Gloria - Even Utopia Needs Maintenance

[Steerpike]

Some extremely contrary, kind of destructive bit of me wants to run a Socialist Revolution game in Gloria, where the players are underground rebels trying to desseminate leftist literature, overturn the capitalist government and execute the "old money" dynasty-leaders.  It would be quite the uphill battle.

[LD]

:( Evil, evil Steerpike. Did you get that idea from the Runagate Rampant?

I would be interested in seeing how a game like that would turn out, especially considering that most people would be on the side of the old-money leaders.

Feel free to check out the post directly above yours- particularly the new section on the banks.

[LD]

SYSTEM:

Main Skills
D10 Points maximum in each (although items or magic can improve a statistic beyond 10; however it is very rare that anything is higher than 10; perhaps only the most fortunate ever reach 12 in a given statistic.). Note: There are no skills other than this. No special "climb" or "lift". All successes in those attributes are determined by adding the strength roll, or whatever would apply from the list of rolls below.

STR (Lift, Climb, Push, Punch)
DEX (Run, Jump, Bend)
CON (Take Damage, Resist Illness)
INT (Knowledge, Wisdom)
WILL (Willpower, Psychic Strength)

VIRTUES
-Gloria, however, does have virtures.
-The fifteen virtues are listed on the first post of this page.
-Players do not gain experience, but they do gain virtue points which they can invest or spend as they wish.
-Gloria rewards role-playing more than most pen and paper games. It is designed to reward achievements in the virtues that make Gloria great, so the DM needs to be somewhat creative in the challenges which are provided to the characters.

Chastity
Gain Virtue Points - The character is sorely tempted by a beautiful woman/man who is married to a jealous but powerful spouse. If the character deigns to sleep with him/her, the character will gain influence, or wealth, and if the character refuses, the character may be humiliated or ironically, accused of adultery. Yet, the character refuses, at some cost to the player.
Use Virtue Points Virtue points may be used in rolls. The character may use virtue points in Chastity to resist willpower rolls of opposing people. For example, someone trying to seduce the character will roll a willpower if the player is not willing. If the character has Chastity points banked, then they can add extra bonuses to resist the seducer's wiles.
Burning Virtue Points Virtue points can be "burned" or used up when the player wants to do something extremely special with the virtue point.

Examples include:
Chastity * = Can subsist without nourishment of the body or the soul (companionship, talk, enduring criticism) for several days.
Chastity ** = Numb oneself to the world's outer stimulii- walk into a burning building without feeling pain (but not unscathed).
Chastity *** = Your body has become your temple; nothing can impregnate you, nothing can give you diseases; you are at one with nature and the world and all its petty cares wash over you without any harm.

The Struggle
REALISM v. FAITH

A character may move on this axis, which can affect how the character interacts with others and especially how they interact with the Demons. A character who has a lot of faith will have trouble interacting with the denizens of Gloria, but they will be able to combat the Demons quite well. Conversely, a character with a great deal of realism may be able to move effortlessly in Gloria society, but they will have a great deal of difficulty confronting the demons when the creatures decide to re-emerge.

Extremely realistic characters also have a harder time working the Shimmer Magic.

EQUIPMENT
Standard; as in Cthulu or in DnD

MAGIC
The only magic is the Shimmer-Magic of the trigrams. Theoretically anyone could be a mage, but it takes learning to understand the right portions of liquid to pour into the trigrams. And it takes materials at hand to carry the correct trigrams into which to affect the changes.

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Classes
Gloria does not, per se, have any classes. It is a classless system. But it does have "concepts". Players can choose certain concepts (detailed on page one) and play as those concepts for the duration of the game. The concepts can help guide the characters and define roles for them in the game, but are not meant to limit ideas. instead, the concepts are intended to facilitate ideas.

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Taking Damage
There are no Hitpoints per se, but damage "soaks".
Damage is subtracted first against ARMOR, and then against CONSTITUTION. The higher the constitution, the more hte damage soaks.

After constitution is reduced to zero- the damage transfers to STR or DEX damage, reducing them (player's choice). When one reaches zero, the character is disabled; when both are reduced to zero the character is unconscious, then will is subtracted when the character is hit (plus -1 will each round until the player stabilizes)- if Will reaches zero, then the character dies.

Recovering After Damage
-After being damaged, rest can help restore Constitution, STR and DEX, as can healing. Until fully healed, the damaged statistic will be used for all saving rolls.

Other Things to Keep Track of
1. Wealth - Always important in Gloria is the wealth that is carried, the wealth that is worn (the richer one looks may determine other characters' reactions), and the wealth that is accessible in a bank. A character sheet will note all three things.
2. Influence - Often it is not how much you are worth, but who you know that determines your success in life. Influence measures the friends, allies, contacts that you have made in the world.

[LD]

Festivals in Gloria

Dividend Day- The First (January 1)
The first day of the year is dividend day, when everyone's hard work pays off. Businesses give bonuses, the government returns excess taxes (as few as they may be), everyone takes off from work and the streets turn into a chaotic party. On dividend day, lovers reunite, and everything is given freely. It is the one day a year when no one cares about making money, but about sharing it-- since an ancient philosophical member of the Faith once said; "The key to making money is not what you have, but what you can share with others. Money must be spent before it can be made."  

Shopping Day(s) (x 15)
The Shopping Days are held the fifteenth of each month. On those days all stores stay open for 24 hours, people pull double shifts and all staff-members go into work. Of course, they take breaks in which they travel to nearby stores to contribute to the economic wealth of the country. These breaks may last 4 to 6 hours. Often, people do not sleep on these frenetic days of shopping and working.

Recycling and Memorial Day (February 21)
Held at the height of winter, the Day of Recycling is a somber affair where the residents of Gloria remember their dead and remember how everything is important, how all parts of a body are useful and may be monetized, how nothing should ever be thrown away if profit may be made from it and how nothing should ever be forgotten because who knows what use it may bring in the future. Still, Recycling and Memorial day is a day for endings.

Day of Sharing (March 1) [Socialists Only]
On this day, those of the Socialist philosophy give what they have to others; doors are held open to all who wish to enter; gifts are made (within reason), and the less fortunate are taken care of. The day is supposed to be one of happiness, but often the guests overstay their welcome or become too greedy. Even the nicest Socialist has sometimes been pushed too far on this bittersweet day of celebration.

Serviceday (March 1)
A day to commemorate those who serve in Gloria- the soldiers, and private security guards. They are covered in rings of roses and lauded in the news. Often, there are parades and massive floats on which the soldiers sit and wave.

Day of Piracy (April 1) [Libertarians Only]
A day to celebrate piracy and the lifeblood of the Libertarian Lands' society. On this day, many ships are robbed, people are held up, and more. Most in the Libertarian lands choose to stay inside on April 1st.

Adventureday (May 20)
This is a traditional day for setting out on a voyage, for beginning a new life, for starting a new business, or for beginning a marriage. There are few celebrations per se, but everyone holds Adventureday in their minds. It is a most auspicous day for beginnings.

AntiTaxation Day (June 1) [Mostly Libertarians]
Libertarians celebrate the abolition of taxes by hanging and burning tax-men in effigy and throwing them into bodies of water. They also burn symbolic kegs filled with fake coins and paper money, and distribute small firecrackers. Children often receive small green envelopes filled with coins on this day to celebrate their freedom from the shackles of tax.

Students' Day (June 15)
Held at the end of school year on (June 15th), Gloria's students celebrate the end of finals with a raffle, book sale/exchange, and festival. Much carousing is had and the bars tend to fill up with easily inebriated students who range in age from middle school to mid-20-year old graduate students.

National Day (July 1)
In Gloria, National Day is celebrated with banners and the distribution to banks of the year's newly minted money and coins. People flock to banks to collect limited edition coins and to gather the first print-run of paper cash. Hoards at the banks' gates push to get inside, and some have been trampled. But overall, the mood is one of celebration.

Shimmerday (August 1)
Held on (August 1st), Shimmerday commemorates the discovery of the practical applications of Shimmer- the magic of Gloria. The day begins with fireworks at the stroke of midnight and throughout the morning magic displays are demonstrated in neighborhoods that have paid for the spectacles. Traveling magicians and performers also join in the celebration, offering to sell their wares, or performing in the hopes that someone will contribute.

Returnday (August 17)
Students return to classes. Parents rejoice by often receiving time off from work to freely enjoy. (They are, however, required and expected to make up 50% of missed time by working during off-shift hours within the next 3 weeks.)

Bloodletting Day (Aug 20) [Only Socialists]
Among the Socialists, everything should be shared. But they realize that sometimes people forget to act benevolently, so they organize days where donations may be made. This day is particularly notable because it involves the donation of blood. The Socialists have perfected a process of blood transfusion and bodily liquid storage.

On this day, all good Socialists are to go to the nearest blood bank and donate, for the good of society..

Demonswatch (Sept 1) [Only Etterati]
Celebrated solely by the Etterati who remember the Demon War and who fear the return of the demons, this day begins with a candle-light vigil at night. It is a day of somber reflection and morning. If possible, the Etterati do not communicate during this day.

The Day of the Unknown Entrepreneur (Sept 21)
This day commemorates the entrepreneur whose businesses failed, or the person who succeeded, but only to a limited degree-- who was unable to take a business to "the next level". Even though they failed, they should be honored for making the effort, for their work, for their labor, and for the capital they invested in the economy which flowed down to the poor laborers who built their structures. On this day, people are encouraged to patronize small "mom and pop" shops.

Slake Day (Sept 30)
This day of rest, which precedes the March of the Faithful, is less and less honored by the populace who are concerned about remaining at work every possible day in order to maximize earning potential. However, traditionally this day was founded to remind Gloria-residents the importance of rest in order to recharge and to return to earning money.

Sadly, in recent times, politicians and businesspeople have criticized the day as a celebration of sloth. See Slake

March of the Faithful (Oct 1)
The Faithful, such as they are, organize a march once a year held on the first day of traditional harvest-time, dressed in white robes, from Gloria's northern gate to the city center. They march to commemorate the 15 noble virtues and to remind the city-dwellers of their past and the virtues to which they should aspire. Often they are accompanied by members of the Clique who lend their haunting melodies to the procession.

As the numbers of the Faithful have dwindled, the amount of those marching has likewise declined. What once used to be a dazzling parade has turned into a medium-sized march that is mostly ignored by Gloria's citizenry.

Glick-Day (Oct 10)
A day of energy. People are encouraged to go out and run, do sporting activities and to improve their body as they seek to become "as quick as a Glick" and as strong as they can be.

Many sporting events and competitions are traditionally held on Glick-day, and attendance at these events is always near capacity.

Day of Invention (Nov 1)
A day to celebrate invention and innovation. Residents of Gloria eagerly await this day as the traveling Glorious Exposition is held each year in a new city across the continent. At the Exposition, the newest inventions are unveiled to great fanfare and pomp, and the most famous inventors are honored.

Day of Geometry (Nov 5) [Only Floaters]
On this day the Floaters celebrate the creation of their race and the drafting of the world's geometric plan. The God of the World is particularly honored on this day by the Floaters crafting intricate structures and chiseling detailed patterns on stone, mud, and rock walls deep beneath the surface of the earth.

Icingcube! Day (Dec 24)
Celebrating the birth and creation of the Icingcube! The Amazing Cube that Melts In Your Mouth and Fills It With Warmth In the Winter! The Icingcube faery comes every december 24th, bringing Icingcubes to all good Gloria boys and girls.

The Icingcube! company: founded 40 years ago when it first chimed the now-famous jingle; "Always Icingcube!" invented the Icingcube! and marketed it in the dead of winter when people wanted something warm to fill their throats and bellies at night. The first Icingcubes! were distributed in a guerilla marketing campaign where Icingcubes! were delivered door to door to children in every household in Gloria and other selected marketing cities. The children quickly grew enamored of the cubes and demanded more from their parents. The Icingcubes! became favorite winter snacks.

And every year, 100,000 free Icingcubes! are still delivered, based on the results of a national lottery, on Icingcube! day. Those not fortunate enough to get a free Icingcube! go to stores to stock up on the amazing (and proprietary!) product.

[Steerpike]

Incingcube! Day is great.  Like Christmas but instead of being a religious holiday that has degraded into the commercial its a commercial holiday that has accreted an aura of the mythological.  Funny.

Days like Day of the Unknown Entrepeneur make me curious about more of Gloria's economic structures/landscape.  I get the feeling that the system encourages and is full of entrepeneurs of various stripes.  What is big business like?  We have the old money families, of course, but are there large corporations or conglomerates (Blue Sun/Walmart?)?  Companies with technological edges attempting to establish monopolies?  How easy is it to start a small business in Gloria?  Are small businesses occasionally forced out of business by the presence of larger companies selling at a loss in order to squash competition?

EDIT: some more questions.  Obviously the gap between rich and poor is fairly large in Gloria, but since (at least in theory) most of the world is a laissez-faire meritocracy this gap is, in a sense, justified - at least if the formula holds.  I'm curious, though, about the very poor.  Are there many unemployed people in cities like Tikal?  Is homelessness a problem?  What is done about the mentally ill?  Obviously there would be no welfare or government-funded community housing; do large charitable organizations (corporate-sponsered?) run sanitoria and soup kitchens?  Are the very poor driven to crime?  In fact - what is crime like in general in Gloria?  We've seen the legitimized street-gangs of Tikal and I would assume that very few substances would actually be illegal in the more libertarian states, which would tend to inhibit blackmarket drug traders, if not addiction.  Are there crime syndicates?  Thieves' guilds?

[LD]

Steerpike- you always ask very good questions. I will take some time to ponder the answers.

If you notice, above, your namesake is attempting to foment a class-rebellion in Gloria (!)

[Steerpike]

Heh excellent.  He sounds sort of Eastern European. It actually fits really well, considering that Steerpike the Gormenghast character is also definitely a class rebel for whome "equality is everything," though this is really a front for his Machiavellian opportunism, rather than real idealism.

[LD]

In Gloria Cities
Even in Paradise, there will be those who are lost, who are hampered in some fashion. The poor will always be with us, because some people are just not as accomplished as others, or fate placed them at a more difficult starting point, or they suffered punishment for crime and now must begin anew.

The Disabled
Blind People in Gloria often find employment as masseuses. But competition means that those who offer services in addition to massage can often earn a better living as masseuses, so the blind have been partially crowded out of that particular market.

Many blind have begun to be employed in Shimmer Discos- places where the Shimmer-Impressed sounds of bands and musical artists are replayed. One famous blind woman- Siriana Loquatious- first invented the style of "Shimmer scratching" or placing hands on a record and feeling the grooves, then "twitching" them to achieve a more harmonious quivering sound.

Many blind people who have a heightened sense of hearing have found employment in the Discos as "Scratch Shimmerers", or "Shims".

But not all blind can find gainful employment. Those who do not are forbidden from begging- which is seen as draining the society and is only permitted societally by the crippled and diseased. The blind who do not find gainful employment would like to rely on the kindness of relatives or strangers, but often they do not receive this. Some have been sold into a sort of symbiotic indentured servitude where they are trained to sing or perform a repetitive motion, such as stitching silken spools on a production line, for which they receive a fair, but small wage.

Those who do not work are encouraged to commit suicide rather than to drain society's resources. Many civic-minded blind who are too ill to work choose this route, but since most blind are able to find employment in some fashion, the route is rarely taken.

The Disambulatory
Those who cannot walk or who have lost the function of their limbs are permitted to beg in the streets and some have made a good living on that begging. Generally, the beggars adopt one of several tactics- they perform a trick, such as standing on one leg, they demonstrate their piety by practicing the 14 Virtues, they attempt to look quite pitiful, or they sing or play an instrument.

They are often seen as a drain on society and many argue that they should be euthanised. However, society has generally permitted them to exist, considering that only a mere mishap at a construction site might separate the ambulatory from the disambulatory.

Those who have lost the ability to walk are also renowned for their upper body strength as rowers who help ferry people across rivers in Gloria. By constantly working their upper-bodies in a single-minded pursuit, they can outperform the fully capable. Many Gloria residents realize this, and they may even choose a less-able disambulatory rower over a full-bodied one due to rumors of the disamblatories' strength.

The best educated of the disabled may be found in banking desk jobs, or stock trading, or insurance underwriting. They are carried to work by porters if they are affluent enough; or they roll to work in their wheeling carts. (Often they live quite close to work).

Workers' Compensation and Insurance

There is no state welfare or disability pension- though if you are smart, you will write that into your business contracts when you sign on the dotted line. Citizens who work for better companies generally have some disability protection.

Others who run their family businesses who have relatives who invest may decide to spread "casualty insurance" between the relatives who will agree to pay medical fees, and run the business during time of disability up to a certain expense.

People may also purchase private insurance that can account for disability- and such purchases are highly recommended, because if you do not look out for yourself, then there is no one who will stand up to take care of you. Gloria is a very self-responsibility-centered society.

Private Workers' Compenation is given by some companies but there is no public Comp. except for the few public workers who might manage to negotiate future compensation deals by accepting current lower pay.

Compensation is seen as part of pay- Gloria residents who fear that they may spend all the money they could earn sometimes ask for insurance benefits to be separated from their general income. But most Gloria residents trust that in the market they can find a better insurer through their own efforts.

Handicapped Access
TODO.

The Unemployed
To be unemployed is perhaps one of Gloria's worst sins. It is a great shame to have no job. Gloria's residents will not speak of being unemployed- they may talk of "searching for work", but even talk of "transitioning" is looked on with derision, fear, and pity. Friends, relatives, and anyone who is met on the street will try to help the unemployed not by giving them handouts but by handing them leads on jobs, names of contacts and anything that can help their acquaintance return to productivity.

Typically, when a business lays off workers, they may provide a list of places where the worker can find occupational counseling or a list of nearby hiring employers.

In an ideal case, an employee who is laid off will within a week find a new job into which to transition. That ideal is accomplished well over half the time, but the other forty percent of the time, the Gloria resident undergoes a significantly stressful period of soul searching.

The Underemployed
In Gloria there are some who barely earn enough to support themselves. Since Gloria is a country of two-person earning households, it can be difficult for a single parent to support a child or two. However, since Gloria knows little about welfare or government handouts, inflation has been kept low and the arms-race of minimum wage against welfare against price increases and value added tariffs is a war that is not waged within Gloria's borders. Generally, no one who works can starve in Gloria unless they are severely unemployed and only work for part of the day.

Gloria residents strive for full employment. But the old, for example, may find it hard to work a full day's period. To help facilitate full employment, the Chamber of Commerce tries to link businesses that seek low cost workers with these low productive workers. Restaurants that need an extra server, typing houses that need an extra typist, and janitorial services that could use another hand on the job will often hire these people for several hours a week at minimal pay and with minimal training.

It might make more sense to fire minimally productive elderly workers, but Gloria runs close to full employment. When a society approaches full employment, even if the marginal returns from an additional worker are low- the worker can if managed correctly (and if they only work a few hours each day) take off some of the load from other workers' responsibilities and can perhaps increase company morale.

Insurance
Gloria's insurance industry certainly merits a discussion. It generally eliminates the need for government support. If everyone purchases insurance, then it is not as necessary for the government to step in and manipulate the system.

TO FINISH.

[Ghostman]

Gloria residents strive for full employment. But the old, for example, may find it hard to work a full day's period. To help facilitate full employment, the Chamber of Commerce tries to link businesses that seek low cost workers with these low productive workers. Restaurants that need an extra server, typing houses that need an extra typist, and janitorial services that could use another hand on the job will often hire these people for several hours a week at minimal pay and with minimal training.

Wouldn't it make more sense for them to just fire the old geezer and hire a new full-time employee?

[Steerpike]

[blockquote=Light Dragon]But competition means that beautiful men and women can often earn a better living as masseuses, so the blind have been crowded out of that particular market.[/blockquote]The blind can't be beautiful?

The treatment of the disambulatory seems to constitute a sizeable chink in Gloria's utopian facade.  You never find them in cerebral jobs, such as banking?

I get that there isn't welfare or a disability pension in Gloria cities, but is there any form of worker's comp?

[LD]

Steerpike- perhaps I misimplied in my statement of blind not= beautiful; I meant to imply that a sighted masseuse can offer other somewhat shady benefits that are not really connected to the business that some people might want that a blind masseuse may not be want to deliver (although they certainly could deliver that as well).

The comment about disambulatory in banking and cerebral jobs seems like a good idea to add- they can certainly work there.

And certainly Gloria will have trouble with how to treat the disabled to some degree- they definitely want to give full employment if possible; but for people who cannot be employed-- what do they have to offer gloria? And why should gloria support them. The morality of taking care of a "useless" person is dubious at best for a Gloria resident. That would be something an inefficient Socialist lander would do. A Gloria citizen however will do everything possible to find some job that the disabled can do just as well as an active person, and they will (as noted) cut the disabled some slack-- allowing them to beg and encouraging them to take specific jobs for which they may be seen as particularly suited and better than the non-disabled (even if that is untrue).

Yes, there is no state welfare or disability pension- though if you are smart, you will write that into your business contracts when you sign on the dotted line (I should mention that). So if you work for a better company, then you have some protection. Others who run their family businesses who have relatives who invest may decide to spread "casualty insurance" between the relatives who will agree to pay medical fees, and run the business during time of disability up to a certain expense. People may also purchase private insurance that can take care of disability.

Gloria's insurance industry certainly merits a discussion. It generally eliminates the need for government support. If everyone purchases insurance, then it is not as necessary for the government to step in and manipulate the system.

Workers Compensation... a subject close to my heart considering I worked in a Bureau of that particular item. In Gloria there is private Comp given by some companies but there is no public Comp. except for the few public workers who might manage to negotiate those deals by accepting lower pay.

Compensation is seen as part of pay- Gloria residents who fear that they may spend all the money they could earn sometimes ask for insurance benefits to be separated from their general income. But most Gloria residents trust that in the market they can find a better insurer through their own efforts.

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Ghostman- It might make more sense to fire the old person, but Gloria runs close to full employment. When a society approaches full employment, even if the marginal returns from an additional worker are low- the worker can if managed correctly (and if they only work a few hours each day) take off some of the load from other workers' responsibilities and can perhaps increase company morale.

[Steerpike]

Unemployment has a lot of stigma atached to it: that makes sense.  How about retirement?  Does that carry a sense of pride?  What if someone made a fortune while young (let's say as an adventurer) and decided to invest the bulk of his wealth in stable industries (and maybe a couple of entrepeneurial ventures) and retire at thirty.  Would he be viewed as a parasite, or do those in Gloria see money and social contribution as 100% equatable (therefore the adventurer has already directly contributed much more than most would in their lives)?

[LD]

Notes: In preparation for the Q&A I moved all the information on page 2 to page one and updated and cleaned up some of the things.

Also added Restaurants:

[ic=Restaurants in Gloria] Gloria is a gourmand's paradise. Boasting flavors and colours from all ends of the world, exotic dishes such as Socialist's Shared Pot Pie, to Libertarian Lentils, Gloria's chefs can cook up almost anything-- and make it taste delicious.

Arbogast's - ***** Boasting a glass wall of Shimmer-oil that flows like water; this decadent glass four-story ziggurat rises near the Chambers of Commerce. The biggest business deals, the most important people, and the richest glitterati all make a visit to Arbogast's at least once in their lives. ($$$$$$$$$$)

Floater's Paradise - *** "They Make Mud Appetizing" is what the commonfolk have to say about the "Paradise" and that is basically true. The Floater's Paradise serves common Floater recipes, like dirt turnip, battered worms, and over 300 varieties of dirt (when combined with 200 varieties of spices, this amounts to millions of permutations.) The food is top-quality, but far too strange to a human's taste to merit more than three stars. Trendy youths and floaters can be found in the "Paradise." ($$$$$)

H - **** Brewing the finest sweet beverages in Gloria, H caters to the Hijra and smothers all of their food (mainly vegetables) in sweet gelatinous liquids. The food becomes inundated with the sweetness and titillates the taste buds. Some humans have left H and nearly lost their sense of taste- but almost all agreed that the experience was well worth the sensory torture. ($$$$$$) [/ic]

And added some random things.

[ic]

Retirement
In Gloria, there is no set retirement age. People are generally expected to work until they die. Work is seen as a virtue- idleness is a vice. When one is no longer contributing to society, they are but a parasite and are considered far less worthwhile than the young.

This is not to say, however, that retirement is universally frowned upon. If a couple has savings, they are lauded for their hard work during their life- they really have earned whatever rest they have saved. If people could not save for retirement, then they might not be incentivized to work as hard when young, the society figures, so even though early retirement may not be ideal- it is understood as a reward.

Adventurers who retire very young are looked on with more suspicion by Gloria's residents than an elderly couple who retire. People will constantly ask the adventurers if they are looking for work, and many will give the adventurers ideas and leads on new jobs that they could do. The suggestions may, to some, become unbearable. In fact, most retired adventurers either live in private quarters that are walled off from the rest of the city, or they reside in the Adventurer Quarters on the outskirts of the city where it is more difficult for well-meaning neighbors to harass them.

Inheritance
Gloria does have a small problem with "Old Money" folk who inherit the bulk of their wealth from earlier generations. These people have become generally drains on society- contributing little because they do not have to. Many of course take over the family businesses and finances and create something bigger and better than their forefathers. But far too many merely become millet-stones around society, slowly spending and never creating new things or giving.

The squandering of inheritance is a very terrible thing to do in Gloria-- but although others may be jealous of the foolish ones' squandering, the others do realize that as the wealth is spent-- the economy is stimulated. However, the stimulation is nowhere as much as when a person works.

There are some in Gloria who have proposed not an estate tax to solve the problem, but a retirement tax-- for every year a person is not at work, they suggest-- 5% of their wealth should be redistributed to society for public road improvements. The rationale is that since the inheritors are not contributing their talents to society-- they should contribute their money in a rather outsized way. The suggestions of forced "taxation" on the retired has met significant resistance.

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Gloria: System of Governance
TODO

Elections
TODO
[/ic]

And some fun:

[ic=Adventurers' Quarters] Many retired adventurers make their homes on what was once the outskirts of Gloria- surrounded by farmland. However, the area has since become a mess of merchants, roadies, and Gloria-residents who seek to bask in the Adventurers' reflected Glory.

Outside one Wizard's tower, for example, is a plethora of ramshackle tent-shops that sell artifacts from the Wizard's defeat of a Bone Dragon (they have sold ten bone dragons' worth of knucklebones alone.); shops that sell what they claim are "Jenuine Lissenssed Wizzzards' Aphrodesiaccck"; a "museum" of the Wizards' life history ; shops that sell licensed and unlicensed and "uncut" and annotated versions of the Wizard's life ; shops that sell tiny little statues of the Wizard doing unspeakable things to a Bone Dragon, and more.

That wizard barely descends the tower, for fear of being swarmed by mobs of people who rip off his clothing to sell or trade to their loved ones (or other passers'-by). Once, the wizard, while shopping, was stripped completely naked. And then someone tried to shave off part of his skin while another lopped off some of the wizard's hair. Since that experience, the wizard has taken to hiring bodyguards.

The wizard then began leaving his tower through use of a fly spell. This however, only avoids the lion's share of admirers-  but not every single one. In the sky outside his tower a troupe performs and recreates the wizard's showdown with the bone dragon daily (if a certain amount of coin is collected from spectators). And the troupe is only too glad to have the wizard join them when they are practicing.
[/ic]

[ic=Law in Gloria] Gloria's laws are fairly simple and easy to understand. Most business people can prepare their own taxes, because taxation is almost non-existent. Criminal laws generally are based around the ancient principle of "Interfere Not With Another's Personal Space". Punishment can range from tit-for-tat to hard labor and fines (for the most egregious offenses). The death penalty is controversial, because it eliminates a potential producer to society, and the appeals process is quite lengthy and expensive-- it can sometimes make keeping the perpetrator in jail for twenty years more cost-effective. However, for crimes such as murder and for people who are arguably criminally insane and dangerous to society; death is the preferred penalty.

There are no public defenders in Gloria. The accused needs to defend themselves unless they can afford representation. However, if they seem to perhaps have a good case- a young attorney looking to make a name for herself may jump in and offer to take their case pro bono (for free). If she wins, then she might be able to finagle a good position in a top law firm. Thus, most of the criminals who have even passable cases often find willing free representation.

Bail Bonds - Are given except in the most egregious of cases.
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[LD]

This really feels like a very massive project. Every time OI add something, I think of about 3 other things that the setting probably needs before It can even approach being complete.

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Organizations
The Sand Merchants - The Floaters' most respected trading organization. The Sand Merchants brave the Overland to collect new and intriguing flavors of sand which they bring back to the Extractors' for eventual processing into edible (and TASTY!) sand.

The Extractors - The Extractors are the Floaters' scientists and chefs. They extract nutrients from the sand and combine them with spices to please the Floaters' pallets. They are also renowned for their work with geometric designs, predictive science, and alchemy.

To join the Extractors, a Floater must prove exceeding aptitude for "feeling" the world. The Extractors must keep their body preserved perpetually in health. To have even one injured limb might end an Extractor's career because their sensory organs might be damaged.

To discourage damage, the Extractors hire bodyguards and have had special casts made for their bodies. To other Floaters' the Extractors look like giant floating mummies due to the gauze-like white protective wrappings they wear when they are not experimenting or combining sand, dirt, and muds.

[Steerpike]

[blockquote=Light Dragon]Outside one Wizard's tower, for example, is a plethora of ramshackle tent-shops that sell artifacts from the Wizard's defeat of a Bone Dragon (they have sold ten bone dragons' worth of knucklebones alone.); shops that sell what they claim are "Jenuine Lissenssed Wizzzards' Aphrodesiaccck"; a "museum" of the Wizards' life history ; shops that sell licensed and unlicensed and "uncut" and annotated versions of the Wizard's life ; shops that sell tiny little statues of the Wizard doing unspeakable things to a Bone Dragon, and more.[/blockquote]Oh this is so perfect - very funny.

Thanks for putting up responses to some of those questions - I have a better feel for the society now.