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TLV Mods ([personal profile] bargemods) wrote2009-07-12 09:58 pm
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TLV - IC FAQ

IC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Premise and In-Game Mechanics
Barge Overview
Warden Overview
      ↳ Warden Items
      ↳ Warden Deals
      ↳ Demotion and Punishment of Wardens
Inmate Overview
      ↳ Arrival
      ↳ Graduation
- Pairings
      ↳ Permanent Pairings
      ↳ Temporary Pairings
Ports
Floods
Breaches
Journals/Communication
Barge Network
Cabins
Language Barrier
Jobs
Access Keys
Setting Destruction
Dying and Injuries
      ↳ Barge Comas (Stasis)
IC Punishments
Admiral Requests

IN-GAME MECHANICS

  1. What is the Barge?

    The Barge is a massive ship that traverses time, space, and dimension. It draws new passengers onto it all the time, for reasons that are rarely explained to anyone. It does not travel on water, but rather floats through unknown space, which can be seen from the deck. It has eleven levels, including the deck levels and level 0.

    More information can be found about the physical structure of the Barge and how its components function on the Settings and Locations page.


  2. What are Wardens?

    Wardens are the keepers of the Inmates, and when a Warden is assigned to a permanent Inmate, they'll be given a file on their Inmate’s history. It’s a Warden's job to help their Inmate to redemption, in whatever form that might take. Unlike Inmates, Wardens have the option to leave when they feel like they’ve done all they can. Wardens also won't come to the Barge confused about where they are: they've been invited onboard to fulfill a purpose, and have willingly accepted it. They've already made their deal with the Admiral, and they already know what is expected of them. The form and function of the conversation with the Admiral is up to player discretion based on what works best for their character, as this is an IC level motivation to get them into the game, but they will not remember much about the Admiral himself.

    Wardens with special powers will, generally speaking, keep all of their abilities upon arriving onboard the Barge. However, godlike powers that have a high potential for breaking the game and/or setting will need to be limited.




  3. What are Warden items and how do they work?

    Warden Items can be just about anything, so long as it's portable. They serve several purposes:

    1. They act as keys to the Warden-Only areas, as well as the Level 0 cells.
    2. They help Wardens locate their Inmate in ports and on board the ship.
    3. They tell Wardens when their Inmate is dead.

    Each Warden Item is different, and their methods of communication are different, too. If your Warden has a compass, it may simply point in the direction of their Inmate. If they have a notebook, it might scrawl hints. Be as creative as you'd like with your items.


  4. What are Warden deals?

    Every Warden comes on board after having made a deal with the Admiral, and upon graduating an Inmate, they will receive their deal with no funny business involved. Wardens may graduate multiple Inmates for multiple deals. Deals may consist of basically anything, considering the Admiral's semi-cosmic, all powerful... power, but will need to be approved by the mods OOCly before they're granted. In most cases, this will happen during the application process. However, if your Warden character should either change their mind about their deal during their time in-game or come onboard unsure of what they want their deal to be, you'll need to seek approval for their finalized deal upon their Inmate's graduation.


  5. What's this demotion business? Is demotion the only way that a warden can be punished?

    As Wardens are considered to be the individuals in power on the ship (with the exception of the Admiral), as well as setting the example by which the Inmates are expected to learn and redeem themselves, there is an unspoken code of conduct. It's not a very strict one, and there are plenty of "unsavory" behaviors that wardens can get away with, but major transgressions (abuse of power over other passengers, murder, intentionally or repeatedly harmful behavior towards others, etcetera) may result in the Warden finding themselves on the other side of the bars. Generally, demotion can be initiated at the player's discretion to get the desired character development out of the game and environment. For more information about demotions, or to note that you'd like your character to be demoted, please go here.

    Additionally, Wardens will receive consequences from the Admiral if they arm or re-power an Inmate who then goes on to use those weapons/powers irresponsibly, such as (for example) attacking other passengers unprovoked or with undue force. These consequences can take a wide variety of forms (some examples if you're having trouble thinking of something: a temporary hold on making Admiral requests, a temporary or permanent reduction in cabin size, or a temporary or permanent loss of their own personal powers or weaponry), and will always be up to the player of the Warden in question. If you're hitting your Warden character with an Admiral punishment, please let us know about it here so that we know who's in the Admiral's doghouse! Alternately, if you'd like us to throw you a curveball and pick the punishment ourselves, we can do that.


  6. What are Inmates?

    Inmates are villains, baddies, and miscreants who are, at their canonpoint, heading down a bad path that they need outside influence and persuasion to swerve from. The Barge snaps them up when they die, or right before they're about to die, in an effort to offer them a chance to reform in exchange for a second chance at life.

    Unlike Wardens, powered Inmates will generally find their abilities significantly limited, if not removed entirely. When you apply for an Inmate, you will need to set power limitations. The mods will check over your reductions and ask for revisions if necessary. Power nerfs and reductions are handled on a character-by-character basis, but as a general rule, powers that directly affect other people will likely be removed entirely, and powers that only affect the Inmate who has them are likely to be less harshly restricted. Nerfed powers can always be returned (either in full or in part) at the request of an Inmate's permanent Warden.


  7. How do Inmates arrive on the Barge?

    Inmates will have one of two experiences between their death and their awakening on the Barge. The first possibility is that the Admiral will simply take them from the point of their death and bring them to the Barge without their consent. In this scenario, the Inmate will have no idea where they are or how they got there.

    The second possibility, introduced in May 2016, is that at the moment of death, the Admiral will appear to Inmates who might be persuaded to give up their freedom in order to save their own lives. He will have a conversation with them similar to his conversation with Wardens: memory of this conversation will be vague, but Inmates will remember being told that the Admiral can give them a second chance at life if they come with him.

    It's up to player discretion which of these options is the best fit for their character. Note that once an Inmate agrees to come aboard, the decision can't be reversed: unlike Wardens, no Inmate can willingly choose to leave before graduation.


  8. How do Inmates graduate? Who decides that?

    Graduating your inmate character is made at your discretion as their player. Whenever you feel they have learned the lessons you originally outlined in your Path to Redemption upon applying to the game, or when you feel they have advanced as far as they can in their development as an inmate, please fill out the form here. Once your comment has been unscreened, you may proceed however you see fit. A popular method for discovering graduation is that an inmate stops registering on their Warden's item, or discovers that they suddenly have a full bathroom as opposed to only a sink and a toilet as outlined in the Cabins section below. It's also somewhat common to get a plateful of cookies from the Admiral upon graduation.

    A graduated Inmate may decide to leave immediately, or they may decide to remain onboard the Barge as a Warden to procure a deal of their own. There's no in-between state here, and all Inmates who have graduated become Wardens from the jump.


  9. What are permanent pairings?

    Permanent pairings are the entire point of this game: Wardens and Inmates that have been assigned to each other by the Admiral. Announcements for pairings happen on the 15th and 30th of each month unless an event interrupts this schedule, and though these are ICly chosen by the Admiral, permanent pairings are OOCly completely up to the players. Both players of the Inmate and Warden halves of the pairing must agree to it and comment to the pairing post in order to be permanently paired. Either player may exit the pairing at any time. Characters do not get a say in this.

    A permanently paired Warden will receive a file on their assigned Inmate, who will also register on their Warden item as outlined above. This is the Inmate that a Warden must graduate to receive their deal, and this is the Warden for whom an Inmate will have to answer to their actions. The specifics of how this happens, as well as the dynamic that the pairing develops, are completely up to the players involved; however wardens who blatantly and openly sleep with their own permanent inmates will risk demotion by doing so.


  10. What are temporary pairings?

    Introduced in April 2014, temporary pairings are the solution to unpaired Wardens having nothing to do and unpaired Inmates having no one to mind them. Temporary pairings are announced on the 15th of every month, and will change each month. They are generated randomly by the moderator team. If a player wishes to avoid a particular match-up for their character, or if they wish to opt out of the temporary pairing lottery entirely, they can comment here.

    Temporary Wardens do NOT receive inmate files (though they, like all Wardens, will have access to the information in the inmate ledger), and temporary pairings may be broken up for permanent pairings at any time at player discretion. Temporary Wardens will not receive a deal should their temporary Inmate graduate during their pairing.

  11. What are ports?

    Every port is a (usually optional) stopover in a certain world, scheduled as an event by the moderators. Some are more dangerous than others. Before landing, the Admiral will typically announce the port and - if applicable - explain any specific tasks he wants the Warden and Inmate pairs to do while they’re there. In ports where leaving the ship is optional, Inmates will need to be accompanied by a Warden in order to do so.

    Sometimes when making port, there may be characters who fall overboard. Falling off the Barge causes a person to become integrated into the port world. As with breaches (see below), they’ll have no memory of who they really are, and while overboard Inmates will generally still register on their Wardens' items, the location-finding functionalities may be a bit wonky (recalculating... recalculating...). Overboard characters will not be able to visit the Barge, nor will they have access to the Barge's network, and overboard Wardens will not have their Warden items. Whether a character falls overboard, chooses to leave the ship and visit port under their own power, or chooses to remain aboard the Barge during port will generally be left up to the player, unless otherwise noted in the event description.

    For information on how canon NPCs are treated during ports, check out number fourteen in the OOC FAQ.


  12. What are floods?

    Every now and then, the Barge will pass close enough to a world that some of its essence will seep onto the ship. Though there is no actual water involved, this phenomenon is called a flood, and will generally last for one week. Floods may involve some change to the Barge, or to characters themselves; they may have effects varying from something as innocuous as invisibility, to something as major as characters swapping places with someone else from their canon. Characters may or may not be affected by floods at the player's discretion, unless otherwise noted by the moderator team. To see examples of recent floods, go here.


  13. What are breaches?

    Breaches happen when the Barge partially collides with one of the worlds it is passing without actually docking there, causing it to overlap onto the structure of the Barge itself and throwing all characters into a shared AU for the duration of the event. Breaches affect every conscious character onboard, and typically last a week. A player may choose to coma their character if they do not wish to take part in the event. To see examples of recent breaches, go here.


  14. What are journals/communicators and what are they capable of?

    All characters come into the game with a portable communication device. Unlike warden items, these devices ARE universal. Everybody has the same type of communicator with the same functions. Think of it as a smart phone. It can even come in different colors, and they have full emoji libraries. 😂😂😂

    Communicators are completely unhackable. If hacking is a skill or an innate ability that a character has, they'll fin that the communicators' technology is simply too alien for them to make any headway. The only way someone can get access to another person's communicator is for a warden to request access from the Admiral to monitor their Inmate, or for a communicator to be stolen from someone else. If access is granted by the Admiral, a warden cannot backread the filter or see the replies their inmate's messages get. A warden also can't see what an inmate posts to the general inmate filter.

    In addition, communicators have a Special Access function that allows the people on the filter to access the character in question's cabin with magical, supernatural, or technological means; for more information on this, see the Cabin information below.

    If your character breaks open a communicator in an attempt to rewire it, the actual device will be filled with miscellaneous materials (ex. buttons, silly string, circus peanuts...).


  15. What is the Barge network?

    Think of it a little like a closed circuit internet, if that internet was limited to a blogging site: it allows the characters to communicate with one another and new characters to back-read old public posts from characters that may no longer even be present on board, via the communicators outlined above. The network is just enough technology and just enough magic to prevent characters proficient with either from messing with it.

    In terms of display, the Barge network registers communicator IDs rather than character names - more like an IP address than anything else. As such, when your character first comes on board the Barge, if they don't identify themselves in their initial broadcast, their name won't be anywhere on the display. However, communicator IDs cannot be edited, so once your character identifies themselves they lose any sense of anonymity on the network. Additionally, there is not an anon function on the network: all posts will be tied to your character's communicator ID.


  16. What sort of cabin will my character be placed in?

    Any sort of cabin you want, within reason!

    1. Cabin Appearance: All unoccupied cabins appear as upscale cabins on a luxury cruise ship. Each comes with a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchenette, and a living area, all furnished tastefully but sparsely. When the cabin becomes occupied, it (as well as its door) changes to suit its new inhabitant. This could be a reflection of home, where they spent their childhood, somewhere where they were imprisoned, or even a hotel room they stayed in overnight once - so long as, however briefly, it was home. Warden cabins can be changed on request, and Inmate cabins may be changed if their Warden makes the ask.

    The view from the windows is the same as the view from deck. As on deck, during daytime hours there's something enough like sunlight to sustain any potted plants that might be present on a windowsill, but different enough from sunlight that it will not cause any adverse effects to characters that are sensitive to it.

    The ship rooms may be larger on the inside than they appear from the corridors. Wardens may have the benefit of having full bathing facilities, while inmates can only have a sink and a toilet rather than a whole bathroom (making it necessary for them to use the public inmate showers). Wardens also may have a small full-sized house (within reason; over five rooms is pushing it), arranged as the player sees fit (main floor, basement, attic, etc). Inmates only get one room, along with their adjoining restroom.

    Doors are numbered alternately, with evens on one side and odds on the other. Level 1 is immediately below deck; Level 0 is at the bottom of the ship, just below Level 8.

    Inmate rooms will be devoid of dangerous and potentially dangerous items including (but not limited to) weapons, munitions, and drugs (excepting alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine). If you are not sure if something that should be in your character's room would be brought onto the Barge, please ask the mods before assuming.

    2. Cabin Invasions: Cabins are protected areas of the ship. By default, scanners, magical amulets, spells, and special abilities that allow for visual or mental intrusion will not work on an occupied cabin. In order to come or see inside, the door has to be opened or a hole has to be made. The only device that can see into a cabin that's not "breached" in such a fashion is a Warden Item, if their paired inmate is inside. This works both ways: if a character is shut inside their cabin, they will be unable to use any powers or remotely-controlled devices to cause chaos outside. However, traditional senses will still work (depending on how well insulated the cabin supposedly is), so if someone is bleeding to death or calling out for help, they can be found.

    That said, it's possible for a character to allow another character to access their room using the abilities or items mentioned above via the Special Access Filter, an option that is built into every Barge communicator. Wardens are automatically added to their Inmate's Special Access Filter, and cannot be removed. All other characters can be added and removed at will. To clarify, the Special Access Filter does not function as a key. It only permits the use of skills or technology that would remotely scan or penetrate an individual's cabin as mentioned above. However, the locks of occupied rooms may be picked with the permission of the character's player.

    The doors of unoccupied cabins do not lock, so it's possible to hide out in one. They are not subject to the protections mentioned above.

    Despite the strange ambiguous size issue that cabins present, doors can be broken down, floors can broken through so that someone falls through someone else's ceiling, and a hole can be knocked in someone's wall following standard physics rules.


  17. How does language and language barriers work on the Barge?

    By and large, this is left up to player discretion. Most players tend to handwave away the more fiddly issues of language barriers (by, for instance, not questioning whether or not Earth and non-Earth characters should be able to easily communicate) for the sake of making development and CR-building easier, but if playing up communication barriers is of interest to you with your character, feel free!


  18. What are Barge jobs?

    As with any community of people, there are certain functions that do best assigned to individuals to be responsible for, or that require individuals with a specific skillset. In this instance, it also doesn't hurt to have something to occupy otherwise idle hands to keep them out of trouble, and that's where the jobs come in! Any character with an IC motivation to do so may fill a job position, which is a decision made at the discretion of the player. The official jobs are listed here.


  19. Can my warden have a Barge job?

    Yes, with some caveats! Each job comes with a supervisor position, and wardens are the only ones who can fill these; there are generally one or two supervisors per job. Please note that there is no enforced hierarchy of supervisors in areas with multiple keys such as the infirmary or the dining hall, and all key-carrying supervisors of any given area have equal authority.



  20. But wait, what are access keys and how do they work?

    Keys look like basic old-school keys; the room or area a key unlocks is inscribed along the side. Wardens must request keys from the Admiral.

    Like the Barge communicators or Warden Items, the keys and corresponding locks are more than they seem: keys cannot be copied by any means. Characters who are skilled at lockpicking will be stumped by these locks; characters with superpowers/magic/etc. will not be able to break through the doors. Just as above-deck areas cannot be accessed without an Item, restricted areas cannot be accessed without the appropriate key. Keys can be borrowed or stolen, though only at the discretion of the relevant player(s). If a key is lost, the Admiral will be reluctant to replace it, so take care. If a supervising Warden leaves the Barge, unless they have given their key to another Warden, their key will automatically return to the Admiral.


  21. Can my character destroy the Library/Infirmary/Etc.? Can my character kill everybody in port?

    If you'd like your character to cause some trouble, please do plot judiciously with everyone who might be affected: this might include your Inmate's Warden (where applicable), characters who have cabins on the affected level, and/or characters who work in an affected area of the ship. Damage to public spaces with no assigned workers (hallways, common rooms, etc.) doesn't require special permission beforehand, but for anything large-scale that other characters might reasonably notice or react to, please fill out the short form here, and make a post on the OOC comm about it. A plotting plurk is not a suitable substitution for OOC notice in cases like this: while not everybody has the entire game friended, everyone does have access to the OOC comm, and all important plot info must be posted there.

    Remember too that this is a contained setting filled with nosy, motivated characters. Getting away with trouble doesn't have to be impossible, but it shouldn't be done in a way that godmodes everyone into negligence, apathy, or complicity. Something like stealing from the infirmary without discussing it with the players whose characters work in the infirmary godmods incompetence onto them. Setting the library on fire without letting other players, whose characters may actually be in there at the time, know is godmodding complacency on them. We understand that accidents happen, but unapproved or mishandled setting destruction will be retconned out of the game, and doing it persistently will get you a warning.

    Attacking or killing NPCs in ports does not require mod approval - just please keep it within reason, and expect IC consequences for it should it be done in a particularly flashy or noticeable way.


  22. What happens when my character dies?

    When a Warden dies on or off the Barge, they'll be automatically revived between approximately 8 and 24 hours after death. Inmates will revive upon the request of their Warden (or another Warden, if theirs is not available or they are not assigned). Characters who die in port, during breaches, or by falling/jumping/being pushed over the deck railing will revive in the infirmary (once the event is over, in the case of breaches).

    Upon revival, all characters will find that their bodies will have returned to whatever their default state is in canon, and any injuries, scars, or body modifications (tattoos, piercings, etc.) that they might have acquired during their time onboard the Barge will vanish. Life state changes (such as the species changes mentioned below) will remain intact, as will any modifications that were made as a result of a Warden deal or an Admiral request. Additionally, all newly-revived characters will suffer from a temporary Death Toll.


  23. What's the Death Toll?

    The Death Toll is temporary side-effect from coming back to life. Effects of the Death Toll include:

    1. Fatigue for at least 72 hours.
    2. General malaise for at least 72 hours.
    3. Ghost pains of the injuries received prior to death for at least a week, decreasing in severity as time passes. These will reflect the injuries that characters received prior to death, up to and including the final death blow. Severe injuries (such as severed arm/leg/head) will create more intense ghost pains for a shorter period of time, while more minor injuries will generate less intense ghost pains over a longer span of time.
    4. Nausea/inability to hold down food for the first few days.
    5. Headache, dizziness and impaired motor skills lasting from 24-72 hours (longer if desired).

    Note: The severity of the death toll and how long these effects last are also dependent on the character. If the character has enhanced stamina, strength, or endurance, they may overcome the Death Toll faster than somebody who doesn’t have any enhanced physical capacities.



  24. What about death-by-vampire?

    If your character gets drained by a vampire, they suffer the standard Death Toll. If they're turned by a vampire, however, they suffer from a modified Death Toll, which is as follows:

    1. A vampire can turn a character, but this will last only a week. It is strictly temporary.
    2. For the first five days, the newly-vampiric character would act as if they had been turned for 'real'. If the other vampire's canon dictates they should be a blood-thirsty predator, right from the start, then they'll be like that.
    3. By day six, any character who has been turned will start to experience the on-set of humanity returning to them. It won't necessarily hurt, but they'll find their bodies not wanting to drink blood/whatever as much, able to experience things which their vampiric self might have been harmed by and any superhuman abilities will start to weaken.
    4. All vampire effects go away by the seventh or eighth day.

    The type of vampire your character will become is dictated by the type of vampire who turned them: If Lestat turns you, then you'll be an Anne Rice type of vampire. If Aleera turns you, you'd be a Van Helsing type of vampire. If Spike turns you, you'd become a Slayerverse type of vampire. So, make sure you're familiar with their source material if you embark on that! Make sure, also, that your character could psychologically/emotionally handle the memories of being whatever type of vampire they're temporarily getting transformed into!



  25. What about becoming a werewolf?

    1. If a werewolf (or similar) curses another character, that curse may remain in place indefinitely.
    2. If the cursed character is an Inmate, their transformation and any other related abilities will be subject to Inmate restrictions, regardless of whether that Inmate's Warden has lifted restrictions on any other abilities they have. If the original werewolf is an Inmate, the cursed character will have the same restrictions that the original came on board with. If the original is a Warden, please contact a mod to discuss Inmate restrictions.
    3. The curse can be lifted either by characters who are capable of that sort of thing, or by the Admiral (in an Inmate's case, this request can come from their Warden). Please note that the Admiral will only act of behalf of characters infected while on board the ship. Recently de-cursed characters will suffer three days of debilitating fatigue after the fact, similar to the Death Toll.

    The form of werewolf that the cursed person will become will also reflect the original's canon. If they are from An American Werewolf in London they may have no control over their transformations, while another may end up a Discworld yennork with the inability to change forms.


  26. What is a Barge Coma?

    The Barge Coma, also called "stasis" by some characters, is the popular IC solution for an OOC player absence. Barge comas are exactly what it says on the tin: characters will fall unconscious without need for food, water, or any other kind of basic care except some place to sleep it off in peace. Inmates in comas will NOT disappear off warden items, and doors will not go blank.

    Comas, their duration, how and when they happen, and how and when they end is all up to the discretion of the player. Comas may end or begin even if an event is ongoing in the game if necessary. Arrange with your CR or paired Warden/Inmate ahead of time so they aren't left in the cold, but this is a tool that can be used to opt-out of events beyond simple non-participation, or to explain where a character has gone and what they are doing while you are busy IRL.


  27. My inmate's out of control. How do I punish them?

    BE CREATIVE!

    That isn't very helpful, is it? Still, that's the rule of thumb for dealing with problem inmates: creativity. Think about what will really have an impact on the inmate, based on your warden-character's knowledge and abilities. Every inmate is different. If your warden needs some help from the Admiral to enact their punishment, they can make a request to him.

    And a note on the cells: Level 0 exists as a player tool, not as the ultimate solution for bad inmates. It is to get a character out of the general populace if they've become a threat, while keeping them open to interactions with others, such as wardens who are guarding Level Zero, cellmates, and visitors.


  28. How long can a character be locked in Level 0?

    A character can be locked in Zero for a maximum of seven consecutive days, at which point the cell will unlock automatically. Exceptions will be made for cases like hiatuses if the player consents. While IC actions do have IC consequences, the intent behind Zero it is to give characters a way to temporarily nullify active threats, and it can be OOCly limiting and dull to have perpetual lock-up be the first and last response to any and all inmate troublemaking. This is why we encourage the use of creative punishments and deterrent methods for poorly-behaved inmates.


  29. Who can open the Level 0 cells?

    For unoccupied cells: anybody with a Warden Item on hand.

    For occupied cells: only the Warden Item belonging to the inmate's paired warden will do the job. If the inmate is unassigned, then the warden who locked them up in the first place is the only one who can release them. If an assigned inmate was placed in Zero by a warden other than their own, then either the warden who locked them up or their assigned warden can release them.

    A Warden who is locked up by either an Inmate with a stolen Warden Item or another warden can only be released by the Item that locked them in.

    Please remember that, if a cell is occupied, you should assume that there is at least one warden on guard, unless the players of any attendant wardens (Zero supervisors, the paired warden of the inmate in lock-up, and/or the warden who locked them in the cell) have told you that their character(s) left the premises. Breaking out, having two inmates attack each other without any intervention, having an inmate sneak in, having an inmate steal a Warden Item and lock somebody in, etc., without taking this into account and letting others know is godmodding. We want to let chaos happen! You just need to make sure that everyone involved is OOCly aware and on board.


  30. What if I need to ask the Admiral for something?

    Visit the Admiral Requests page! Currently, requests to revive dead inmates are the only requests that can be handwaved; all other requests must be done manually.




The FAQ will be updated as questions arise. If you have a question that isn't addressed here, feel free to comment, and we'll get back to you ASAP!

Last updated: 4/1/2024


Follow-up to the Admiral Request (also: Powers question part deux)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2022-09-14 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
What sorts of spells would be able to land, in terms of tracking someone from the Barge? Both in terms of 'how much power Nita fuels it with' and 'how much specificity Nita has about whoever she's locating to fuel the spell with'.

Tracking is one thing, and I don't think a YW-verse wizard would be able to teleport themselves through the void to get anywhere (being a Warden notwithstanding), but communication? Her Manual is frozen in respect to live updates from her world, but would any sort of spell designed to receive and transmit objects of communication (paper, mostly) work?

And thirdly, would there be any IC indication that Nita's not going to get anywhere with this operation, or would there not be anything to stop her just keeping on trying?
abort: icons by me. (Default)

[personal profile] abort 2022-12-30 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
i have a question about character ages! ava here is a sort of fringe case as she's an android – in the movie when she's asked how old she is, she says she's "one" and when she's prompted to specify if she means years or days or something else, she just repeats "one." that being said, though, she has the appearance of a grown woman (her actress was about 23-24 at the time of filming) and was made with unlimited access to bluebook (the movie's fictional equivalent of google), meaning that she has a robust understanding of the world even if she's never really experienced it (because she's been trapped in one room her whole 'life', such as it is). she definitely demonstrates the ability to think and act as an adult in the movie so i don't think she could be considered a child, BUT i'm not sure if that counts as being over 18 and therefore an appable character.
omertae: (• usda! certi! fied! lean!)

[personal profile] omertae 2023-01-06 09:52 pm (UTC)(link)
question about ability nerfing! sorry for how long this question is going to be when i have a feeling i know the answer already, but i just wanted to check. angelo has 'reality warping' powers which are super OP when unchecked because there's a lot that could fall under that umbrella, and i'm working on nerfing a lot of it down, the biggest nerf being that he wouldn't be able to develop 'new' abilities under the reality warping umbrella. plus he comes with some nerfs of his own in that he's really not very good with a lot of the branches of his power*, but one of them he's worked out pretty well, and that's what i'm calling 'illusion generation'. here's my blurb for it from his info page:
Angelo can make other people experience short, intense bursts of extremely complex illusion, for example, he can make someone believe they're covered in bugs or being slashed by a thousand tiny razorblades. These illusions cause a lot of mental distress and often physical pain in their targets, and though people mostly come out of it physically unscathed, there have been occasions where a mind has believed in the illusion so strongly that the body was physically injured in some way. This is Angelo's main strength when it comes to his powers, and for a long time it was the only thing he thought he was capable of doing with them. They don't necessarily have to be torture-related, but it's all he's done for so long that it's like exercising a muscle he didn't know he had to do anything with an illusion besides this.
SO, as per the game rules, offensive (as opposed to defensive) powers will be nerfed, so originally my suggested nerf was to make it so that he can't actually physically hurt or cause pain in a target with the illusions. HOWEVER, i was checking over the FAQ again and it says that 'powers that directly affect people will be removed entirely', so does that mean that the whole ability is nerfed completely? ftr i am totally okay with this, just checking exactly how much of this ability needs to be nerfed!

* i am aware that him not being very good at using his powers could be construed as a cop-out of a nerf, since i could go wild with what 'not very good' actually means and sneak something in under the radar, so i am planning on putting hard nerfs in place regardless of his abilities!
bringingdowndisaster: (drama • heh)

[personal profile] bringingdowndisaster 2023-02-21 04:53 pm (UTC)(link)
question about minor setting destruction: I'd like to start a log with Xue Yang in the dining hall, throwing some plates/bowls/whatever is available to smash, but since it's the start of a log I fully intend for him to be interrupted before he can cause too much damage. Do I still need to notify people about this?

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insaneladybug: (Default)

[personal profile] insaneladybug 2023-03-14 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Hello, I can't quite seem to find the answer to this question and I wanted to be sure I understand before applying.

I was assuming that the mention of death in the subtitle of the RP ("panfandom RP about death and redemption") referred to how inmates are dead or dying when they come aboard. But after looking over some posts, I'm wondering if instead the game element of characters dying during events is actually an important game mechanic and it's expected for characters to die at some point on their journey? Like, if I applied and was accepted, would I be expected to have my character die sooner or later or I wouldn't be participating in an important part of the game if I didn't?

Thank you!

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[personal profile] crystalmaster - 2023-03-15 00:17 (UTC) - Expand
aumer: (Default)

[personal profile] aumer 2023-04-15 12:00 pm (UTC)(link)
hello mods! i know that inmates are by their nature taken from the point of their death, but can wardens have a death canonpoint or does it need to be sometime before their canon death?

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[personal profile] aumer - 2023-04-15 14:07 (UTC) - Expand
abyssalflames: (if I may suggest an idea)

[personal profile] abyssalflames 2023-07-10 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Swinging by with a question on ability nerfing! Lahabrea here has what canon refers to as "creation magic", which is... about what it sounds like: the ability to create just about anything. In canon, the only limits to speak of are that it cannot be used to create anything with a soul, that it does require some amount of the individuals magical/life energy (up to "all of it" in the case of larger creations), and that it requires both that the individual doing the spell casting be familiar with what they want to create and be able to focus wholly on the creation in question, with even a stray thought being enough to alter the final shape of the creation.

For the sake of not completely trivializing things like Admiral requests, I'm assuming this is going to need to be nerfed even for a warden. In other cases with similar abilities, I've limited this to inanimate objects only, with the amount of effort involved going up the larger/more complex the item in question is while still retaining the "he has to actually be familiar with what he intends to create" from canon. Would this be enough of a nerf for gameplay balance, or would you prefer it be nerfed further?

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[personal profile] abyssalflames - 2023-07-11 01:02 (UTC) - Expand
conning: (NealC 040)

[personal profile] conning 2023-11-09 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS around Barge Comas that I couldn't find in a quick skim of what's already been asked:

1. If a character dies and then immediately drops into a coma, will the death toll be over before they wake up, or will they go through the toll once they're awake, since their bodies seem to otherwise be in stasis?

2. ...Can characters dream while in a Barge Coma, and would their babysitters be able to tell if they were having particularly vivid dreams or will the sleeping individual be very much not doing the "dog running in one's sleep" thing?
chaos_drifter: (Default)

[personal profile] chaos_drifter 2024-02-11 04:49 am (UTC)(link)

Quick question about the library: are there office supplies anywhere, or is it limited to regular books and media?

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[personal profile] chaos_drifter - 2024-02-11 05:20 (UTC) - Expand
deeps_and_dunkies: (Default)

[personal profile] deeps_and_dunkies 2024-04-07 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
Setting question that I feel like I should preface with an apology for the level of minutiae I'm requesting:

How much of the ship, its furnishings, fixtures, etc. are made from iron, or an alloy containing iron like steel? In the lore I built for Moira as a selkie, she's a fae-touched creature--so while she isn't burned by iron like a true fae, she doesn't like to touch it because it feels hot and smells bad to her. How big of an issue would this be for her in this setting? Just trying to get a feel for the level of baseline discomfort she'd have around the Barge.

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[personal profile] deeps_and_dunkies - 2024-04-07 13:57 (UTC) - Expand
chaos_drifter: (Default)

[personal profile] chaos_drifter 2024-05-21 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)

Apologies if the answer to this is somewhere else, and I missed it. When an Inmate graduates, how do they end up with an item? Would one just “appear”, or would something of theirs gain those functions?

coffinturk: (Default)

[personal profile] coffinturk 2024-06-21 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
Possibly intending to apply as an inmate. One of the main features of Vincent's body is that he 'doesn't die'. But there are near death or deathlike states while he recovers as well as acting as an avatar for the sort of demi-WEAPON Chaos that can provide some vague 'inbetween' status that might be equivalent.

Would it be okay to use this as a way for the Admiral to have nabbed him rather than literal death?
coffinturk: (Default)

Job Position Query

[personal profile] coffinturk 2024-07-10 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
Just joined so I don't know the protocol for this; should I wait for the Job list to be updated before making an IC post about it? I put in for supervisor for the Medical Inventory and I feel nervous about just assuming it's kosher.
coffinturk: (Default)

[personal profile] coffinturk 2024-07-12 06:47 am (UTC)(link)
Weird thought occurred to me. In the case of Warden rooms, are private washer and dryers something that'd happen or is it laundromat only for everyone?
coffinturk: (Default)

[personal profile] coffinturk 2024-07-17 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Hi! Just wanted to check something before assuming.

I noticed the counseling offices have their own medicine storage but not an inventory management.

So I was wondering if Medical Inventory should be expected to include all medical related supplies: Veterinary, Counseling and First Aid that places like the gym might need. Or do places that aren't specifically under the Infirmary heading have their own inventory/supplysystem?
Edited 2024-07-17 19:47 (UTC)

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[personal profile] coffinturk - 2024-07-18 03:33 (UTC) - Expand
notthatkindoforion: Tendi standing, expression relaxed with a small smile (Default)

High-Tech Warden

[personal profile] notthatkindoforion 2024-08-15 08:57 am (UTC)(link)
(it's Chance, formerly X-Men: Evolution Pietro Maximoff, Rosethorn, Zinzi, Jasper, etc.)

So I'm working on an application and have realized I've never played a Warden with access to even modern tech, let alone fancy futuristic sci-fi stuff, so I wanted to clarify for a Star Trek warden.

Lower Decks use PADDs as their primary computers. It's very similar to a modern tablet, mostly for storing and recieving data, but has a massive capacity, capable of complex programming (including gene editing an entire life form), displaying high-detail schematics, etc. It's also much harder to break than a modern tablet. I'd guess this is okay for her to come to the Barge with, as it's not too ridiculous compared to a modern computer, but wanted to clear it with you guys.

Tendi specifically has a T88 diagnostic scanner. This is able to scan both lifeforms and machines in order to gather information and identify problems. I assume that it will not be effective on magic-based lifeforms or stuff like Barge tech, which is way more advanced and/or alien than anything it was designed to work on. I also assume that it wouldn't identify magic- or Barge- based problems in an otherwise biological lifeform. However, if it needs to be nerfed further, I totally understand. I was going to use this as Tendi's warden item, but if it makes more sense for her PADD to be that and to drop the scanner completely, I can do that too. Tendi loves scanning things, so it is relevant to her as a character, but as a player I can totally work around it if necessary.

Replicators in Tendi's cabin. I'm imagining her cabin as being a few select rooms from the USS Cerritos she served on in Starfleet (obviously not the whole ship, just the most important rooms to her). But I was considering her having access to a replicator. Replicators in Lower Decks explicitly can only create what they've been programmed to - mostly food/beverages (not anything super fancy or unknown to Starfleet, and it wouldn't create anything more alcoholic than beer since it's not going to be the bar replicator), but also clothes, towels, and (I assume, it's never explicitly shown) basic toiletries and personal hygiene items. Does this need to be nerfed at all? Would Tendi have to request regular refills from the Admiral the way that Wardens do for regular food and consumable supplies? I assume so, but I just wanted to be sure! For the record I would NOT be including the ship's computer in her cabin, so she can't use it for anything too complex or creative (in one episode a character asks the computer to analyze all Earth's "coolest people in history" and replicate him an outfit based on that, for example). Again, if the ruling is "no replicator" that's fine, I just wanted to clarify going in!

Re: High-Tech Warden

[personal profile] notthatkindoforion - 2024-08-15 17:36 (UTC) - Expand
skybeyondsky: (Default)

Questions about the sky

[personal profile] skybeyondsky 2024-08-18 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Do they have sunlight? Are all humans there vitamin D deficient?


Or is it going to be constantly space but just the sky lightens from light blue to dark blue depending on day time schedule?

And how about the gardens and greenhouse (beyond the glass)? Do they see a ceiling or a fake sky?
brotherblack: (Default)

[personal profile] brotherblack 2024-09-01 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
I know that characters new to the barge don't remember having been involved in VIP events before they were apped, but what I can't remember, or seem to find, if characters who've been on the barge before can remember them if they return? Basically, can Fives remember talking to J2 in the last event when I reapp him or no?

(no subject)

[personal profile] brotherblack - 2024-09-02 03:47 (UTC) - Expand
skybeyondsky: (Meditating)

Contents in the library

[personal profile] skybeyondsky 2024-09-03 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
I know contents are far and varied, but are there dangerous learning materials in there?

Like stuff for bomb making, information on poisons, martial arts manuals from different worlds?

I imagine various medicine books would be easy to find even though that could technically include poisons too. Maybe a book on modern karate techniques too. But how about secret techniques from fandom stuff, or various powerful manuals from different wuxia worlds, etc.
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: glancing away)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2024-10-24 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
A question!

Discussion of summoning something as a power came up: can things be summoned while at PORTS?

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[personal profile] greatoldjohn - 2024-10-24 20:33 (UTC) - Expand

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[personal profile] greatoldjohn - 2024-10-24 20:56 (UTC) - Expand
surgeryandsarcasm: (Default)

[personal profile] surgeryandsarcasm 2024-12-02 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
So Julian's warden cabin came with the DS9 infirmary just kinda attached to it, and I know he doesn't have access to the station's computer, but how much of the equipment and supplies and such would have come with it? I was assuming only the very basics, so he wouldn't end up impinging on the usefulness of the actual Barge infirmary, but I'm not sure where to draw the line there.

Also, as far as the computer, would the records still contain anything at all, like stuff he wrote himself? or would there just be no data in there to start with?

Thanks!

(no subject)

[personal profile] surgeryandsarcasm - 2024-12-03 01:54 (UTC) - Expand
karsiteweave: (24)

[personal profile] karsiteweave 2024-12-21 12:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Hello! Since Astarion requested Tara for Gale, I just wanted to check how I should be handling her! Obviously she's a speaking cat, she normally speaks tressym but Gale can understand her because she's his familiar. Shall I assume he still can and just avoid any speak with animals type potions that would normally allow other people to communicate with her? I'm not interested in playing her entirely as her own character or anything, just wanted to clarify if it's 'she should only ever communicate with Gale' or if now and then, if someone had a spell or potion, she could be understood briefly for comedy purposes!

(I'm chill either way!)
bhaallistic: (Default)

[personal profile] bhaallistic 2025-01-14 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
Hi mods! Does the library have a printer?
coffinturk: (Default)

Lockdown/Zero/Infirmary MiniZero Room

[personal profile] coffinturk 2025-02-03 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
How absolute are the lockdown of powers here? Particularly how they apply to the following scenarios:

1. The powers are still 'there' they are just wholly inaccessible?

2. Even access to life-sustaining aspects of those powers (for instance in Vincent's case, his genetics have been edited which is perfectly safe. But there's an additional unexplained bit that is PROBABLY similar to having 'mako infusion' or having a vital but natural part of the body spliced with Something Else, but in his case keeps his body from going comatose and start suffering physical decay. Would something like this 'borderline' ??? maybe-power be blocked during a lockdown or if he entered a cell, or is it more player determined? Given the vagueness I have made a case for why it would or would not affect him. But if you have a hard rule on this, lay it on me! Also if you need more deets, I can explain What We Know about Vincent's stuff on you. ).

3. Is there any variation in the power-shutdown between Lockdown, Zero Cells and Infirmary's miniZero Room?
bartenderbitch: (pic#17415474)

Re: pairings question

[personal profile] bartenderbitch 2025-02-06 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Since it doesn't say in the FAQ and also because I want to make sure to dot my Is and cross my Ts...

Is it possible for canonmates to be permanent pairings? Mostly asking re: Husk and Angel Dust since they're idiots and hilariously he's already kind of pushing towards bettering Angel in canon anyway. And also re the demotion bit about sleeping with your permanent pairing, is that in a all cases matter or if using your power to force it/manipulate it kind of thing? Asking for a friend (me).

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