name: Judge Rules
body: |
\cenquote{``The practice of defining a world, commonly known as
\emph{cartography}, is subject to the generation of
inconsistencies.''}{---``The Rent in the Design'', Martin}
At the end of the fourth hour, Ii Ma will be dead. The character
of transience from the outside world has made this inevitable. His
legacy will live on in two parts, for none of you are as great as
his horrid bulk.
There is the Warden's Mantle, which holds the form of the Place
Without Recorse and its walls. The one who holds the Mantle will
rule this place, with the power to shape its form and hand out
rewards or punishments as they choose. The Mantle will not just
bind them to this Place: the Place will be their flesh and blood and
marrow. They will become more than they are, and alien, and
chang\'ed. And that one will have power. Power over an entire
world. A world that Isn't, you may say. But that is yet more than
the rest of you will hold.
Then there is the Ragged Key. For all the Warden keeps the prison,
they do not choose the prisoners. The holder of the Ragged Key
controls the Ragged Things, Ii Ma's hands in the outer world. The
Minister of Ragged Things may have little power here, but they
choose who to snatch away and bring here. It is said that
it is not Ii Ma that makes you an Isn't, that
it is you yourself who does. But if so, there are many Isn'ts
in the outer world, ripe for the snatching.
== Factions ==
There are five factions. Each faction represents a different
philosophy that reflects in some way the ideas that comprise the
place without recourse. While each of you has your own ideas of
what this place should become, the faction that receives the
Warden's Mantle will affect the dharma of the new place regardless
of what the bearer wishes.
The five factions are:
\Heaven{**\name** (\starcolor, \terrain)},
\Hell{**\name** (\starcolor, \terrain}),
\Light{**\name** (\starcolor, \terrain}),
\Dark{**\name** (\starcolor, \terrain}), and
\Wild{**\name** (\starcolor, \terrain}).
== Judging Shows ==
When you watch shows, it is not for mere entertainment. No! It is
to generate a new world from the elements.
Much like lego blocks, these will fit together seamlessly to form a
new Place Without Recourse. If you can deal with all
the woglies.
After the show, you will vote on which show is best. Most
symbolically fitting. Most well-made. Most structural. One show
will be best, one will be second, and one will be last.
The Actors will turn in their elements, which function as World
Tiles. After a GM updates the World Qualities (see below), these tiles
will be shuffled together. Each Judge draws one tile randomly.
== Granting Structure to the World ==
Judges then use these tiles to stabilize the world. Each
Judge places their tile on the map, adjacent to an existing tile.
Judges get one play after each round of shows, and have
15 minutes from when the round ended to play this one tile.
If multiple judges try to make
conflicting plays, resolve with Rock Paper Scissors.
After placement, a Judge scores World Points in their choice of \textbf{one}
of the two following ways:
* One point for each adjacent tile, including diagonals, that match the
tile played.
* One point for each distinct type of adjacent tile that does not match
the tile played.
You also get a bonus point if the tile you played matches your faction.
If you somehow end up with Elements outside of a show,\footnote{Maybe
Actors can give you some?}you can play another
tile
instead of the tile you drew this round.
The types of terrain are: Ocean, Desert, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest.
Some terrains don't get along, cartographically. If you place an
Ocean tile next to a Desert, or vice versa, this creates a Wogly.
Swamps and Mountains also don't get along. If you place a tile
creating one or more such contradictions, take a Wogly from the
Wogly pile and put it on the
quest of your choice. Don't put it on a quest people are
on, though; that's just confusing! Creating a wogly reduces the
Integrity of the Place by 1. But if the wogly gets
resolved, the Integrity goes up by 2!
If you don't want to put your wogly on a quest, you can put the
wogly anywhere obvious you want.
== The Code of Conduct ==
You know the bit I said about acquiring elements outside of shows?
That's not how things are supposed to work! Perhaps it's because
such things will bias the Judges in their judgements and thus
compromise the integrity of this realm. Regardless, while this is
physically possible, it is forbidden by Ii Ma's law.
Elements are basically like baseball cards.
So, someone could give you an Element whenever. Or you could
pick one up off the ground if someone's been littering.
But if another Judge
sees this, then they can yell SNATCH! They get
the Element instead!
If more than one judge calls SNATCH! at the same time, they play Rock
Paper Scissors to resolve it.
== World Qualities ==
There will be a number of opposed qualities of the Place Without
Recourse determined by the shows. Each element has a type that
reflects how it shapes the world. Elements used in the best play
will move the world two increments in that direction. Elements in
the second play move the world one increment; elements in the worst
play do not affect the world at all.
The qualities are: Magic versus Science, Hope versus Fear, and War
versus Peace.
Integrity is also a World Quality, but it's normally affected by
woglies, as described above, not Elements.
== Dedicating Treasures ==
Each Treasure can be dedicated to one of the five factions. Each
faction will have a dedication list near Ii Ma's horrid bulk. Incant "I
dedicate \emph{treasure name} to the ideals of \emph{faction name}",
increase the treasure total for your faction by 1, and put a matching
colored star on the treasure. This makes the Treasure an Isn't.
I mean, Ii Ma's an Isn't too!
== The Assigning of Mantle and the Key ==
As Ii Ma dies, the inexorable law of his passing will choose his two
successors.
One who would become Warden, bear Ii Ma's Mantle, and rule this
Place must know this realm well. Such a one's worthiness will be
based on the total of their World Points plus the world points
of any Judge that has pledged support for them before Ii Ma.
To this total will be added 5 points for each
Treasure dedicated to their faction. This one will bear the
Mantle and rule over the form of this place and all who remain here.
Their faction will form the nature of the new realm, and their word
will be as iron. If there is a tie for the highest total, the Judge with
the highest unique total will choose which of those recieves the mantle.
The Ragged Key will be allotted similarly, but the one who would
carry its weight must know the people of the world. For your
worthiness to bear this key, you may only use your personal world
points, not those of your supporters. Above this, you get 2 points
for each Is with your faction color on their badge, and 3 points for
each Actor who endorses you by speaking your name during a
play.\footnote{Each Actor may only endorse once, and may not later
take back their endorsement.}
If the same Judge is most worthy for both, that Judge must pick
which to bear; the other title goes to the judge in second-place.
And after these assignments, for those still caged? Who knows if there will be any path to
freedom then.
== Becoming Something Else ==
The shard of Ii Ma that has infected you is a burden that some
would rather be rid of. The way to set this aside is simple but not
easy: you must convince another, one of the Actors, to take your
burden upon themself. They must drink three drops of the sludge that
Ii Ma continually exudes.
Ask them, "Do you accept the blood of dying Ii Ma, and take on my
judgeship?" If they agree, they give you their <>
sheet and you give them this sheet and your faction bluesheet.
comment:
wrapup: <>
number: <>
coda: <>
claimedby: Xavid
status: draft