News In-Game

From Masq

Contents

Superknowledge: A reminder of the mindset of the unenlightened.

By now, you should be familiar with NEWS THEME. In the World of Darkness universe, mortals live side by side with all types of supernatural creatures, completely unaware. As mentioned, these supers have means to hide themselves, such as the Masquerade & Delirium, as well as a host of other defenses and masks.

Compound this with the fact that today's mortal man lives in the grand age of science, where everything has an answer if one only looks hard and long enough. Certainly, tales of the supernatural and the bizarre come up among mortals as topics of conversation, movies, books, or stories around a campfire, but rarely do they inspire someone to act on them; to look deeper into the cause of these occurrences. They may influence behavior, i.e. being afraid of being alone in the dark, going into a supposedly haunted house, or habitually avoiding walking under a ladder, but most do not go where they subconsciously know they should not. In other words, keep in mind that your character will most likely treat any weird phenomena or potential "superknowledge" with a healthy dose of IC skepticism. Vampires? Werewolves? They don't exist!

Having said that, obviously there are people in the real world who tell ghost stories, wonder if vampires really exist, believe in fairies, etc. However, generally speaking, it's best to err on the side of caution when confronted with something supernatural.


Getting SK: When you get it, what to do with it.

If you are playing a mortal, you will eventually come across something that you, as a player with your knowledge of the World of Darkness system, could piece together and attribute to one supernatural entity or another. Keep in mind that your character would not see it as you do, and would ignore it, make excuses for it, or deal with it in the scope of things he or she knows are true and right.

The golden rule of getting superknowledge is: clear it with staff. If anything comes up in game which might grant you supernatural knowledge, please submit a +job with a description, the characters it concerns, the exact nature of the knowledge, and who (if anyone) judged the scene.

When in doubt, submit a +job with your questions.

Giving SK: When you let knowledge slip, you must report it.

Whenever you give superknowledge to a another character, whether deliberately or accidentally, please also submit a +job with a description, the characters it concerns, the exact nature of the knowledge, and who (if anyone) judged the scene. This is to provide support for the other player's superknowledge request.

Money: Cold hard $cash! What Resources means on Masq.

The $CASH system is a way to add a slight level of realism to the MUSH environment. Players are allowed to have just about anything they want with the @create command, so in order to add to the game, a limited economy system has been developed. The most important thing to remember about this system is that the money you may have represents a "NET" amount of money your character may have after paying for the mundane demands of modern life. You are not required to pay any bills with your money, or any expenses that you incur non-ICly. Therefore, you may be surprised to see yourself not actually making what a person in RL would be making doing the same job. You can consider the $CASH you have available as only that money not already budgeted for other expenses. Any questions regarding the system can be asked of staff using the +request command.

Players can get money from their bank accounts either by going to the bank, or using an ATM machine. Most ATM machines have a 'convenience' fee of $2.50. Some, like the one in the Casino, charge more!

ATMs can be found in the following locations:

This is how we interpret what dots in resources mean on the game.

0 - Dirt poor. You're living on the street, unemployed, and in the WoD most people run out of unemployment benefits after a few months (of course the rich people get huge unemployment benefits that stretch for years, but that's because they're working with the Man). You're probably being kept down by the Man.

1 - Slightly better than Dirt. You're working as a cashier at the local Quick-E Mart or busy flipping McBurgers, doing low level secretarial work, or some other dull dead end job as a lowly toady for the Man.

2 - Unwashed masses. You're just one of the crowd. You probably work 40 hours a week as a computer technician/police officer/store manager/etc. Quite possibly still a dead end job, but at least you don't work 60 hours a week to pay for rent on a one room apartment. You are a worker for the Man.

3 - Well off. You probably possess some skill or training not easily duplicated by the unwashed masses. Some people might call you rich, but the really rich people wouldn't look at you that way. You are possibly a Doctor, Lawyer, or own a very successful small company (possibly with 2 or 3 outlets). You might simply be very good with a skill that is not common for the unwashed masses (8 dice in intelligence+computers, for instance). You know the Man.

4 - Rich. You were probably born into money. If not, you probably are extremely good at some skill that is ordinarily hard for the unwashed masses to learn (8 dice in intelligence+medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon). Most likely the work you do takes about 20 hours a week and revolves around money, such as investments, banking, or drug running. You might own a large and successful business, like Subway Sandwiches. You are friends with the Man.

5 - Filthy Rich. You were almost certainly born, cradled, and raised in a dumptruck of money. You are undoubtedly smart and savvy about money in order to have kept from losing the money you were born into. Managing your money is your job. You would be a cardiothoracic surgeon, but it just doesn't pay very well. You might own a large and profitable chain of businesses, such as Arco or the like. You are the Man.

Yeah, this isn't completely accurate with the $cash totals people receive by any amount (see +help cash). That's a game balance thing. People on the upper end, with a 5 are earning 30 times what the people with a 2 are earning. If we ramp it more accurately it becomes far worse. Just remember that we are using a basic principle of 0-5 with 1 being 'weak', 2 being 'average'. and 5 being the most a character can achieve (yes, Bill Gates is above a 5). A very loose rule of thumb is to take $300 per year and multiply it by 10 for each level of resources. If your character's earnings are more like $3000 a year than $30,000, he or she is probably a Res-1. If it's more like $300,000 a year than $3,000,000 a year, your character is a 3 and not a 4. Again, this is a rough rule of thumb.

Weapons: You wants guns? We got guns!

All weapons will be made by the weapons staff and will be owned by them. You cannot make your own weapon. Illegally-created weapons will be confiscated and you may face additional sanctions.

In order to request a weapon for your character, please use +Request with the type of weapon and how you expect to obtain it.

In order to purchase a firearm in New Mexico you must be 21 years of age, present proper ID, and pass a background check to register for the firearm. Because New Mexico is an Open Carry State, unconcealed and loaded handguns and rifles are not illegal in ABQ and require no special permits. Carrying a rifle around, however will attract the attention of the local police. Concealed weapons, without a permit, and any automatic weapons are illegal, and will earn you a prison stay.

MELEE WEAPONS: Knives with blades under 6" long are legal. Any blade over 6" in length is illegal; it can be confiscated, and will probably get you arrested. Carrying weapons such as a two-handed broadsword in the city will definitely be noticed.

[How to gain a permit, in NEWS IC LAWS3]

A quick reminder, if a weapon is in some way shape or form on your character, then it is for the most part considered to be there ICly. This includes weapons in duffel bags and such. Please do not walk around with weapons and declare that they 'are not there'.

There are many reasons for this. One is simply to prevent any confusions of OOC weapons becoming IC and vice-versa. A second is that if you are not actually carrying a weapon, then it's somewhere else. That means there is always the danger of someone stealing it. Of course this becomes rather problematic if someone breaks into your apartment and the weapons that should be there are on your character instead. Also, various code may detect the presence of weapons. Having them in your possession while they are OOC will certainly foul that up (and you might not even be aware that the code has noticed you, so you can't tell anyone they are OOC).

In short, please do not carry any weapons, or any other IC objects for that matter, when your character would not be doing so.

Secondly, you may not pose having a weapon if you do not have the coded object. There are only two exceptions to this; both involving weapons of opportunity. The first is that a staffer allows you to pick one up. This might be a cooking knife, 2x4, pipe, bottle, pool cue, etc. The only other time you may pose a weapon that has not been coded is if all other players involved in the scene consent to it and it's a weapon of opportunity. That means that under no circumstances may anyone pose waving around a gun that is not coded.

A very brief note about weapons with a concealability rating of 'Trenchcoat'. In the past, we ran into characters who would walk around transporting large weapons that are listed as being concealable only by a trenchcoat and then simply desc themselves in a trenchcoat. Yes, this does in fact conceal the weapon. However, it does not shrink the weapon, make the weapon flexible, or do any of those nice things that seem to occur in Hollywood once that weapon slips beneath the trench. The fact is that your character has a 2 1/2+ foot long chunk of metal under their coat. If you are doing this, please RP appropriately.

Experience: How to give it and how to spend yours.

Experience points are awarded on a number of factors: Primarily players vote for each other using the +xp/vote system (type +help xp for details on how to use the system). You can also nominate fellow players for additional bonus XP using the +rec command (+help rec). Staff may also give out XP for good scenes and for building public projects or helping with code. Finally, a very small amount is given to each player based on the time spent active.

To use Experience points (XP) to improve your character, please submit your request using the jobs system by typing:

+xprequest <Stat> <New Level>=<Justification>.

The justification should include such information as: what steps you are taking to learn/hone/use this stats, whether or not you have an instructor, and any other relevant information.

Example: +xprequest Brawl 3=For the past two months, I've been taking martial arts classes at a local Dojo and honing my skills at bare-handed combat, especially grappling and punching. I have been working out three times a week and sparring with a succession of partners.

  • You can put in two +xprequests per week, but not for the same stat.
  • There are no 'wait times' to gain the new stat. It will be applied to your +sheet immediately.
  • For some stat raises above level 4 (e.g., "combat" stats), the stat has to have been used in a scene with staff. The costs are doubled for raising a stat above level 3 (see NEWS XP CHART).
  • XP requests will generally be processed once a week.
  • XP requests without justification will not be approved. In addition, wizards reserve the right to refuse specific XP requests in the name of game balance.

XP Chart: XP costs (not identical to books)

Please note that this is NOT identical to the books. For anything not listed below, Supernaturals should consult the charts in their books.

ALL CHARACTERS:

Item Cost
New ability 3
Willpower current rating
Virtue current rating x 2
Ability current rating x 2
Attribute current rating x 4
Background current rating x 3
  • To raise any stat to 4 or higher, double the cost again. For example, to raise an attribute to level 4, it costs 3 x 4 x 2=24XP.
  • Post-chargen, secondary abilities cost the same to raise via XP.


SHIFTERS:

Item Cost
Gnosis current rating x 2
Rage current rating


  • To raise Gnosis to 7 or higher, double the cost again. For example, to raise Gnosis to level 7, it would cost 6 (current rating) x 2 x 2=24 XP.
  • To raise Rage to 6 or higher, double the cost again. For example, to raise Rage to level 6, it would cost 5 (current rating) x 2=10 XP.


Item Cost
Gift level of Gift x 3
Gift outside breed/tribe/auspice level of Gift x 5
Gift learned from Garou +1 XP of base cost
Rite cannot be raised with XP


VAMPIRES:

Item Cost
New Discipline (Any Clan) 10 XP
Disciplines In-Clan current rating x 5
Disciplines Out-of-Clan current rating x 7
Caitiff (Any Disciplines) current rating x 6

Zones: Nightzones and Dayzones, oh my!

Nightzones are public rooms in which it is perpetual "night." This allows vampires to RP with others without having to suddenly rush out of the scene due to the passage of +time. Conversely, Dayzones are rooms in which it is perpetual "day," which effectively blocks vampires from ever visiting them.

Currently the grid itself is a permanent Nightzone to allow all players to rp, though +time still represents normal time for those who wish to use it in private rooms and scenes.

We have implemented Dayzones for those who want to get a tan. +help dayzones will help you find them.

If we decide to return the grid to normal +time, Nightzones will be added. If you want your new building to be either a Nightzone or a Dayzone, simply let Building staff know when you are working on the project.

If you are out in public and the room you are in is not an officially designated Dayzone, then unfortunately you can not RP as though it is. However, there is a way to get a sanctioned public dayzone or nightzone on a temporary basis. If you organize a public event (such as a charity gala, rave, sports event, comedy night, etc.), you can have the event be a Dayzone until its conclusion.

Law: The long arm of the law and how to avoid it.

Reading this section could spare your characters some trouble with the law.

  • Legal System - How the courts and police operate in ABQ
  • IC Laws - How our laws vary from Real Life laws

To read about any of our topics, simply type: news <topic>.

Legal System: How the courts and police operate in ABQ

The Masquerade legal system is somewhat of a bastardized version of real life, with heavy allowances made for inescapable problems posed by the nature of MUSHing. Generally, a player will only run afoul of it if caught and arrested by the Albuquerque Police Department or one of the various branches of federal law enforcement in the city.

Please note that getting caught and punished under this system can often result in a 'death sentence' for a character, as long periods of incarceration in MUSH time are still relatively long periods in real life. This is not to say that criminal activity shouldn't be pursued; far from it. Rather, it's designed partially to cause players to think a little before committing a crime, to plan rather than simply breaking the law on the spur of the moment. Also, please note that justice is an expensive proposition, and that a wealthy suspect able to retain a specialized, competent lawyer is more likely to gain his freedom than a common street thug with no connections. If you break into a car in front of the Cantina in broad daylight with witnesses, and have no real influence or power, expect to lose use of your character if and when you are caught.

Once arrested and incarcerated, a suspect will have two (2) RL days in which the District Attorney's office will decide whether to file charges and if so, which ones. If charges are filed, the defendant PC has two options:

a) IC trial by MUSH judge/jury

b) OOC trial by POLICESTAFF

This allows those people who enjoy the high drama of the courtroom a chance to test their mettle, and those that simply wish to have the proceedings carried out as quickly as possible that option. Please note that an IC trial can be time consuming, even with measures in place to severely streamline it.

Trial by MUSH jury or judge will have a PC judge and lawyers, and if possible the lawyers will work in teams to allow continuity if all members are not able to be present at any given time. Both prosecution and defense will have five (5) RL days to gather evidence, subpoena and depose witnesses, and prepare their cases. The trials themselves are of variable length, but every effort will be made to shorten the format. The defendant will choose his lawyer from those PC lawyers on the MUSH, or will use the public defender. Please note that resources are important in this regard.

If there are no PC lawyers available or willing to take the case, the accused may choose to delay the trial, switch to an OOC trial, or defend him or herself. As OJ taught us, trials can take a very long time, so do not expect a MUSH trial to be any more speedy than a real trial.

Bail may or may not be set while the trial is being prosecuted. If the crime is serious enough, you may find yourself incarcerated until the trial is over. You will not be allowed to leave the jail for any reasons should you not be allowed bail. This includes but is not limited to finding an attorney or gathering evidence. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way.

An OOC trial by POLICESTAFF simply consists of summary judgment. All relevant facts, including backgrounds, resource levels, connections, bribes, etc. will be taken into consideration as much as possible, and a decision should be returned within two to three days. Decisions are final and unable to be appealed.

IC Laws: How our laws vary from Real Life laws

There are several significant differences in between the real life laws of Albuquerque and those that exist in the World of Darkness version. While in most cases the letter of the law hasn't changed, the spirit has. The pendulum of justice has swung away from the rights of the individual toward the rights of the group as society struggles to deal with increasing levels of crime and violence. For instance, on the MUSH wiretapping, bugging, and other methods of evidence-gathering by the police are more likely to be admissible in court. A 'protective' search of a suspect goes a little further, and the reasons for a body search can be flimsier.

This is not to say that the government has unlimited powers; however, they are significantly expanded.

Some of the actual laws are different from real life:

  • Prostitution: Prostitution is legalized within city limits, but only in designated buildings. Brothels must be licensed by the city, and pay a special tax for that privilege. Streetwalkers are illegal, and subject to arrest.
  • Gambling: In much the same fashion as prostitution, gambling is legal, but throughout the entire state. All gambling must take place in licensed buildings overseen by a state board of examiners.
  • Age of Consent: The age of consent is set to 16 in our dark version of Albuquerque.
  • Firearms and Weapons: All characters must legally register their weapon in order to purchase and carry a firearm legally. (You are automatically granted a Class B Permit from the city after purchase). New Mexico is an Open Carry State. You may carry a loaded Firearm in Albuquerque; however, they are not allowed in establishments that serve alcohol. Concealed weapons will require a Class A Permit from the Albuquerque Police Department.

Automatic weapons are also illegal, and there is no permit that will allow their legal use.

Knives with blades under 6" in length are legal, but larger blades require a Class C permit. Carrying a broadsword around town will be noticed.

To receive a permit to carry a loaded and concealed weapon (Class A), or one to carry concealed or unconcealed a blade over 6" in length, although not including spring-activated blades (Class C). Please submit a +request to obtain one.

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