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affinity ranks;
✽ AFFINITY RANKS | ||||||||||
Areas of Repute Within Aifaran are some unofficial factions that represent some of the interests or aspects of the city life. These are not ICly recognized groups (that is, there are no guilds or formal organizations representing these areas that a character can approach ICly) in that they have no defined structure, but merely areas of general repute.
Upon application acceptance, each character will receive a randomized set of starter rankings totaling 20 points altogether, which are randomly distributed throughout all the factions using RNG when a character joins the game. This point cap will prevent anyone from being able to max out too many affinity factions at one time. OOCly, each faction has ranks from 1-5 (with 1 being the lowest, 5 the highest), with each rank producing multiple different types of interaction with that group throughout the month. Players can choose to have their characters experience one or more of these instances to happen, depending on what their rank standing is with that respective group. Characters will not be required to experience all instances for all factions in a given month. This Google Spreadsheet is kept current by the mods that can be viewed by the players at any time, so players will always have access to their various Affinity standings at a glance. EXAMPLE: CRIME Rank 1 • Slippery Fingers: You are targeted for pickpocketing on the street! • Get Trashed: Your property (home, work, etc) suffers vandalism. • Shakedown: Your preferred places of patronage are harassed for protection money. Rank 2 • Supply & Demand: You sense eyes on you frequently, and when looking to purchase your usual staples, you find them either out of stock or ridiculously marked up in price. If asked, the shopkeepers will avoid answering the questions, as if they've been intimidated into silence. Rank 3 • Swag Swap: You are targeted for a mugging, but you're offered a cheap set of crystal glasses in exchange for all you lose. • Insurance: You're offered an insurance policy against theft for the month, but if you don't pay up, you may be more heavily targeted. Rank 4 • Mistaken Identity: During what looks like it will be a mugging, the perpetrator seems to recognize you and breaks off the attempt. • Guardian Criminal: Alternatively, during what looks to be a mugging, ANOTHER mugger will intervene, successfully chasing the first offender away from you. Rank 5 • Sudden Windfall: An anonymous person mails you a package containing what is definitely stolen, but likely untraceable, money and luxury items, the contents of which are now yours to do with as you please! Affinity Rank Changes Each month as part of AC, players will be required to submit their rank changes, moving 4 points total per month in any combination of their choosing. An affinity cannot be ranked at 0 or over 5, and all the Affinity ranks must collectively total 20 points - so points being added to one rank must come from subtracting from another rank, etc. Part of the AC requirement is a (VERY) brief description of the character's behaviour that led to the fluctuations in affinity. EXAMPLE AC COMMENT: Character: Bugs Bunny AC Proof 1 (required): LINK AC Proof 2 (optional): LINK Allegiance Rank Changes: +2 Sci-Tech, -2 Faith Notes: Bugs offered to teach a class on network basics to some less-than-tech-savvy elders (+2 Sci-Tech) but flipped off some Ban Om devotees when they wouldn't take a hint (-2 Faith). Affinity FAQ What happens if my character gets randomized Affinity starting ranks that don't make sense? IE; my sweet cinnamon roll gets a high Crime ranking? That's half the fun! ICly, it's explained by characters arriving that don't have any background in the city yet. Since these aren't literal, recognized factions, it's a little bendable. Maybe they're going with a gut feeling. Maybe they just don't like your character's face. Who knows! These rankings aren't static either - they go up or down with each AC, depending on what you want for your character. What if I don't want to use any of the monthly instances for my faction rankings? You don’t really have to if there isn’t anything in there you’d want to play with. Or make up something (reasonably) within the parameters that would be better suited to your character. Why do I have to move Affinities rankings around every month? As your character interacts with the peoples of Khu Ioduan, they will naturally get along with some groups and people, but not others, just as in the real world. Adjusting Affinities rankings is based on how you think your character's choices have been viewed by the various factions in the city. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' standing with the factions, so don't worry about keeping a set number; every option has new opportunities! | ||||||||||
JULY 2018
JUSTICE
RANK 1
• Photobomb: Because you just happened to appear in the background of a photo posted on Xa Xa that is related to an ongoing investigation, the Sentry comes knocking to have you answer questions about the incident. They also
confiscateborrow your yimo for a few days to corroborate their data. At least it's returned undamaged?• Sentry Suspicion: For reasons you cannot divine, the Sentry you encounter when out and about all seem to look at you with suspicion, as though they think you have done something wrong and are waiting for you to trip up so they can swoop in for an arrest. If asked about it, any members will be evasive and vague. They'll never actually arrest you, but it can easily be unnerving - or just as easily an opportunity for mischief, if you're the type to do so.
RANK 2
• Ignorance Ignored: You unknowingly purchase an item that is illegal or sourced off the black market, and a pair of stern-faced Sentry appears to confiscate the item. They inform you that ignorance of the law is not an adequate defense - but since you really had no idea what you were buying, they let you off with a citation and a small fine after a few hours of questioning.
RANK 3
• Petition Signatures: A charismatic Arybar approaches you on the street, brandishing a clipboard and insisting that you take a look at this very important issue about copyrights and will you please add your name to get this on the next ballot? He'll keep after you for several minutes until you either sign it or run away.
RANK 4
• Careful Preparation: Dreamfolk can come and go at any moment, and when they leave possessions behind it can sometimes be hard to know what to do with them. A warm and legal-savvy Bresilykian approaches you to offer free services in creating a Dreaming Will.
RANK 5
• Out From Under a Thumb: One of your preferred places of patronage has finally gotten out from under a protection racket, thanks to a special investigative unit of the Sentry dedicated to eradicating gang crimes. The business starts growing where before it stagnated, and the owners are definitely much happier - you'll see some free treats from them this month.
CRIME
RANK 1
• Fickle Fortune: You find a pouch of rhinn on the ground. It’s your lucky day! Or not. A local gang member (or three) sees you and demands the money you found...plus tax. If not, things might get ugly.
• I’m Not a Rat!: There’s a Sentry bust at an establishment you frequent - turns out a lot of criminals frequented it, too. A few days later, you’re confronted by some of the ones who got away. They’d seen you around a lot, and there’s no evidence you’re not the one who ratted them out. Better talk fast.
RANK 2
• Definitely Official Tech Support: You’re swept into a street sales pitch by a smooth-talking kedan for yimo repairs, and he charges you two cobalts to fix something he’s declared quite broken. It takes several hours for you to figure out that it’s a scam...and by then the shapeshifter’s made off with your money.
RANK 3
• Run Like You Stole It: A shopkeeper confronts you on the way out of her establishment, insisting that you stole something. An Erol’a you don’t know and have never seen before in your life sticks up for you, saying that they never saw you do anything but browse. Whether you did or didn’t partake in the ol’ five-finger discount, the Erol’a winks as you exit the shop, and says under their breath that you’ve got a future in thievery. Case of mistaken identity, or flattery?
RANK 4
• The No-Bunce List: It looks like you’re about to be mugged by some tough-looking Arybar, but they take another look at you and seem to decide against it. For whatever reason, you’re on the no-touchy list for now.
RANK 5
• Justice Really IS Blind: You commit a small crime, and realize too late that a member of the Sentry is nearby. However, they don’t react, and merely look the other way - literally. You’ve got a pass, this time at least.
FAITH
RANK 1
• Whack-a-Priest: Punching a Ban Om priest in the face was probably a bad idea, but the guy startled you. Even after multiple heartfelt apologies - and a hefty donation for penance - you’re still going to get shunned by the Ban Om for the rest of the month.
RANK 2
• Chomp.: You did something to annoy an Inan, and it’s decided to make you its personal buffet. You’re exhausted for the next week as it stalks you and eats up energy until it decides the slight has been accounted for. Trying to chase it off or attack it will just give it more of a grudge to hold. Might as well just grin and bear it.
RANK 3
• Ask Me About My World: Some Tariken monks come to you asking for knowledge, and actually stop digging after a reasonable amount of time. To compensate you for your services, they provide you with a cobalt.
RANK 4
• Are You My Dad?: You come across an Arybar child who is clearly lost in the city, and deeply upset about it. After asking her for some information, she tells you what you need to know through her tears and you reunite her with her parents. Her father, a Tifauiti, wishes to reward you for your act of kindness, and holds a family dinner in your honor.
RANK 5
• Summer Beach Party!: Since the weather’s getting hot, you go down to the beach for a day to cool down in the surf. Turns out there’s a Tia-Cheal festival, and the participating Castians gleefully invite you to join in! Enjoy a day of good food and fun with your new friends.
COMMERCE
RANK 1
• Health & Safety: The nearby restaurant you were going to visit is having a spot of trouble proving that the selys in the kitchen wasn't a routine violation and no, the inspectors really did just pick the wrong time. You have nothing to do with this and could probably get out free, but if you step in to vouch and/or take the blame on yourself, you might be thanked. Or cursed. Hard to tell, really.
• NO TIPS: Did you forget to tip? Maybe you did, maybe you didn't, but a whole lot of waitstaff seem to be awfully grumpy with you. Did you cross an arcane etiquette boundary? Surely not with so many at once, right?
RANK 2
• Free Prunes!: Congratulations, you've won! What did you win? A month-long supply of that thing you literally never use! Too bad, if you aren't seen making use of it you're going to insult more than a few people. Gooooood luck!
• Community Chest: Especially if you live outside the Dreaming Bridge, isn't it your privilege to contribute monetarily to the betterment of your neighborhood? Don't you want to buy overpriced cookies to support good paving practices? Don't be silly, of course you do, if you don't want dirty looks for a solid month.
RANK 3
• I'll Pay You Back!: Someone you know in a friendly way, but perhaps not a long-term friend, is trying to get a business off the ground, and wants your help financing it. They'll pay you back double, they promise! It's something of a significant amount of money, though. And you may see double or even triple the amount of returns next month or the month after, if their business takes off; or you may never see that money again.
RANK 4
• Missed Decimal Point: Something you were expecting to be decently expensive turns out not to be. The person taking your money explains, a little sheepishly, that there had been an error in their pricing, now corrected, and it's really only this much more reasonable amount. Have a nice day!
RANK 5
• Something From Home: Sometimes, the things from Dreamfolks' worlds are snatched up and hoarded or sold for exorbitant prices. Not today. This little thing you recognize, as soon as you make the appropriate noises, is simply handed to you with the fond wish that you remember your home well, and perhaps come back and tell them stories about it...?
ARTS
RANK 1
• Bleak Abstraction: Strange pieces of art have been popping up around the city. They look like the usual abstract works many Dreamfolk from earth would be used to. Statues, paintings, sculpture - the usual. The odd thing however, is that there is something compelling about the works - crowds gather around them just to stare, sometimes for hours on end. And then they start seeing the world in abstractions which can most certainly lead to some precarious situations.
RANK 2
• The Peculiarity of Obsession: A surge of creative energy spurs you to work - though this is not at all like the usual ups and downs in the creative process. It is all consuming, hours tick by with you heedless of their passing. However you manage to produce your best work(s) ever, even if your health takes a hit.
RANK 3
• Galatea: You have utterly enchanted a rather famous artist. They have composed songs in your honour or built statues or painted painting in your likeness and yet they can’t seem to capture that certain je ne sais quois, and they’re constantly around pestering you to just sit for them for a few hours. On the other hand their fixations are known to be fleeting and this attention has boosted your own reputation.
RANK 4
• The Gift Horse: In the market there’s an art seller who pulls you aside to sell you a painting at a rather low price. Looking up the artist’s name, it should actually be selling in the thousands. If it isn’t a forgery, you could likely get rich pretty quick - if you can find the right fence for it.
RANK 5
• Paint With All the Colours of the Wind: Magic and art are not always the best combination, especially in a place where there isn’t a concrete line between dreams and reality. That said, when you stumble into a spot where the Dreaming is particularly potent, you find your ideas coming briefly, fleetingly to life, much to the delight of others, who may join in.
SCI-TECH
RANK 1
• Battery Degradation: You've only had your yimo for a few months at most, but it just won't hold a charge any longer. It doesn't matter which terminal you plug it into - not enough juice. You might get an hour a day of use out of the device, and the Opara Core techs are busy dealing with a slew of similar issues. It'll be a while until you get it back from being repaired.
RANK 2
• Terminal Fluctuation: Any time you use a stationary network terminal or your yimo this month, it's a bit… glitchy. Messages will still go through (though sometimes garbled), but the screen will freeze up or turn a strange array of colors at random intervals, like you're carrying around a static charge.
• Skyway Slowdown: Regular Skyway maintenance has disrupted your travel or commute. One section of the line is single-tracked for a few days, causing congestion and general irritability among your fellow travellers.
RANK 3
• App Mishap: A determined and enthusiastic engineer is working on developing a new app for the yimos to basically by Aifaran's version of My Fitness Pal, which she offers to you for testing. It's a neat idea and shows promise; unfortunately, the yimo isn't really designed for this kind of thing and the app is, well, seriously dysfunctional at the moment.
• Free Bookmark: In an effort to bring people to the libraries, staff volunteers are handing out free bookmarks with information such as locations, hours, and the kind of books housed in each building. It could be useful, if you're a big book reader. Otherwise it's just recycling.
RANK 4
• Pilot Project: One of your preferred places of patronage, or your residence if you've moved out of the Dreaming Bridge, is selected by the Opara Core to be home base for a pilot project to upgrade the power grid with a new, high-efficiency system. It's going to mean some construction, but the end result could transform energy usage in Aifaran (not to mention save you some money on your power bill).
RANK 5
• Total Techie: Something you said or did attracted the attention of an Opara engineer who then befriends you. If you've got any problems with your yimo or anything the Opara Core deals with, they'll see to it that your problems get resolved, and give you access to tech resources if you're working on your own project.
METAPHYSICS
RANK 1
• The Other Side of the Glass: The strange visions that have been plaguing Dreamfolk at the end of June and beginning of July may sometimes be seen faintly and fleetingly in reflective surfaces. The effect is jarring, often warping reflections of those more susceptible to magical influence.
RANK 2
• Reverse the Polarization: Unfortunately for a few people, it seems gravity is being a bit strange this month. One might find themselves walking to work along the side of the building or sleeping on the ceiling. When it strikes, it doesn’t last long, but it’s admittedly disconcerting.
RANK 3
• Dreaming in Dissonance: Just as gravity is a bit out of whack, it seems the Dreaming is having some spatial and temporal hiccups. These may sometimes work to your advantage however, as things may slow down when you’re running late, or you may find yourself on the other side of that long corridor in a blink of an eye.
RANK 4
• The Eternal Flame: Small explosions in Aisling Tower are nothing out of the ordinary but this one has people talking. Most of the resulting fire had been put out. Key word being most. There is a patch of it that doesn’t seem to be able to be extinguished. It burns bright, but doesn’t seem to be giving off heat, spreading, or, in fact, actually burning anything. You’re expertise in magical affairs has been challenged by several of the befuddled inhabitants of the tower to solve this bizarre magical mystery - where did it come from? How does it work? If you can get to the bottom of it, a prize may be in order.
RANK 5
• Storage Wars: Apparently some version of yourself has been through Aifaran before, some 25 years ago, and left quite a bit of stuff in storage. Congratulations! You are now in possession of a storage containment unit that contains quite a bit of ‘your’ stuff, including some antiques that will sell for a pretty price.