)
The Space Merchants by CM Kornbluth (okay) (old sci fi tale of a corporate controlled future)
Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon (excellent) (merchant dealing with bureaucratic rules and regulations)

On my list to examine are:
The Paul Sinclair Novels by John G. Hemry (JAG in Space) (attorneys)

In the event you were not yet aware: Sunless Sea is a game worth checking out for those who enjoyed China Mieville's The Scar  and Age of Fable.

The game is created by a British game studio. In the game, you can physically travel around an underground Victorian dystopic new-Weird-lite (more Gothic) ocean and have dismaying soul-shattering adventures.

In thinking about the visibility of the site, I wondered what a visitor unfamiliar with the site may see when they encounter it.

The top left Logo has a minor flaw.

It states "The CBG" : Creating Campaigns. But a newcomer may wonder- "what is the CBG"? The text "creating campaigns" is helpful, but many may wonder: "what is a campaign"

Solutions?
Should the logo also state "Campaign Builder's Guild"? Nowhere is it clear at a glance to a newcomer what the site's actual name is until they click on the forums and *may* see the tiny text that states so.
Note: The wiki page states the full name of the site.

And maybe our tagline should be different; what about "Creating Worlds"... since that is more what we do these days rather than just confine ourselves to creating campaigns for roleplaying games?

Just some thoughts.

This is an inchoate idea but I put it out in case it might have 'legs', especially given how activity at the site has waned a bit and it seems that people who do not know that this site exists may have difficulty finding the site and in learning of its greatness.

What if the site had a twitter like an actual guild announcement board. It could run as a twitter feed on the main page and be a showcase of some of the best ideas on the site and some of the news and best announcements.

Difficulties.
- It is hard to obtain followers. Most of the posts will be talking to few, if any, people.
- It is difficult to write consistent and consistently good posts.
- Tweets get lost in the flood of other people who are followed.

Points for Consideration
- To counter difficulty 2 above, have multiple authors with access. (Of course, one of the multiple authors may decide to change the password and fill up the twitter with spam or unwanted posts).

Hello! I am in a bit of a bind- I had been in talks with an artist for a few months to do the following paid project, starting it in January, and the artist, who had been very excited about the project, just resigned (before beginning the work). I had 3 backups- none of them can do it.

Any links to semi-professional (as in they have successfully completed commissions) or professional artist's portfolios for people who would fit the following profile would be appreciated:

-I need steampunk/victorian bust-up artwork for a total of 8, 4 males and 4 females. If necessary, one artist can do half and another could do the other half.

-Would like a bit cartoony as in "friendly" pictures rather than highly photorealistic or silhouettes. Do not want cartoony cartoony. Something like this: http://krayisako.deviantart.com/art/victorian-307668593 would probably work, but they are in the Philippines.

-There are other details that would be shared with the artist, here I am just sharing the most general terms.

I may be registering a domain name or two in the near future for a small business and I was wondering as to any practical advice from people here who may have done such in the past.

From people's knowledge and experience here, why would I, or why would I not want to register a domain through wordpress, for example? Wordpress likely would be the server host for the actual content?
The other main options, I see is to register the domain through godaddy or something similar (not sure why I wouldn't just choose the lowest cost registrar) and then use a blog like wordpress as a location for the content (essentially a host) that the domain points toward. ---I do not think my needs would require me to use godaddy like services as a host for server/content.

Administratively, what are the concerns I need to be aware of? That is, if I go through a registrar in year 1, when it comes time for renewal, I can move to another registrar that buys the location from ICANN(?), correct?

[note]First, credit is due to Steerpike who created the Cadaverous Earth Setting, which he has graciously permitted me to use as the flavor.

The game will have deviations from Steerpike's piece-de-resistance, none of which are canon unless Steerpike states. For purpose of this game, deviations will take precedence over the actual text.

Cadaverous Earth suits the subject well even though I considered a number of setting styles, but I relish the opportunity to read again the tome Steerpike wrote and it seemed best to go with a slightly darker, already fully-conceptualized world.

Ultimately, Cadaverous Earth suits that requirement best- the setting provides limits for players, the tone is consistent, still, there is a vast canvass on which they can paint.
[/note]
Forum Game: Bounty Hunters of the Cadaverous Earth

[ooc=What Is This?]
* Play as a Bounty Hunter Company Owner who has a stable of three bounty hunters, or play as three independent hunters, closely allied.

* Seek Quarries/Bounties, Hunt them down, Gain Wealth and Notoriety. Build your Bounty Hunter Stables, make it, and your home grand. Grow your investments and build the greatest Bounty Hunter Stable of them All.

Live Under the Guild or Challenge it.
Choose who lives and who dies.
Compete or Cooperate.
It is your choice.

Time Commitment
* 20-30 min/week for players, probably less though.
* 2 hours/week max for GM.

Basic Concepts:

-GM rolls all the checks. Players do not need to roll anything.
-Round down if under .5, up if over or at .5
-Players choose their strategies (the Actions).
-Asynchronous Play. No two players or Player/GM needs to be online at the same time.
-Play by Post.
-The cheaper the bounty, the less complications.
-1 Post a week. But players can post more.
-Rewards for Posting Tales and flavour-text.
-How to Win? Set your own goals- level up your bounty hunters, build a better company hall, build a better home, take on the Bounty Hunter's guild, go independent, sabotage other players, it's up to you.
[/ooc]

[ic=Setting]
The setting is the blood-spattered City of Bodysnatchers, Macellaria, located deep in the wastes of the Cadaverous Earth, a dying land, where the dead walk and the living die.
[/ic]

[ic=Guild or Independence?]A tiny, almost imperceptible string dangled from Tywin's ankle. On its end, a metal hook dangled. Tywin saluted a guard as he walked, then bent down to tie his shoelace, hooking the hook onto a nail as he did. Then, he walked across the street and sat.

Moments later, a man came running down the alley. Tywin stood, yawning and stretching and holding his leg out straight...and the line out taut.

The man's stride took him almost over the line, but not quite, and he stumbled, then fell.

Behind him, a man with a sword ran. Tywin, however, pulled out his blade in one hand, and handcuffs in the other, which he snapped onto the running man's arms.

"No no no... Balon, this one's for me." He smiled at the pursuing swordsman, and opened his cape to show a glint of the Bounty Hunter's medallion. "This one's mine."

Balon grumbled.

"Guild rules." Tywin tittered.

Balon's thrust stabbed into Tywin's right breast. "F--- the Guild."

Tywin fell, blubbering blood. Balon stepped over him, grabbed handcuffs and dragged the man to his feet. Then he spat on Tywin's corpse. "I'm independent."[/ic]


[ooc=How to Play]
1. Character/Hunter Creation
First, you create 2 Bounty Hunters (See Creating a Bounty Hunter section, below)
Second, you create Your "Stable Master", who controls the money, divvies out assignments and orders the hunters around. This is your alter-ego (See Creating a Stable Master section, below)
Third, you choose your 3d bounty hunter from a list of those who are looking for work. (See For Hire Below)

2. Once The Game Has Started
Turn Actions:
Each turn/week, each Bounty Hunter may take 2 Simple or Advanced actions. (See Below in this Section).
The Stable Master may also take an unlimited amount of Corporate Actions. (See Below in this Section).
That's it. It's that simple.

SIMPLE ACTIONS
Simple Actions are explained below in the ACTION section of this thread.
1. Hunt Quarry (Choose when you are in the same city as the quarry)
-----When you hunt a Quarry, an Event and a Complication will happen. A Complication, which is negative, is avoided through Research.
-----More Complications occur when you hunt a more difficult Quarry.
2. Research a Quarry
3. Travel (travels to a city) (an Encounter may happen on the way unless Geography is researched).
4. Shop For Magic/Grafts/Tattoos/Potions/ Rare Weapons-Armor. Look for a particular rare item or a group of less rare items.
5. Training Train a skill under an expert.

ADVANCED ACTIONS:
1. Harass Another Bounty Hunter (Must be in the same city)
   - Your Clever v. Their Perception (Roll v. Roll)
            - A win on Clever v. Perception: (Delays the other Bounty Hunter).
2. Steal an Item
- Not enabled yet.
- May steal from a NPC or another player.
- Will need Thieves Guild Registration. Without, it you may be waylaid occasionally and your Charterhouse will be assaulted by Thieves more often than normal.

CHARTERHOUSE ACTIONS:
1. Hire a new Bounty Hunter (from the list of Bounty Hunters,if you can afford one)
2. Hire Away. Offer to hire away another Bounty Hunter
- (1) Can the Master meet the cost of a legal Buyout (5000 fee to the losing firm);
- (2) Master determines appropriate bribe (the Hunter's current salary [for generated Hunters, this is 5000/year]+500 is the base purchase price, add an additional 1000 to gain an additional 1 point bonus in stage 3);
- (3) (Your Firm's Notoriety - The Hunter's Loyalty) for the test.
- (*) If a Hunter's Loyalty is greater than or equal to 10, the Hunter cannot be Legally Bought Out/Bribed.
- (*) The Final Hunter may not be hired away from a Stable.
3. Sell Gear
- Gear can be sold for 1/4 of the original price.
4. Advance your Hunters (Experience)
- See Character Advancement Section.

[note]Other inspirations are: Lies of Loch Lamore by Scott Lynch, Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton, Downton Abbey.

Some influence will likely arise from my GrimDark IdDark, an over-the-top absurdist reaction to Grimdark settings. Other ideas I considered were to create a fantasy setting, or a Planet Stories Burroughs-like piece with steam (pteradon flown and tensile-launched flying contraptions), a steampunk world, my reaction to the New Weird- Gloria, a Sci-Fi Setting, WH40K, Cyberpunk world... but, given the subject matter[/note]
[/ooc]

Question:

What topic ideas would you like to see done in a live action game?

Constraints:

Players: 8-20 players and it should be able to run with a few less players (min 8) if it has less attendees (e.g. not everyone is 'vital' but everyone is 'necessary' e.g. no random guard with no goals or purpose except to follow orders).
Time: The ideal idea would be designed to be a 4 hour or 6 hour game one-shot.
One-Shot (not on-going)

I have seen French Revolution, Steampunk, Call of Cthulhu, and a few other themes done quite a lot. What sort of ideas would you like to see done? Preferably, something fun that isn't overdone and preferably something that might attract attendees.

Discussion could probably go in the main thread, but in the event people were waiting to start discussing in a separate thread, here it is.

Link to the Game Rules/Character Creation/Selection.

Sample Characters are now up.

Li Chenggong- Merchant Prince ("Successful Righteousness") (male)
Jiang Fengyun- Skyfleet Captain ("Windycloud River") (female)

More are coming.

Any questions?

[ooc=New Forum Game]
This is a New Forum Game! Hopefully it interests you and you have time for it.

Time Commitment: Less than Underdeep, Potentially less than Republic Reborn, Likely more than City of the Chosen
Turns: Whenever; if players don't start near each other, it can go as fast as I can update... in theory. In practice, likely 1/week to 1 every 2 weeks.
Players Required: 3. I could do it with just one, but it'd be best to have at least 3 committed people.
[/ooc]

[ic=Intro]
The Golden Empress abdicated and the Court went into disarray.
Never before had an Emperor or Empress left her duties and never before had there been no deemed heir.
*

The Kingdom has also suffered a plague of spirits long thought sealed away in the underworld, mad spirits who have fused with the souls of select citizens.

These spirits have bestowed great power, but also great incipient madness to their chosen, of which you are one.

You must fight the madness and fulfill your destiny, which the spirit whispers to you.

*

An Imperial Decree, sent by the Council of Regents and stamped by Grand Inquisitor Hei-San has gone out to inform all vassal-kingdoms of the Empire that they are to imprison and kill all spirits, whether bound to a person or not.

You have learned of your 'exaltation' by the spirits and now you must survive.

*

Allocate resources amongst yourself and your followers and achieve goals while discovering what your exaltation means.
[/ic]

[ooc]WARNING: CONTENT BORDERS ON R-RATING. Words Have been Censored Where Possible, but It is possible the below might offend. Apologizes if it might. I agree that there is too much smut in the world. This setting is, however, intended to be for older teens or adults, and it aims to be no more offensive than Mad TV or Will Ferrell. It is meant to be a ridiculous party game. Thank you for understanding![/ooc]

***

[ic=Pop That Shzzzzzzz]
Pop the Glock. Ready Rock.
Mistyah J pullin' out tha' 68mm by 100.5 for realz; Shista Shake done mix dat tape down right. We rockin' OLDSKOOL Style.

Shotgundundamnnnnnnn! Beer go round and round dat' marry-go-round; get crunk get drunk get wed, get fed -got cock- kentucky fried yo' bizness .com; .biz too whack-y'on krack-We be 2008; you so 1996 n' laaate. Geocity zoom. OLDSKOOL Style.

Fashion Zombies 'gainst Undercover Vampires shoot it up down at Club Heroine's floor. I be doin' shots LMFAO at da' Mummies gettin' unwrapped down on tha' floor.

Victor F kicks side J n' spins his track. Den we 'tack. I gotsda Steak n' Brotha' YinYang got holy water blessed smuggled down in his Kryztal Staff. Spray dat' stuff down 'mung the club. We be pluggin da' Steak in Undercovah Vampires chests after sprayin' them champagne showahs gettin' blessed. Steak be bloody rare; vamps now be d&$(* rarer too. Bloody mess be spread on chest; werewolves be comin toward da feast. Then Victor be unload da' silva turntable ondem.

*
We thought dey be Ghouls up in here; sept dey be Livin' Foolz down dere makin' undead undeader; killin triple header- got da Vamps in da neck, got da wolves in da junk, got da Mummies wrapped up cold. Ain't ready though cause I be turned. Like Eisen-stein I be smarter than I look, I been talk wit' da' other crook; da groop I ride wit' ain't ready for tha shizzz I cook. I grab da' beer, toss da' stein- It asplode n' shine; killaz ghost faced as bloody Mary make dem maced; screamin' like a banshee, she ride dem like sheeple- F%*$ dose People.

Ref... in part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m48GqaOz90
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0
[/ic]

Ghoul Action is about gettin' sum, makin' music.

Play: Game is played by iTunes/Music Player Roulette. Players each upload 10 songs into a single playlist, then turn on Random Shuffle. Songs should be poppy and focus on different themes.

This is a party game. Have Fun. Talk. Invent.

Step 0: Bring Yo' Music; Select from the followin' Song Types, (with examples)

Song Types
Theme 1: Romance (Turtle Dovin'...the Coasters)
Theme 2: Aggression (Pop The Glock...Uffie)
Theme 3: Fame (Sucker for a Superstar... Aqua)
Theme 4: Lust/Longing (Stop Stop Stop...The Hollies)
Theme 5: Loneliness/Loss (I Drink Alone... George Thorogood)
Theme 6: Party [(Up In Here... DMX]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thIVtEOtlWM]Up In Here... DMX) Riot Maker... Tech N9ne)
Theme 7: Freedom (Get Free... The Vines)
Theme 8: Trip/Journey (Wheel In The Sky... Journey)
Theme 9: Friendship/or Betrayal (Trouble is a Friend... Lenka)
Theme 10: Risk (Poker Face... Lady Gaga)

Step 1: Yo gonna make yo character. Tha' play gonna be somethin' f**#$ed up cause that's how we do things here at tha' Monster Hotel.

Settings Yo Choose:
Maidz Get Laidz  (Boy Maidz, Girl Maidz, All Get Maidz)
Yo' Becomez a Star (Get Tracks Spit, Act Da' D**m Sh*zzle)
Get Monsta Crunk (See the IC above) (You be Monstaz from da' Motha*#&49ng Monsta Mash-so $*$&ing Mash-MASH! MASH GOOD!)

Goalz Ya' Chooz:
What tha f#*! you want Moth-f*$*aaaah - Buttaflyz ain't good n'uf for ya. Gotta get back in tha closet eatin' it up with moths in da back dawg?

Characterz Ya Ba
Ya Character Depends on da Settin'.

Maidz: Like we said: Boy Maidz, Girl Maidz, Head Maidz, Ain't Givin' Head Maidz, Buttler Covered Wit' Butter. Get Ready ta' get hot n' heavy Downtown in dis' Abbey at Downton Town. We gots more play dan' dey gots Globes, Golden or not-n' dat' Ain't Selfridge o'us.

Get Monsta Crunk:
-Da' Monsta Killaz- Come in Dressed like da dead den killem all deader.
-F's Monsta'
-Sparkling Vamp
-WhereWolfman Jack
-Yo Mumma

Step 2: Yo' song gets selected, yo' get ta' win that scene. What be a scene? Dis' be a scene:

Step 3: Scenes. There are Five Scenes and 2 Intermissions. For each scene, we do a music random select. The Ringmaster (RM) creates the scene by narrating the background based on the characters the players have developed. The player whose music is selected 'wins' the scene and dictates the outcome, based on the chosen song's lyrics...but if der' tale su**orz, den you get yo azz out der' an' show you bettah n' dey vote on ya'.

Scene 1: Introduction (The Character Alone Got Funky; Dat' Shawty Got Movez)
You be showin' off and demonstratin' how crunk you be here.
Do a good show here, you get 10 points cause you solo, you startin, you definin everythin' that goes beyond here. You set the stage and show how you meet everyp$*sy in your posse.

Scene 2: Complication. A setback to the first character; a setback to all character's goals actually.

Intermission 1: Body Shots. Drink of your choice. We recommend tea. Preferably with whiskey.
"Do Da' Dance" Take a partner and dance a scene with da' energy and type o' dance ya think should fit. Choose any music.

Scene 3: We be Burnin. Got a Dual-Scene here- Play 2 pieces 'gainst each other. Each better weave a better tale. Start that Sh****zzz and Stop. Pop. Drop.
The major conflict be hittin' and both sides betta' be spittin' so we know what's what and who's gonna come out on top n' who gets played.

Intermission 2: Streaking.
Dis time actually play one of the songs. Talk mongst yourselves and select s'thing not yet played. Take it out of the rotation. Play it now. Freestyle what's goin on. This be a B story, not related to the main one, but happens to ya before we get to Scene 4.

Scene 4: Comin' Together. Think the Rocky Training Scene. Eye o' Da' Tiger. Put ya sh*$ tagether man. Tag Team ya' way ta' viktory.

Scene 5: Final Fight. This be the Bang-up scene resolution.
20 Point for best show.

Denounment: Dis be the time ta' show off. Ensemble.

If I am designing a game that contains several "randomization" tables, what are your thoughts on dice use?

A randomization table of 1d6 allows for equally likely outcomes. Likewise a 1d20 table would allow for that, but I am concerned that most people don't know where to get a d20 and I would like my game to be accessible, so I would like to use d6.

However, if I want equally-likely weighted outcomes for randomization tables with 12 or 18 options, a roll of 2d6 and 3d6 do not allow for likely percentage probabilities...

Is there a better way, or if I am seeking to create a distribution of equally likely dice-rolling probabilities do I just need to require a d20?

Speaking of that, are d10s easier to find than d20s? Would it be unlikely that the average Euroboardgame player or RPGer does not have a d10?

I have looked at http://anydice.com/ but although it identifies problems with my ideas, it does not present solutions without an ideal input idea.
I also perused: http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Multiple-Dice-Probabilities

I don't see the underdeep discussion thread on the boards any more and the thread says it's missing? http://www.thecbg.org/index.php/topic,209781.msg220603.html#new

When looking at recent forum activity I noticed this in 'Who's Online':
Guest... "Printing the topic "The Cadaverous Earth"."

Does that literally mean printing? We can print topics?

From the shoutbox:

Sarisa: "Speaking of Netflix Instant gold...Terry Gilliams Time Bandits is up too"

Light Dragon: "At some point I will watch that; however that director has no idea how to end a movie- Monty Python, the Imaginarium- had no endings (even if it was part of the point with Python's unexpectedness, it was STILL weak storytelling); and Brazil would have been better off without the escape part of the ending- I was thoroughly angered at the escape's idiocy, figuring it may just be a dream, so that when my belief was confirmed- I couldn't have any catharsis and left that movie annoyed. Oh yes, and I also considered Muchausen a frighteningly bad film... And the Fisher King, if I recall properly, also had huge ending problems. I recall being disturbed and annoyed throughout that entire movie. He has good initial ideas, he does some interesting filmography, but ultimately his works are soulless and fail to achieve the goal of catharsis that theatre is supposed to achieve. Even if he is trying to aim at one of the schools of theatre- the school of theatre of the absurd (?? forget the name) like Brecht or one of Ionesco who intend to shock the viewer and create social consciousness- he does not achieve what he sets out to do nearly as well. His endings essentially ruin his plays- much as the third act of Our Town is a bitter juxtaposition to the first two, which leaves the viewer feeling insulted."

Steerpike: "I think you're thinking of Brecht's "epic theatre."  I think Gilliam is about as far from Brecht as it's possible to get, though.  What possible consciousness-raising message could be found in Brother's Grimm?  Sounds like you're a pretty staunch Aristotelian there... what do you think about comedies?  Or horror movies, where the ending generally undermines a sense of closure? "

Seraphine Harmonium: "Yes, Brecht was Epic Theater.  And while Theater of the Absurd often comes with the trappings of weirdness that you brought up, it comes with the existential underpinnings of "pointlessness" "

The Meanest Guest: "Maybe if you didn't over-analyze film so much you would enjoy it more, LD. "

Light Dragon: "Although portions of his work demonstrate extreme creativity and wit; his work in toto was not enjoyable whether it is analyzed or not. (I will see about starting a thread; any suggestions on a title?) "

(thanks to Steerpike for the topic title)

Given the discussion in the shoutbox, it seemed a good idea to have a thread for planning related to special IRC games taking place on halloween on on the weekend before/after.

Note.

This site keeps getting blocked by my network supervisor (not- not my at work supervisor-I do not access this site at work-it's my at home supervisor) when I try to access the IRC and/or the shoutbox. It seems to time me out for about 20-30 minutes every time I do something on the site...

It did not previously do this...

The site may have a virus or something, or it may be that my network administrator is getting more strict.

I intend to call them in the next few days and try to whitelist CBG, but that's a FYI for Polycarp and all people with whom I am currently involved with at the site.

Thanks!

The old thread (http://www.thecbg.org/index.php/topic,65170.new.html) became a bit too scattered... and information started to get lost. Apparently when a single post takes over 20 pages in word, data is appended. I lost some information because of that, so here is a new thread that contains information in a more logical flow. Over the next months I will attempt to reformulate information to accommodate new information from the old thread.

What Is Gloria
Gloria is Utopia.
But even Utopia needs maintenance.
And people always find a reason to gripe.



Why Adventure?
- Help discover new sources of Shimmer (The Magic-Oil) and prevent the dire predictions of Peak Shimmer from arising.
- Keep the demons from seeping across the Glimmerwall by maintaining the power of Faith.
- ...Deal with the mentally insane, the weak, the criminal classes... in an equitable, but resource-conservatory fashion.
- Solve the problem of the Underclass.
- Help create the Ubermensch.
- Expand the reach of the Empyrean (Celestial) Exchange; open and discover new markets.
- Carry the Burden of Progress and its torch to the lesser, inferior people of the Socialist Nations.

Struggles
- Libertarianism v. Moral Conservativism
- Market Regulation v. Social Darwinism
- The Market v. Socialism/Communism
- Faith v. Reason
- Conservation v. Progress
- Law v. Freedom
- Monopoly v. Small Businesses

[ic="Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom"]

Voice 1 "Part III: The Glory of Gloria; Chapter 12: The Love of Business"

Voice 2 "...Looking out the stained glass window; seeing stained-glass buildings rise on top of concrete-shimmer-hardened structures I cannot help but reflect on the past seven years- years of plenty, plenty of things going on and you never know what's going to turn up when you turn on the semaphore and listen to the newest geegadgets and grimshaw that the shimmer-engineers are churning out at downtown design shops, and they've certainly got my respect for their ten-hour a'day industrous laboring, I only work nine hours myself-the rest is spent in travel between the spires to the underground through the color-districts and the shimmer-factories, I can't count that for work because it's all downtime even though I have a runner to drag me 'round the places and I do my best to listen to the semaphore while we're moving and read the press that matters, and even some that doesn't, but it's hard to concentrate even encased in the runner's rickshaw run-a-ma-jig- there's simply too much to absorb that is going on in the streets, there is too much a'change, and inspiration and ideas that I could use to make something great, to twist and turn into profit- watching the waifs ripping copper from the sewer-grates gave me a great idea the other day, what if you use rubber to mask the sewer grates, and then no one would want to rip out the necessary sewer grating and try to turn it into something reusable and recyclable so that other people can use it and that the engine of growth and progress and prosperity can continue to wind-it's terrible to waste and to keep something locked up like that type of copper when it is worth so much-why shouldn't the city just use something that no one really cares about which is more economically viable and if the city did that then the city could make tons not having to replace the metal that the industrious little waifs steal- by the way, if they'd just reinstitute the hand-cutting laws and resell the little miscreant's greedy little hands as oddities and display-pieces or maybe graft pieces for some of the shimmer-doctors who are trying to stitch the injured rich back together, I doubt that anyone would make money by crime any more, but with the decadance that has gotten into the City these days, the inertia of the management is probably going to supersede and supplant anything else- oh bother and rot and all- I forget myself for I have talked far too long assembling this oral propaganda travelogue for the unfortuantes up North, we will have to continue later with the sessions because a caller will be coming along in a minute or two, and regrettably her money is much better than yours- although I have been known to accept bonuses and to keep people waiting from time to time when the project is an honorable one as yours certainly happens to be."[/ic]

Seek JUSTICE In the World

Go out and ensure that contracts are honored, that the businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and engineers of Gloria are righteously rewarded for their hard work.

Seek out corruption and waste of resources and dash it from the surface of Gloria. There is no room in Gloria for waste. Waste is chaos; all must be reprocessed and resold.

Reward SUCCESS!

Those who have success, will have more. The wealthy will be rewarded by interest. Serve the great and powerful in the land and you will soon join their sides. Perpetuation of dynasties is something to proud of. Although the nouveau riche may be Industrious, far too many of them are flim-flam fradulents. The "Old Money" wealthy are the ones whose lines made Gloria the glorious place it is. Today, they maintain their wealth through prudent investments, management of land, and sponsorship of adventures and patents. Help protect their rights, evict squatters and trespassers on their lands. Ensure that their investments are not beset by greedy and corrupt middlemen looking to skim a little extra grain off the side as an off-the-market bonus.

Some of you might even find yourself helping odd, "progressive-minded" Old Money Successful Lines establish libraries and charities for the worthy who can prove their Industriousness.

INDUSTRIOUSNESS is key

The steam is rising from the hot springs and the entrepreneur is smiling. He found a way to tame the heat through a system of valvues and temperature-management devices called "themostats". Through use of these majestic inventions, the entrepreneur keeps the environment's heat to manageable levels of 28 degrees celsius; a temperature that is nice and cozy for bathing humans.

His Industry should be rewarded, but all too often there are problems when things go wrong. There could be sabotauge by human rivals, greedy, nasty ratlike men who slink around and alter temperatures, slash gauges, and do worse. Or there could be sabotage by Nature. MAN is always at war with nature; shaping it, and changing it to bend to his will. Can you master the elements and conquer the steam vents underneath the earth? And what about the tectonic shift of his property? What if his land overlaps onto the rightfully purchased property of his neighbor? How will they settle the land dispute? With words and contract, or with swords and destruction? The method is up to you, for you are the entrepreneur's honored contracted employees (all injuries, therefore, suffered during your contract will not be covered under his liability. Unless you purchase your own indemnification clause or contract for healing and supplies, he will be regretfully unable to reward you for your extraordinary efforts.)

Be careful when dealing with one of the Industrious- they drive hard bargains!

Healthy, CHASTE, and Wise

Those who deny themselves are to be honored. They represent discipline and inner strength; but often they are tempted and may acquire other vices. Chaste Hijra often develop bloated, prodigious midriffs, and Chaste castratti likewise have a taste for sweets.

But being Chaste helps people avoid temptation of the flesh; espionage into foreign countries is easy when there is no incentive to blow one's cover, when double-agents give one no pleasure and get none from their targets. The chaste are often chosen to explore and discover the most remote locales in the deepest deserts. Bringing back wonders of bygone ages, they ensure that this age of Gloria becomes greater still, and it learns from the mistakes of the past so that the dreams, the work, and the success of the future is greater than ever before!


Inspirations
- Atlas Shrugged... Ayn Rand
- Bioshock
- Utopia... St. Thomas More
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Benjamin Franklin
- Alexander Hamilton

- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Kurt Vonnegut ("Harrison Bergeron"; for the Socialist Lands)
- ...Al Gore :(

- Lewis Carroll (Wonderland, Looking Glass)
- CS Lewis (Screwtape Letters, That Hideous Strength)
- L. Frank Baum (Oz Series)
- China Mieville (Bas-Lag Series)
- The Phantom Tollbooth
- Vernor Vinge

- Fascism (The Mussolini Type)
- Fiscal Conservativism
- Libertarianism
- Social Darwinism
- Phrenology
- Religious Fundamentalism
----Creationism/Intelligent Design

- The Roaring 1920s
- The Jazz Age

- 1850s-1890s Exploration Societies
- 1880s-1900s Race for Africa

- The Wall Street Journal and the Economist

- Art Deco
- Suprematist Art Movement
- Bauhaus
- Suprematism
- Constructivism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(art)

- Kazimir Malevich http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimir_Malevich
- Piet Mondrian and De Stilj http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Stijl

- Eberron

Why?
- Uniqueness
- Because it's about time we had a detailed, positive, conservative-valued world (that is only slightly tongue-in-cheek!) :)
- A suitable response to China Mieville's excellent "New Weird" (maybe) ;)

Gloria: Tax Collection | Eps. 1 - Fleecing Cotton

[ic=Dramatis Personae] Cast :
the titillating chiurgeon, Lilliana Patricia Drake, M.D. -Freelance Medical Practitioner and Transplant Specialist. is played by Sparkletwist. (http://timkaminski.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/9_04_2010-team-fortress-2-female-medic-2-web.jpg)
the slimebag investigator, Pavel Gershwin is played by SabrWolf (The British fellow in this show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPtfIozrDc)
the debonair brilliantist, Xue Leavenstaking is played by Steerpike (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/files/2011/04/oscar-wilde.jpg)

Crew:
The Jolly Capitalist, played by Light Dragon[/ic]

Within the spoiler tag are the intros that were PMed to each player.
[spoiler=Private Messages to Each Member]
[ic=Xue]You have a good feeling about the following stocks as you wake and cast the bones:
Consolidated Surrogates, Orphanflesh Ltd., GPS (Gravel Paving Services), Cotton Enterprises

The following should be avoided:
General Plastics, Kobe's Beef, Cut Rate Snacks.

Red is Rising and Yellow is falling.
Short Miniskirts and Long Pantaloons.
Shimmer is a Hold, Cotton is a Hold, Gems are a Hold, Wheat is a Hold.
The market is in occlusion on precipice of uncertainty, but one who acquires Pounds makes proper change.
Card of the Day is: Upright Magician.

Beware of Libertarians bearing gifts.
Lucky numbers are 8-17-32-9.
Your Unlucky Opposite is: Foolish People.
Word of the Day is: Obtrusion
Daily Double is: Things Libertarians Dislike.
M- Clear, T- Clear, W- Cloudy, Chance of Meatball Soup Demand, H-Rain, F-Thunderstorms, Sa- 50% chance Rain, Su- Rain Early, Sun Late, Moon Later.

[/ic]

[ic=Lilliana]
Message for Lilliana

Day 5, Week 43 of the Calendar.

Empty Schedule, save for a note. Shimmer Duchess. Personal request.

Reward: Permanent standing invitation to her famous parties...letters of introduction to eligible partners.

Is your schedule really empty?
Reflections:

Last Scheduler- Blonde man hadn't kept it up to date. Missed notation of a client's visit yesteday. Eliminated from position. Noted on Employment rolls. Who knows what else he missed.

Scheduler from before- the one monther Whitey was even worse. Slept on the job. Definitely missed something.

Previous- weekly Salli- knowitall. Likely knowsnothing. Likely f---ed up something.

Previous- blue-green eyes....Probably would have gotten it right. Fired... (pages through Employment Rolls) Ah yes, Incompatible... code for didn't put out. Chris would have gotten the assignment right...and kept the schedule clear.

No calls though at 05:00. No calls at 06:00. Tea poured. Sign on building. OUT. Next to HIRING. Resumes on doorstep. Crushed under heel. Well Indented. Pick up later. Off to Industry.

Newsboy on way. "5 pence for a paper Missus!" Ignored. "Missus! Can't face the world without the facts." Ignored. "Missus!! Business quotations! Buy proper stocks! Know when to sell!" Ignored. With extreme prejudice; glance away, head in the air. Pulled on dress by the child. Look down and blank stare. "I sincerely don't want what you're selling, little kidney." Child ponders the stare, different from a glare. Woman doesn't blink, looks at chest. "Little gallbladder, little kidney, little use." She narrows her eyes and speaks in an even tone, hushed to herself. Child flees.[/ic]

[ic=Pavel]Message for Pavel

Mornin' started. Hit you like a load of bricks. The bottle is not your friend this morning, nor is the teapot. You'd gone on a binge last night. Bender of all benders. Scoured the classifieds. Pour a Pot of tea, drink a kettle-three. Read the pigeons' replies, comin' in all hours of the night-one-two-three- wakin' you from drowsiness every few hours. Drop another jasmine flower in the pot. Mint Liqueur mix'd Bluffing Hearts Chrysanthenum. All words firing on NO. No Work. No Jobs. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Zap. Zim. Five in the morning.

D-n your luck. Nothin' made more Pounds than this gig. This gig with the committee. This was the only way to pay off that debt. And you got to the Hall just in time.[/ic]

[/spoiler]

[ic=In Which Our Heroes Receive An Off the Record Assignment]In Gloria's Hall of Industry and Commerce, you approach a committee. Before you, on a raised dais sits a vaunted assortment of luminaries. There is the Bond Baron and religious luminary of the Faith, J.P. Mormon; the Shimmer Duke (J.D. Shimmerfellar); the Shimmer Duchess; and Shimmer Lord; Mr. Magic with the smile that launched a thousand advertising campaigns; Sir Sugar; E.E. Harriman Jr., the Shimmerrail King, and former Ambassador to Tikal in the Land of the Libertarians; Godfather Cain the Pizza Prince; Lady Spice the Zealot Mistress of an orphanage that grew from 23 foster children to now raise legions of orphans to become productive members of society through learning and selling articles of seamstressry, woodcarving, and gear-shaping; Newton Grinchrich the housing consultant; The Golden Importer; and T.I.M., The Incredible Marquis, presiding as this month's chair.

[ooc]MUSIC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFeFaZoj2QY (Tuxedo Junction... Erskine Hawkins Version)[/ooc]


T.I.M. clears his throat and brings his silver gavel to bear against the mahogany lacquered table. The twin ruby gems encrusted on its sides glisten as the gavel falls. "You have been tasked, as model citizen-employees, to carry out the directives of Ind. Bill 320-416-A(i). May the market have mercy on our souls.

Newton Grinchrich glares at T.I.M. from beneath his white rimmed cotton red Winter hat (with a white puffy ball on the end) as the man speaks his squeaky voice. Grinchrich crosses his greenish arms, stained by a lifetime working with patinaed iron, dragged out and repurposed from sunken wrecks, and he sighs. J.D. Shimmerfellar bows his head, and the others look on with various glazed or embarrassed expressions.

The substance of the bill is not discussed and you are hastily ushered away and given shiny medallions emblazoned with the words "Licensed Assessor". The labels may be pinned to one's clothing, if one wishes.

You all came here for different reasons and you all were informed of the upcoming 'tax' and assessment ahead of the general populace. This will be a trying experience. Trying to your souls as you extort money for the greater economy and the stimulation of trade and the eventual construction of an improved road-tunnel between Gloria and Tientan in the mountains. And it will be trying to your abilities as many will resist your attempts.

[ooc]In total, the group will be paid an 8 percent commission to divide among you as you decide, likely based on merit. At some point, you need to discuss amongst yourselves how the commission will be divided.[/ooc]

Before you leave the Hall of Industry and Commerce to address the six names on your list (which account for 1-3% of Gloria's GNP, a page-runner, a girl about 13 with her hair tied in a pink and blue bonnet adorned with red hammer and a sickle, symbols of industrial production and agricultural progress and colored in the paint of excitement and inspiration, approaches you, hands folded together to signal that she prays for you to listen to her words.

[ooc]
<Lilliana> (i have a serious question, please don't take offense though)
<Lilliana> (is this setting as off-the-wall as those names would imply? it'll totally change my play style)
...
<Lilliana> (in that case i am definitely going to go for my concept of "female version of the TF2 medic")[/ooc]

"Gentlepeople," she nods her head. "The Committee wishes to inform you of a most important caveat and warning. Beware angering the Neighborhood Watches. When the Committee sent individual Licensed Assessors before to the Apothecaries' street, several ended up in trials after the Watch provoked them into crimes. Do not let the Watches provoke you to ill acts. May Industry guide your purpose." She bows and steps back, then she retreats back to the Committee's stand.

(So, you've been handed a list with 6 names, and you have to eventually figure out how to divide your commission - just to hit the important points)

The first name on the list of Ind. Bill 320-416-A(i) is that of Lord Eustace Cotton.

* Lilliana doesn't really have anything to say, anyway. She honestly doesn't like what she's been forced into one bit, but, well, money is money, she needs it, and it wasn't -her- decision to be a socialist bastard and extort the hard-working population. She's just the messenger.

[ooc](then, on to the streets-->) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxYjzyrsFz4[/ooc][/ic]

[ic=In Which Our Heroes Observe A Decidedly Jolly Fellow]
You wind through the streets of Gloria, underneath the carrier pigeons that flutter above, moving messages from business to household. Below, You hear the musical hum of several colour-work creatures that are moving from building to building, delivering missives at a rapid pace with greater precision and security than transit by pigeon can secure.

Rickshaw runners and bicycle carts cycle by, advertisements emblazoned on their sides, Vorticist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bomberg,_The_Mud_Bath.jpg and Lichtensteinian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Roy_Lichtenstein_Whaam.jpg art proclaiming WHAMMO NUTTY BARS! are the nuttiest in the nation, and demonstrating the crunchiness of Cut Rate Snacks! in bold, big colours.

Along the street, you are barraged by competing yells and claims and images and smells. "Buy Sea Cabbage, infused with restorative qualities!"; "Special Today only! Two kidneys for the price of one- not for eating- but for using- buy before they spoil!"; "Majid's Improved Monocoles! Infused with Shimmer!" ; "Autodicdact Readers! Listen to books as you stroll- learn more- be more efficient- Special introductory price for this wonderful new invention. Be one of the first to benefit." ; "Natural Gloria Water! Bottled to look like Expensive Sparkling Water! Impress your neighbors, your co-workers- your friends- with your wealth!"

As you walk down the street, you see a crowd forming near the edge of an alley by a glass-building. Everyone is shouting. "It's Crazy Crow!" "Man-he's so crazy he's giving the money away!"

* Pavel is intrigued by the comment "He's giving money away," and walks up to see what all the hubub is about

The crowd's whispered cadence and talking about Crazy Crow is something   like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ChPs8f6UQs

Then a hush comes over them as a man at the far end raises his hands in the   air, then lowers them. You can, if you look carefully, see that the man has   a waist-length gray beard, a chistled chin and a high forehead.

His eyes   glint with concentration as he literally turns his ear toward a young   petitioner who is seated on his lap (young being 23 when compared to his   venerability). The petitioner starts talking. "And I... I want to start a   company to reprocess ear wax into sculptures.

Here's my business plan. It's   been my dream, it's like art. It'll make a lot of wealth."

"Oh, Oh, oh" Crow arches an eyebrow and considers the young man. And he   shakes his head. "But what is art if not design of something with utility?"

"These have utility."

"Of what sort of utility?"

"You can enjoy their beauty... and maybe burn them as candles?"  

"Ah! You've hit on a secondary use. Very good, child."

"May I have this boon then Crow? Before Icingcube! Day, the prices of  factories usually go down then."  

"Ah, an Icingcube! Day wish for this youth, could I do anything but grant   it?"  

The youth smiles.

"But oh, oh, oh, I could deny it. I can only judge if it is a naughty or a  nice idea based on the business plan." Crow gently shoves the youth off his   lap and hands him back the business plan. "Return with a wiser and more   detailed business plan. I can only judge what is in the plan. Return when   you are ready. Next petitioner!"

"But-" the youth starts.

Crow holds up a hand and smiles at the next   supplicant.

"But it takes several weeks to get back on your calendar."  "Then your plan will be several weeks better, my son." Crazy Crow waves a   hand, signaling for the supplicant to depart. Several petitioners band   together to pick the young man up and escort him away. "Oh, oh, oh," Crow   clears his throat to cover the man's pleas. Then he speaks to the lady. "Now, sweetie, what's your Wish?" Crazy Crow   seats a young lady on his knee and inquires...

* Lilliana doesn't pay attention to the crazy man. She turns to her compatriots. "Are you finished gawking? We do have work to do. Time is money."

There's a man dressed in a green and red tuxedo next to the hubbub-he's holding a scheduler.

* Pavel gives Crazy Crow a skeptical look and turns to Lilliana, "Agreed. Let's continue on to see Lord Cotton, shall we?"[/ic]

[ooc]Notes
Lilliana - down a Sincerity.
Pavel - down a Pluck and Luck[/ooc]

Hello all!

I'm trying to work out a system that is fair mathematically.

The goal is to run a Fallout-based game with it. (With a party of characters)

The difficulty is related to handling skills.

My models are : JE Sawyer's Fallout PnP System (http://falloutpnp.wikia.com/wiki/Character_Creation_Part_Five:_Skills#Examples:_Assigning_Tag_Skills_and_Calculating_Skills), Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu, and Warhammer: Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader

I don't want skills to work like in Cthulu where you roll under the percentile to succeed... I want the skill successes to more closely mirror the video game fallout where set challenges have set difficulties.

My idea is as follows:

John has 40 in Locksmith.
The lock target is 50.

So John rolls a d100+40
And the lock rolls a d100+50

This adds some randomness into success or failure. But using d100s may overweight some things...

-Any suggestions for making it mathematically fair? Should I use d100 opposed rolls? or d20s?

d20s would be

d20+40 for John
and d20+50 for the lock
So there is a smaller random spread.

This also allows potential skill difficulties to go to numbers higher than 100 in base setting. I think I would cap difficulties at 120.

With a party of characters I worry about balance. Example, the group under usual Fallout system would either succeed at everything or fail at everything because they could specialize. John says I'll be the lockpicker and max that skill. Larry says he'll max science, etc. ... This isn't an illegitimate strategy, but it doesn't seem that it encourages "good" play.

an alternative is to make advancement in skills cost more as people level up. E.g. an Exalted type system where it costs 10 points to pay for each point past Lockpick 40 and 20 points to pay for each point past lockpick 60...but that system seems a bit inelegant.

Ideas?