SHIFTING SANDS: A game of politics

[marsascending]

Who: Imeeji's Very Own Paloma and YOU!
Where: The Game Tower
When: 304

[ When you are brought to the Game Tower, you find it transformed into a truly lavish grand ballroom, with little nooks created for intimate conversations behind screens.

And there, in the middle of the room, is perhaps—a familiar figure? Although the little horns poking up through her hair might be new. That, and she's not wearing her usual headscarf. ]

Oh, it's good to be back! I promised I'd come visit soon, didn't I?

Don't make those faces. This is purely fun educational content. Today we're going to be doing a little bit of acting practice and learn a thing or two about politics. For today, I am Countess Lochaana of BARiTONES, your host at this grand salon, and you are my very important guests from all across this little world.

So let's get the fun started!

Comments

INSTRUCTIONS

[marsascending]

Influence and Blueprints
Each unit receives a starting amount of Influence—3 tokens of three different types, which can be used to accomplish goals. Each unit has a different set.

You'll also be given a "blueprint" that represents a large goal you need to complete in stages by spending Influence. Rather than use your personal skills to accomplish tasks, you use Influence—after all, you're far too important to not delegate authority!

The blueprint will require you to trade influence cards. The first half of the blueprint will be given at the beginning of the game, and the second half will be given either when you finish the first half or on the second day of the game. What is known is that each blueprint will require twelve influence tokens in total, of various types. If you complete your blueprint before the end of the game, you win!

Ad-Libbing
If you'd like to go off-script, e.g. the nation of BAD END=DEAD END decides via team conference that they are pivoting their national strategy from "become the most prominent mercantile nation" to "become very powerful militarily so they can crush sensitIV for sabotaging their plans" I will give you a new blueprint, but it will involve more influence than the original one would need.

Miscellaneous Actions
Influence may also be used to accomplish anything else that makes sense to do with it. This can be things such as sabotaging other units' plans, hiding blueprint accomplishments, or keeping personal skulduggery from the public eye, if you feel like you might become subject to sabotage or disgrace.

If you want to know if you can do a particular thing with your influence, ask your hostess!

Gaining Additional Influence
Up to 4 influence may be awarded per character for individual public feats that would garner them interest in a particular area, depending on how involved said feat is.

For example, doing a scientific presentation will award Science and/or Engineering influence, regardless of the factual quality of said presentation, since we're acting; holding a seance will give you Religion influence, and so on. If you have a question about what kind of Influence an action will garner, ask your host!

It says I'm a [PROFESSION], can I do [PROFESSION THING]? and also: a note on lying
Good question! If your role says you're a legitimate professional, then you can be assumed to be able to do that thing in-character. You don't receive any special powers for this game, it's just pretend. Come on. Work with me here.

That said: it wouldn't be an interesting drama if some people weren't hiding their true motives, right? So make sure and let me know if you think your problem is solved, or you've solved someone else's problem—because there may be extra surprises.

Are my powers on? Can I do a violence?
Your powers are on, you know, for funsies. That said, this is purely for fun, and we're at a very high class event, after all. Anyone that does anything untoward or uncouth will be ejected from the event and disqualified.

You can duel each other to things other than death or maiming and engage in physical contests, just don't try to kill each other on my watch, please.

Winning
Units that complete their blueprint will receive a win.

Additionally, units that have at least half their participating members accomplish their roleplaying goal will receive a win.

If an individual does something particularly above and beyond in the service of roleplaying their "character," they may also be awarded a win at the host's discretion.

UNIT ROOMS

[marsascending]

LiliS
sensitIV
pep!pep!
Taisho Roman Revolution
BAD END=DEAD END
future is now
WILD CITY
☆ZRAEL
Heart Soldier Senshi
AlcheME!
avante en garde
BARiTONES

TALK TO PALOMA

[marsascending]

[ she's here in the flesh and now that she's been freed of unit aesthetics she's dressed like an eldritch jellyfish as is her wont.

talk to her! ]

Re: TALK TO PALOMA

[bondsofsuffering]

Seems like I've seen you around a lot lately! Welcome back again?

[liarliarliar]

[a famous occultist is looking lovely and carrying a nice cane

he has set up a stack of books beside him and is wielding a quill--it's a book signing]

Please come and consider purchasing one of my latest works. Through intense study gained by worldly travels I have discovered much of the world beyond our own. Through the eyes of many other cultures I have unraveled the methods of seeing spirits, auras, and conducting rituals that bring good fortune and comfort to those who use them wisely. I spoke quite intensely to Jenni Nickleson, a woman of great renown with a library of knowledge at her hands beyond those most are accustom. From her in particular I learned many successful rituals which can be found in these pages.

For an additional fee you may also receive a personalized autograph.

[this is also B's attempt to get some extra Anthropology]

[worldlyafflictions]

((outfit))

Aha! Truly the anthropological curiosities of the world are always a fascinating. We've no shortage of scholarly material in this area in the nation of Peppep, but perhaps this is worth adding ta our libraries! What brought ya inta this area of study? Did I hear ya say Alcheme is more known for their engineers?

[bondsofsuffering]

[And here is a doctor looking fairly put together, if sans the wings and bird and much more. Pink.]

Hello, hello. I'm off duty, of course, but should anyone take ill, please don't hesitate to call for me. I do still have my supplies, after all. [Holding up a doctor's bag.]

Still, this is quite a lovely gathering, no?

[liarliarliar]

Your oaths don't go on vacation for even the finest of parties I see.

[nohalation]

[Angel is strolling through, in quite the ensemble (please imagine there are lights and shiny holo bits, I don't have enough time to find futuristic victorian fashion, forgiv me), long hair partially pulled up.

She is the governor of Future is Now land and she carries herself like she knows it.]

I am impressed. The host took some care to make sure that this event is a satisfactory level to those attending. We should thank the gracious host for such thoughtfulness.

[bondsofsuffering]

Splendid, isn't it?

[Hello, your good pink doctor is here!]

Even more impressive is that so many people were able to make the time to attend. I do hope your country is doing well?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Over here in the corner of this lavish ballroom, a well-known engineer has commandeered a table, and a tablecloth, and half-dozen chairs to serve as seating for an audience]

[Hurricane is in this today, with a few cardboard prototypes on a makeshift platform, some surprisingly not bad blueprints spread out on the table in front of him. And if he's decidedly paler than usual, and the dark smudges under his eyes are darker, well. It's almost masked by the smile]

Step right up, ladies and gents, for an opportunity like no other.

There something in your day-to-day life that's hard to handle? Wish you had a set of extra hands around to save the day?

Well, here's your chance to get your very own custom mechanical helper. You provide the specs and the funding, I do the heavy lifting. Couldn't be easier.

[PS, this is an attempt to earn some bonus Monetary Influence]

[liarliarliar]

Not badly done at all, perhaps we could come to some sort of arrangement! How good are these mechanizations at performing dark rituals? How far can they hurl curse laden eggs?

[nihilmancy]

[ Sekhmet is dressed quite well for the event, the dress in sensitIV pink, an effect just slightly ruined by the awkward way she carries herself, as if salon etiquette is something she is out of practice with. Still, she is looking energetic, smiling and talking animatedly, with many gestures. An Old-Fashioned Cocktail in a highball glass is in one hand, and a thick journal in her other. ]

It is so lovely to be here! Being a surveyor and explorer, I do not often find time in my schedule for such events.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Oh, yeah? A surveyor, huh?

[He's in this today, himself]

Who're your tools treating you lately?

[deicider]

[Cardinal is Dressed fancy. They fling their arms open to address those gathered at the opening of their truly avante garde art exhibition aka a door off to the side of the ballroom]

Greetings representatives from all twelve nations of our wonderful world! It is my hope that in these unprecedented times of harmony we can truly push the bounds of what is possible together. It is in this spirit of creative partnership that I have invented a new sort of art altogether, one that is guided not by the isolated ego of one but by our collective spirit!

[This is an ~experimental exhibition. Representatives from different nations are paired together and you have to paint something together.
You can handle pair-ups however you want; pretend Cardinal assigned you a partner or ICly hook up.]

[deicider]

[Cardinal will also be around to chat with or partnering themself up with people]

[backstory]

[ Leviathan is dressed up for the event. He's struggled a little with the monocle but has it in place. And he straight up gave up on trying to put a glove over his claw. At least he still looks fance...!

Anyway, he will smile and greet anyone who approaches him or comes near, with a polite bow. ]

Are you enjoying the party? Perhaps I can interest you in trying something new?

[ Inbetween his fingers are a number of vials. ]

I'm a botanist, you see. And I would love your input.

[liarliarliar]

Input you say? How so?

[asonoficeandfire]

[Duality is wallflowering off to the side, though he's very nicely dressed, and his hair is neatly tied in a low ponytail (because it is long enough for that now shhh).

he looks a little... pale? but that's probably just the lights in this room]

[bondsofsuffering]

Sir...? Are you quite alright? You look a little pale.

[overworker]

[Within the ballroom, the Foreign Minister of Bad End has made herself busy meeting and greeting all the guests that she can, a thick planner and notebook under one arm.. Including you.]

With my busy schedule, I couldn't be happier to be able to attend such an event. I hope that this will allow us the opportunity to extend diplomatic relations to all the participating nations.

[backstory]

Meeting those from neighboring countries is always a pleasure.

[ A polite bow ]

You look to be quite busy.

[mourningson]

[he's not dressed any differently from usual because he's BARiTONES. he holds no props, and keeps his arms crossed.]

If you're worth my time, make it known.

[crossmyheartandhope]

I mean, that'll depend on what you're trying to do with your time, yeah?

[He's in this today, looking decidedly paler than usual]

[gigadevilbreaker]

[Nero's dressed like he's from a noble background, but he really doesn't give a shit about propriety or putting on airs. All this splendor is just stuffy nonsense to him and he'd rather be slumming it.]

So... high society huh, that's so fuckin' boring. Anyone else? Where's the real shit at, the people who really make these countries run?

Y'know, the working man! Artisans and thinkers who're actually shaping shit around here instead of sitting up in their fancy ivory asses!

[liarliarliar]

You mean like culture?

[purrrnicious]

[Obviously the correct place for a Grand General is the chandelier. Because that's where she's climbing up to, reclining lazily in a spot that absolutely should not be comfortable but somehow she looks like she is, anyway.

And she's got a bottle of what looks like a dark alcohol, somehow.]

[marsascending]

[ eventually, at some point, she shows up on an upper-level balcony with her own drink in one hand. it's a paloma, naturally, garnished with a wedge of lime.

she can't walk on the ceiling but she can use the parts of the set dressing that are off-limits to players. ]

Cheers.

[composeur]

[ hello whoever you are, this eccentricly dressed artiste is just bounding up to you and GRABBING YOUR FACE out of nowhere.

if this isn't alarming enough he isn't even saying anything. i mean, not really. he's just pulling you down (or up) closer to him and going, ]

Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.....

[gigadevilbreaker]

Well aren't you sparkly today?

[420blazeit]

[ she's dressed in this and has dragged a table out to the center of the room. TWO TABLES, ACTUALLY. one of for standing on and one is for displaying an array of science-y looking things. there's a bunch of random test tubes filled with rainbow colored liquids and some are sparkly and some are not and just come on over and ooh and aah at it all please. BASICALLY she's got a lot of stuff that does a bunch of nothing BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT, it's just there to look cool[tm]. ]

Hello! My Name is D.Va, yes, ladies and gentlepeople you heard right, D.Va, that's absolutely with a capital D. Now, I know a lot of this scientific mumbo jumbo may scare a lot of you, but fear not, because I'm hear to explain anything and everything! If you've got a query please step forward and I'll do my best to sort it out. If you've got a problem, then there's almost nothing that me and my partner- [ points to hurricane. ] -can't solve, so please~ let me, no, let us help you!

[ this is for high society sponsors or underworld, whoever is willing to give this idiot attention. ]

[bad_crowmance]

How varied is your knowledge of science, anyhow?

[586]

[ he's a human at the moment and in this, sitting in the corner and scribbling in a notebook. ] If you've got something interested to share, a story about you or your nation, I'm looking for something to write about... [ the pen stops moving and he frowns. ] Nothing's been enough to spur my creativity though, and it's honestly a bit depressing... [ sighs. ]

[unbr8kable]

[Dressed like this with a pith helmet set low.]

...You're back. With absolute territory, even...

[bondsofsuffering]

[Clearing his throat to begin a presentation! There's a chart of human anatomy next to him.]

It has come to my attention that we may be sorely lacking in medical education around here, so if I may - I would like to go over a few common symptoms people tend to experience, and the best methods of treatment.

[Which he will do, pointing out the various parts of the body affected by each disease and virus. His presentation is in fact 100% factual too, so enjoy that little lesson.

Gettin some science cred here.]

[marsascending]

Oh, this is all very fascinating! Is this knowledge gained from working in the field, Doctor?

[liarliarliar]

[i gotta get science from somewhere so

This is a Science Fair Project like display explaining which eggs are best for absorbing what kinds of curses. Chicken eggs are the best all purpose egg but ducks specialize in remove curses related to finance, swans best for love, and geese for curses involving acts of violence

royalty please proceed straight to emu eggs as they need the larger eggs to contain the amount of dark energy sent in their direction

A second display explains the difference different sorts of ghosts please understand though its all WILDLY incorrect and actually just the information from the video game Phasmophobia

B has taken the time to illustrate the ghosts however in thick black ink doing his best spooky art work but it still looks like graffiti art more than scary stories to tell in the dark art

A third display is just ARE YOU LOOKING FOR LOVE with a sign up area because helping people find romance is the darkest magic and science of them all]

[marsascending]

[ chinhands ]

But which egg is your favorite.

[mourningson]

[time to throw away shame]

Who has a military? Politics, or perhaps, monetary...?

I have the means to procure anything if I try hard enough, so bring yourself to my feet.

[inspiteful]

Oh? You sound a little troubled.

[586]

[ he's sitting at a desk with a cup of coffee, hands folded in front of him and several art related stuff scattered around the table top. ]

[ the banner hanging off the front says: follow your heart. ]

Even if you try to silence the artist our art will continue to speak volumes!

[ presentation??? for some culture. ]

[marsascending]

Oh, and what is this, then?

[inspiteful]

[ There is a mysterious(???) gentleman dressed like a priest. Or someone's idea of a priest at any rate, if that person had a really vague conceptual understanding of Christianity. It'd explain the veil. ]

Goodness, there's quite a few people here.

[worldlyafflictions]

[...]

How influential would ya say ya are, religiously speaking.

[backstory]

A-Ahem.

[ Take two. ]

I would like to implore others for a little help. You see, SensitIV is a peace-loving nation that appreciates medicine and science. But for the sake of peace we really........ need a little help at the moment, for any nations that are better equipt at helping us with some challenges we have been facing recently.

If there is anyone willing to negotiate military aid or has some talent in dealing with the underworld, we would greatly appreciate your help in stopping the destruction of the wor-- I mean helping us better establish ourselves.

[ A-AHEM AHEM. ]

We can offer culture, politics, finance, as well as other talents we possess for your help in this endeavor.

Thank you.

[worldlyafflictions]

Ya'd probably be hard up ta find help on the underworld by asking out in the open like this, though I guess there's something ta be said for advertising...

[nutsandrevolts]

Ahem! Ah-hem!

I hear there's a slew 'o persnickitty wagons plaguing on unsuspectin' consumers! A design flaw, real cheaply made, a rush job, no good, no good. The wheel. . .

[DRAMATIC PAUSE]

Falls right off.

So! The fabulous godde–– er. Engineer, Moxie, is here to tell ya whatefore to do about it!

And all ya need is a doowhacky and a thingerjigjaggit.

[She brandishes what is probably just a wrench and a socket.]

First ya gotta remove the lug nuts offa the wheel so it'll come off the axel...

[And she goes on with an explanation of changing a tire probably a lot more applicable to modern vehicles than old wooden wagons.]

[marsascending]

Oh, what an impressive demonstration! I rarely see such skills shown off. Do you do this often?