PD Crew Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Plot creation process

2017-02-13T18:51:07Z

Bug: /* Stage 6 - Assigning NPCs */

==Overview==
This page is designed to help the writers - and everyone involved with creating and running plot at Empire understand what the process is and how it works.

Producing plot for a large game is a difficult process. With dozens of writers and 1500 participants, we need to have a single process for organizing costume, NPCs, props, ribbons for items, debriefs for NPCs. Ultimately the process is designed to help writers; otherwise when you come to run your plot requiring 40 NPCs to dress in Brass Coast costume for a quest - you will discover that all the NPCs are out, all the Brass Coast costume is out and all the quest slots are filled.

==Ethos==
The writer is central to the ethos for the writing and running plot at events. As a writer, the responsibility for ensuring that your plot has been approved and timetabled and the right costume, props, and ribbons are ready lies with you. We don't expect one person to do all these things, that isn't possible - members of the [[plot team]] and the [[plot organization]] are here to help with every stage - but the responsibility to ensure that it is done lies with the writer.

We've chosen this approach for several reasons. This approach will allow us to scale what we do to run more plot by adding more writers to our team over time. However it should also ensure that the key decisions taken about a plot, timing, budget, briefing, etc - are made by the writer who created it rather than by someone else. And finally it should mean that the writer is able to drive the plot process to ensure that their plot gets approved and run at events.

==Ten Steps==
We've divided the plot creation process into ten steps and laid them out in a rough sequential order for ease of reading. All of these stages will need addressing when a plot is created and run, but individual writers can work through the steps in the order that suits them best. Some writers like to buy a beautiful prop and create a plot around that; some writers will want to get the basics of their plot approved before spending time putting it on the wiki.

==Stage 1 - Write Some Plot==
Any member of crew who wants to get involved in writing plot for Empire events is welcome to do so. Experience can help, but it is far from essential and a good knowledge of the setting is likely to be just as useful as a decade of experience writing plot for other games. What is invaluable is to make sure that you read the plot [[style guide]] first. We hope that you will also find the [[plot tools]] useful for giving you ideas and showing you elements of the setting you can use to turn those ideas into plots.

You can work with anyone when you're writing your plot, especially other writers on the plot team, but it is essential to discuss your plot with Andy Rafferty and Matt Pennington. Your plot can't run until Matt and Andy are happy with it. Both have lots of experience creating plot for large events and Andy is the ultimate authority for questions about the Empire setting. The best way to get Matt is to email him, the best way to get Andy is to PM him or post on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmpirePlot/ Empire plot Facebook group]. If you have a skype account (or can make one) then you can grab both Matt and Andy on skype and discuss your plot with them. It is much better to discuss plot this way where possible, as you can quickly explain your plot and talk through any difficult elements.

Your plot '''must''' be approved before it can run at an event. To approve a plot we need to check that it is consistent with the existing setting - the campaign ''and'' the rules, and that it follows the plot style guidelines. It is good practice to chat to other members of the team about any unusual elements, new parts of the setting, new rules, etc as soon as possible. The earlier that we can give you feedback on your plot, the easier it will be to make sure that it is cleared without any problems.

==Stage 2 - Put it on the Wiki==
We have a single central platform for plot - the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empireplotwiki/Main_Page plot wiki]. Before you can attempt to run your plot at an event, you must have documented the plot on its own page on the plot wiki. You can't get final approval for any plot until this is done.

Most members of the plot team will be able to help you use the plot wiki. If you are having a technical problem then [mailto:aquarion@profounddecisions.co.uk Aquarion] (Nicholas Avenell) is the best person to talk to.

If you have not yet joined the plot team then you won't have access to the plot wiki yet. Just write your plot as a text document and discuss it with Matt and Andy; they will add it to the wiki once they're happy with it. You'll get access to the plot wiki once you've run a few pieces of plot at the events.

===NPC Stats===
You need to include stats for any NPCs or monsters that are needed for your plot. You can specify the individual skills an NPC has or just give a general description (e.g. 8 pt magician) to indicate the rough things you want. It is very rare in Empire for a plot to need an NPC to be particularly powerful but if it is essential then you must itemize their individual skills.

If you need stats for a monster for a quest or battle, then the best thing to do is to choose a standard creature from the bestiary on the plot wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a new creature, but if you do this then we will need to check it for consistency with the setting and to ensure the creature's stats are play balanced.

===Ribbons, Rituals and Items===
If your plot requires any game items, like magical items, potions, herbs, mana crystals, coins, resources or bourse resources, then you need to specify these on the page for your plot on the wiki. A sensible amount of resources to include for a small plot is equivalent to the amount of resources a player would get after one downtime; 10 ingots, 7 mana crytals, 14 herbs or 9 crowns. A bigger plot might include twice as many resources or substitute some resources for potions and magical items.

If your plot needs one or more magical items then the best thing to do is to pick suitable items from the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Magic_Items standard list] on the player wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a rare or unique item, but if you do this then you will have to specify clearly what you want the item to do.

There is a similar process to go through if your plot involves one or more [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Ritual_list rituals]. If the NPCs are performing a ritual, or have already done so, then the best thing to do is to pick suitable rituals from the standard list on the player wiki. If there is nothing suitable then you can create a new ritual, but as with magical items, you must specify clearly what the ritual will do.

If you need a new magical item or ritual then it will need to be approved by Graeme Jamieson, once Matt or Andy have indicated they are happy with what you want. If your plot requires special rules or new rituals or magical items then it can't run unless Graeme Jamieson and Nicholas Taylor are happy with it. You can contact them both by [mailto:empire.rules@profounddecisions.co.uk email] or by posting on the Empire plot facebook group. The earlier the refs know about a plot that requires special rules the better.

You can now make your own ribbons on the database - see [[How To Make Ribbons]] for more details. If your plot needs any kind of ribboned item, it help tremendously to create them on the system using the instructions on that page, and then put the resulting ribbon numbers into your plot document in the appropriate places. You will then be able to get them printed onto ribbons at the ref desk in GOD at the event.

===Divination Responses===
When your plot is in the field, it will be interrogated by the players. They will use the tools at their disposal, usually divination rituals, to find out more information about your plot. Rituals are handled by the field refs - who will process it and then radio the plot team for an answer. If you are available (in the plot room or on a radio) - then the plot team will pass the request to you. If you are not likely to be available to respond to a query then it you should add a note to your plot with the name of a member of plot team who can answer questions about. Otherwise the team will have to create a response to the ritual using the details provided in your plot brief.

It is well worth thinking about common divination rituals, when you are writing your plot. Creating good quality answers in advance will make it easy to handle queries on the day and improves the quality of the plot. Common Rituals that the players will cast to find out more are:

* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Swim_Leviathan's_Depth Swim Leviathan's Depth] - Allows them to ask Leviathan why something is happening.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis Bright Lantern of Ophis] - Allows them to analyze a magical effect.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/The_Eye_of_the_High_Places The Eye of the High Places] - Allows them to analyze magical effects in a large area.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Eyes_of_the_Sun_and_Moon Eyes of the Sun and Moon] - Tells them about military forces in a territory.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Shadowed_Glass_of_Sung Shadowed Glass of Sung] and [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Clear_Lens_of_the_Eternal_River Clear Lens of the Eternal River] - Analyze an area for clues. These rituals are most useful on a quest but might be used to explore any location or 'scene' where something has happened.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Skein_of_Years Skein of Years] - Explores the past history of a ribboned item.

===Special FX===
If your plot will benefit from special FX, then it is useful to identify this as early as possible. Of all the elements of plot, special FX are one of the most challenging to use - simply because of the potential dangers involved. Because of this, Adam Buxton is in charge of special FX at events and will make the final call on what needs ordering for an event and what can or can't be used on the day. Mark Nichols also has a lot of experience with special FX and can offer advice and help on the plot writers Facebook group before the event.

==Stage 3 - Timetabling your Plot==
You need to add your plot to the timetable for an event so that other members of the plot team know what plots are running and when. This allows us to plan our resources, like NPC allocation, appropriately. The timetable will be a google spreadsheet that all the writers and members of plot support have access to. The critical element when timetabling plot is to ensure that there are sufficient NPCs available.

NPCs on the timetable are allocated on a first come first served basis. It is best to get your plot written early so that you can add it to the timetable. If your plot needs NPCs but the timetable is already full, then you will have to wait until the next event to run the plot. If the plot requires a quest slot then you will need to indicate this by writing the plot against one of the available quest slots on the spreadsheet.

Your plot may not require any NPCs from the pool in the plot room. For example, there are existing NPCs that you may be able to make use of in your plot, such as the bards, civil servants, egregores, and magistrates. If this is the case then you can run your plot at any time, but it must still be timetabled, so that we can see when the plot is running. Please add it to the appropriate column on the spreadsheet and leave the NPC requirement blank.

You will need to make your best estimate of how many hours your NPCs will be out for. If your estimate is too short it will cause problems for other writers, but too long will mean your NPCs have nothing to do once they return to the plot room. Chessy (Michelle Taylor) is the best person from plot support to talk if you need help timetabling your plot.

We aim to run our skirmish quests back to back, so it helps considerably if quests that use similar antagonists are grouped together. This keeps the number of changes of make-up and costume to a minimum. To ensure that we get this right, if you are time-tabling a quest that needs members of the skirmish crew, then you must make-sure that you agree a time with Andy Connell first.

For more detailed instructions on filling in the plot timetable successfully, see [[Plot Timetable Instructions]].

===The One Hour Rule===
It takes around an hour to get a plot ready and out of the door. It will take less time than this if everything is going well, but it is very easy to lose time at an event. Finding the right NPCs for the role, finding the lost costume or props, printing the ribbons needed, going over the complex parts of the brief, all take time. For this reason whoever is briefing your plot (either you or the person who has agreed to brief the plot) needs to be in the plot room an hour before the plot is due to go out. You will need to be on hand to ensure the process goes smoothly until you have got all the NPCs ready and the brief sorted.

==Stage 4 - Costume and Props==
Profound Decisions have a large wardrobe of basic costume, including weapons and armour. If your plot needs specific costume or props then you will need to source these. The best place to try and do this is on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/243111769153902/ Empire sewing circle Facebook group]. This group contains capable volunteers who make costume for Profound Decisions as well as helping us source new items.

If we need to pay a professional to make an item then the starting point is to see if one of the existing professionals who work with Profound Decisions can do the job for you. Folks like Sean Maguire, Darren Stocker, Andy Rimmer, and Mandala all make weapons, Doug Strand makes leather goods and Rosemary Warner and Esther Reeves both make costume. If these people can't help then consider the traders who trade at our events, all of whom are likely to be helpful.

Each writer will be allocated their own budget by Matt Pennington. This budget is for the four Empire events for that year and it is up to you how you allocate it for the plots you are developing and running for that year. It will be allocated based on your track record of running plot at Empire - the more plot you run, the more budget you'll get. If you don't spend all your budget then you can carry it over to the next year.

The best people to talk to about our existing costume stores is Lizzie Upton (costumes) and Rachel Durrant (props). They can give you advice on what sort of costumes and props you might need, what they might need to look like and where to go to order them. You can contact them via the Facebook crew group.

If your plot would benefit from a custom monster costume, then you need to identify this as early as possible. We have a Facebook group for talking to some makers about custom props about large monster builds - [https://www.facebook.com/groups/388615284613025/ Empire creature needs]. Once you've discussed the plot with Matthew Pennington then he can advise on a budget and consult the facebook group for help and advice.

==Stage 5 - Makeup and Prosthetics==
Empire has a dedicated make-up team that is led by Vicki Stephenson. The team have an existing store of make-up and basic prosthetics and has experience making and ordering new prosthetics. If your plot requires only standard make-up, for example orcs or characters with lineage then the team will usually be able to handle this for you without much warning provided they are free. If your plot requires new prosthetics or a complex make-up job then it is essential that you talk to the team early about your needs if you want her team to be able to help you at the event.

With multiple writers, the make-up team are always in demand, but they are especially busy preparing for the big battles on Saturday and Sunday morning. It is essential to avoid time-tabling a complex make-up effect for this time unless you have special dispensation directly from the team to do so.

==Stage 6 - Assigning NPCs==
You can leave assigning NPCs to your plot to the day of the event. If you have timetabled your plot correctly then the NPCs you need should be ready to play the role at the appropriate time in the plot room. You can take them to one side, get them briefed, and then send them out.

If you want specific individuals to play NPC roles for you in one of your plots, then you'll need to chat to them to arrange that. We have a large pool of volunteers who NPC full time at events who are organized into teams of approximately five. If you need a small group of NPCs then you can chat to the team leader. If you just need one or two people then it is best to speak to them direct. It is wise to check that any individual you speak to has not agreed to be in another plot that is running at the same time.

Assigning NPCs in advance can be very effective. It means you can pick people who are familiar with the role or at least that part of the setting. You can give them the brief before the event, making things much quicker on the day and you may well find your plot benefits from allowing them to have some input and development on the role.

Kate 'Bug' Rogers is the best person from the team to provide help with assigning NPCs either in advance or on the day.

==Stage 7 - Briefing NPCs==
Your NPCs will need to be briefed before they can enact your plot. Written briefs are incredibly useful, as they provide invaluable documentation and help speed up briefing before the event and on the day. However you don't need to produce a full written brief if that is not your style, provided that your plot write up includes the essential details.

Experience has shown that plots work best when they are briefed by someone who knows the plot well. If you're not available to brief your NPCs, then you'll need to find a member of the plot team who can do that for you - and then take the time to go through the plot with them. There are some members of the plot team who specialize in briefing plot because they have good communication skills - talk to Steve Alonso if you are looking for someone who can provide help with briefing NPCs

==Stage 8 - Get a Ref==
If you are running a plot that has will demand regular support from a ref or needs a ref on hand to ensure that fighting is being handled safely then you need to get a ref. This is especially important if you are planning a quest, which is likely to involve any significant amount of combat. The ref desk is run by Nicholas Taylor, either Nicholas or Emma (who was organizing most our refs who were experienced at running skirmishes previously) can help you organize a ref to support your plot.

Refs are always in high demand at an event, so make sure you speak to them as early as possible to arrange who will be reffing your plot to ensure that they are available at the right time.

==Stage 9 - Debriefing NPCs==
When your NPCs return to the plot room they will be asked to put a debrief of their plot on to the plot wiki. The debriefs are added using the debrief button provided by the plot template which appears on your wiki page. If you need specific questions answered by the NPCs then you will need to ensure that you are there when the NPCs get back and debrief the plot.

For quests the Skirmish Team will provide an overall quest debrief in addition to any specific details provided by the NPCs

Debriefing is important because it allows us to track what plots ran and what the outcomes were. It is critically important for game consistency that we get good quality debriefs. Everyone involved in the plot process, writers, plot support, and NPCs should be aware of the importance of getting good debriefs.

==Stage 10 - Player Follow-up==
The Empire campaign specifically prohibits free text downtime - players are ''prohibited'' from trying to follow up a plot in downtime. It is worth bearing this in mind when writing a plot.

However there are things the players can do to chase a plot has left the field. The most common are:

* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Call_Winged_Messenger Call Winged Messenger] - Send a message to a named NPC.
* Create a missive to an Eternal - Send a message to a named Eternal which has provided them a way to do so - e.g. Missive to Sadogua.
** If the Eternal you are working with does not currently have a defined communication mechanism, and you want the players to be able to communicate with them, you will need to give one out with your plot - this might be an item that gives them a one-shot ability to send a message, an arcane projection which allows them to send a ritual message, or if you are confident that you will be able to support communication with this Eternal over the long term, a ritual text of such a ritual or a longer-duration item that lets them send multiple messages.

These requests will come to a field ref - who will process the request and then refer it back to the plot support team.

The plot support team will attempt to identify the plot writer best suited to deal with any player follow-up. Missives sent to eternals and letters sent to NPCs by winged messenger will be put in the post-board in plot. There is a box for each plot team where they can collect their post from. Unidentified plot will be added to a single box marked "unknown".

If you find a piece of plot follow-up in your box that is nothing to do with any of your plots, then please move it to the "unknown" box. Plot support will empty this box after the event and try to chase it up with the whole plot team using the Facebook writers group.

Players may also commission a [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Historical_research historical research] request through the Imperial Senate. This results in a report collated by NPC civil servants who spend the period between events trawling archives and libraries all over the Empire. Some research requests will find no useful information, but you may be asked to write a research request result related to one of your plots, or to provide enough details that someone else can write one. A research request is a useful tool because it allows you to help players drive your plot forward, and can be used to reveal additional information about the background; point to a quest or unexpected avenue to pursue the quest; or even provide leads to an entirely new plot, depending on the nature of the research.

==Contact Details==
* [https://www.facebook.com/Hobbes00uk Facebook Matt Pennington] or [mailto:matt@profounddecisions.co.uk matt@profounddecisions.co.uk]
* [https://www.facebook.com/andy.raff.1?fref=ts&ref=br_tf Facebook Andy Raff]

{{Plot Further Reading}}

Plot creation process

2017-02-13T18:50:35Z

Bug: /* Stage 5 - Makeup and Prosthetics */

==Overview==
This page is designed to help the writers - and everyone involved with creating and running plot at Empire understand what the process is and how it works.

Producing plot for a large game is a difficult process. With dozens of writers and 1500 participants, we need to have a single process for organizing costume, NPCs, props, ribbons for items, debriefs for NPCs. Ultimately the process is designed to help writers; otherwise when you come to run your plot requiring 40 NPCs to dress in Brass Coast costume for a quest - you will discover that all the NPCs are out, all the Brass Coast costume is out and all the quest slots are filled.

==Ethos==
The writer is central to the ethos for the writing and running plot at events. As a writer, the responsibility for ensuring that your plot has been approved and timetabled and the right costume, props, and ribbons are ready lies with you. We don't expect one person to do all these things, that isn't possible - members of the [[plot team]] and the [[plot organization]] are here to help with every stage - but the responsibility to ensure that it is done lies with the writer.

We've chosen this approach for several reasons. This approach will allow us to scale what we do to run more plot by adding more writers to our team over time. However it should also ensure that the key decisions taken about a plot, timing, budget, briefing, etc - are made by the writer who created it rather than by someone else. And finally it should mean that the writer is able to drive the plot process to ensure that their plot gets approved and run at events.

==Ten Steps==
We've divided the plot creation process into ten steps and laid them out in a rough sequential order for ease of reading. All of these stages will need addressing when a plot is created and run, but individual writers can work through the steps in the order that suits them best. Some writers like to buy a beautiful prop and create a plot around that; some writers will want to get the basics of their plot approved before spending time putting it on the wiki.

==Stage 1 - Write Some Plot==
Any member of crew who wants to get involved in writing plot for Empire events is welcome to do so. Experience can help, but it is far from essential and a good knowledge of the setting is likely to be just as useful as a decade of experience writing plot for other games. What is invaluable is to make sure that you read the plot [[style guide]] first. We hope that you will also find the [[plot tools]] useful for giving you ideas and showing you elements of the setting you can use to turn those ideas into plots.

You can work with anyone when you're writing your plot, especially other writers on the plot team, but it is essential to discuss your plot with Andy Rafferty and Matt Pennington. Your plot can't run until Matt and Andy are happy with it. Both have lots of experience creating plot for large events and Andy is the ultimate authority for questions about the Empire setting. The best way to get Matt is to email him, the best way to get Andy is to PM him or post on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmpirePlot/ Empire plot Facebook group]. If you have a skype account (or can make one) then you can grab both Matt and Andy on skype and discuss your plot with them. It is much better to discuss plot this way where possible, as you can quickly explain your plot and talk through any difficult elements.

Your plot '''must''' be approved before it can run at an event. To approve a plot we need to check that it is consistent with the existing setting - the campaign ''and'' the rules, and that it follows the plot style guidelines. It is good practice to chat to other members of the team about any unusual elements, new parts of the setting, new rules, etc as soon as possible. The earlier that we can give you feedback on your plot, the easier it will be to make sure that it is cleared without any problems.

==Stage 2 - Put it on the Wiki==
We have a single central platform for plot - the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empireplotwiki/Main_Page plot wiki]. Before you can attempt to run your plot at an event, you must have documented the plot on its own page on the plot wiki. You can't get final approval for any plot until this is done.

Most members of the plot team will be able to help you use the plot wiki. If you are having a technical problem then [mailto:aquarion@profounddecisions.co.uk Aquarion] (Nicholas Avenell) is the best person to talk to.

If you have not yet joined the plot team then you won't have access to the plot wiki yet. Just write your plot as a text document and discuss it with Matt and Andy; they will add it to the wiki once they're happy with it. You'll get access to the plot wiki once you've run a few pieces of plot at the events.

===NPC Stats===
You need to include stats for any NPCs or monsters that are needed for your plot. You can specify the individual skills an NPC has or just give a general description (e.g. 8 pt magician) to indicate the rough things you want. It is very rare in Empire for a plot to need an NPC to be particularly powerful but if it is essential then you must itemize their individual skills.

If you need stats for a monster for a quest or battle, then the best thing to do is to choose a standard creature from the bestiary on the plot wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a new creature, but if you do this then we will need to check it for consistency with the setting and to ensure the creature's stats are play balanced.

===Ribbons, Rituals and Items===
If your plot requires any game items, like magical items, potions, herbs, mana crystals, coins, resources or bourse resources, then you need to specify these on the page for your plot on the wiki. A sensible amount of resources to include for a small plot is equivalent to the amount of resources a player would get after one downtime; 10 ingots, 7 mana crytals, 14 herbs or 9 crowns. A bigger plot might include twice as many resources or substitute some resources for potions and magical items.

If your plot needs one or more magical items then the best thing to do is to pick suitable items from the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Magic_Items standard list] on the player wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a rare or unique item, but if you do this then you will have to specify clearly what you want the item to do.

There is a similar process to go through if your plot involves one or more [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Ritual_list rituals]. If the NPCs are performing a ritual, or have already done so, then the best thing to do is to pick suitable rituals from the standard list on the player wiki. If there is nothing suitable then you can create a new ritual, but as with magical items, you must specify clearly what the ritual will do.

If you need a new magical item or ritual then it will need to be approved by Graeme Jamieson, once Matt or Andy have indicated they are happy with what you want. If your plot requires special rules or new rituals or magical items then it can't run unless Graeme Jamieson and Nicholas Taylor are happy with it. You can contact them both by [mailto:empire.rules@profounddecisions.co.uk email] or by posting on the Empire plot facebook group. The earlier the refs know about a plot that requires special rules the better.

You can now make your own ribbons on the database - see [[How To Make Ribbons]] for more details. If your plot needs any kind of ribboned item, it help tremendously to create them on the system using the instructions on that page, and then put the resulting ribbon numbers into your plot document in the appropriate places. You will then be able to get them printed onto ribbons at the ref desk in GOD at the event.

===Divination Responses===
When your plot is in the field, it will be interrogated by the players. They will use the tools at their disposal, usually divination rituals, to find out more information about your plot. Rituals are handled by the field refs - who will process it and then radio the plot team for an answer. If you are available (in the plot room or on a radio) - then the plot team will pass the request to you. If you are not likely to be available to respond to a query then it you should add a note to your plot with the name of a member of plot team who can answer questions about. Otherwise the team will have to create a response to the ritual using the details provided in your plot brief.

It is well worth thinking about common divination rituals, when you are writing your plot. Creating good quality answers in advance will make it easy to handle queries on the day and improves the quality of the plot. Common Rituals that the players will cast to find out more are:

* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Swim_Leviathan's_Depth Swim Leviathan's Depth] - Allows them to ask Leviathan why something is happening.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis Bright Lantern of Ophis] - Allows them to analyze a magical effect.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/The_Eye_of_the_High_Places The Eye of the High Places] - Allows them to analyze magical effects in a large area.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Eyes_of_the_Sun_and_Moon Eyes of the Sun and Moon] - Tells them about military forces in a territory.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Shadowed_Glass_of_Sung Shadowed Glass of Sung] and [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Clear_Lens_of_the_Eternal_River Clear Lens of the Eternal River] - Analyze an area for clues. These rituals are most useful on a quest but might be used to explore any location or 'scene' where something has happened.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Skein_of_Years Skein of Years] - Explores the past history of a ribboned item.

===Special FX===
If your plot will benefit from special FX, then it is useful to identify this as early as possible. Of all the elements of plot, special FX are one of the most challenging to use - simply because of the potential dangers involved. Because of this, Adam Buxton is in charge of special FX at events and will make the final call on what needs ordering for an event and what can or can't be used on the day. Mark Nichols also has a lot of experience with special FX and can offer advice and help on the plot writers Facebook group before the event.

==Stage 3 - Timetabling your Plot==
You need to add your plot to the timetable for an event so that other members of the plot team know what plots are running and when. This allows us to plan our resources, like NPC allocation, appropriately. The timetable will be a google spreadsheet that all the writers and members of plot support have access to. The critical element when timetabling plot is to ensure that there are sufficient NPCs available.

NPCs on the timetable are allocated on a first come first served basis. It is best to get your plot written early so that you can add it to the timetable. If your plot needs NPCs but the timetable is already full, then you will have to wait until the next event to run the plot. If the plot requires a quest slot then you will need to indicate this by writing the plot against one of the available quest slots on the spreadsheet.

Your plot may not require any NPCs from the pool in the plot room. For example, there are existing NPCs that you may be able to make use of in your plot, such as the bards, civil servants, egregores, and magistrates. If this is the case then you can run your plot at any time, but it must still be timetabled, so that we can see when the plot is running. Please add it to the appropriate column on the spreadsheet and leave the NPC requirement blank.

You will need to make your best estimate of how many hours your NPCs will be out for. If your estimate is too short it will cause problems for other writers, but too long will mean your NPCs have nothing to do once they return to the plot room. Chessy (Michelle Taylor) is the best person from plot support to talk if you need help timetabling your plot.

We aim to run our skirmish quests back to back, so it helps considerably if quests that use similar antagonists are grouped together. This keeps the number of changes of make-up and costume to a minimum. To ensure that we get this right, if you are time-tabling a quest that needs members of the skirmish crew, then you must make-sure that you agree a time with Andy Connell first.

For more detailed instructions on filling in the plot timetable successfully, see [[Plot Timetable Instructions]].

===The One Hour Rule===
It takes around an hour to get a plot ready and out of the door. It will take less time than this if everything is going well, but it is very easy to lose time at an event. Finding the right NPCs for the role, finding the lost costume or props, printing the ribbons needed, going over the complex parts of the brief, all take time. For this reason whoever is briefing your plot (either you or the person who has agreed to brief the plot) needs to be in the plot room an hour before the plot is due to go out. You will need to be on hand to ensure the process goes smoothly until you have got all the NPCs ready and the brief sorted.

==Stage 4 - Costume and Props==
Profound Decisions have a large wardrobe of basic costume, including weapons and armour. If your plot needs specific costume or props then you will need to source these. The best place to try and do this is on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/243111769153902/ Empire sewing circle Facebook group]. This group contains capable volunteers who make costume for Profound Decisions as well as helping us source new items.

If we need to pay a professional to make an item then the starting point is to see if one of the existing professionals who work with Profound Decisions can do the job for you. Folks like Sean Maguire, Darren Stocker, Andy Rimmer, and Mandala all make weapons, Doug Strand makes leather goods and Rosemary Warner and Esther Reeves both make costume. If these people can't help then consider the traders who trade at our events, all of whom are likely to be helpful.

Each writer will be allocated their own budget by Matt Pennington. This budget is for the four Empire events for that year and it is up to you how you allocate it for the plots you are developing and running for that year. It will be allocated based on your track record of running plot at Empire - the more plot you run, the more budget you'll get. If you don't spend all your budget then you can carry it over to the next year.

The best people to talk to about our existing costume stores is Lizzie Upton (costumes) and Rachel Durrant (props). They can give you advice on what sort of costumes and props you might need, what they might need to look like and where to go to order them. You can contact them via the Facebook crew group.

If your plot would benefit from a custom monster costume, then you need to identify this as early as possible. We have a Facebook group for talking to some makers about custom props about large monster builds - [https://www.facebook.com/groups/388615284613025/ Empire creature needs]. Once you've discussed the plot with Matthew Pennington then he can advise on a budget and consult the facebook group for help and advice.

==Stage 5 - Makeup and Prosthetics==
Empire has a dedicated make-up team that is led by Vicki Stephenson. The team have an existing store of make-up and basic prosthetics and has experience making and ordering new prosthetics. If your plot requires only standard make-up, for example orcs or characters with lineage then the team will usually be able to handle this for you without much warning provided they are free. If your plot requires new prosthetics or a complex make-up job then it is essential that you talk to the team early about your needs if you want her team to be able to help you at the event.

With multiple writers, the make-up team are always in demand, but they are especially busy preparing for the big battles on Saturday and Sunday morning. It is essential to avoid time-tabling a complex make-up effect for this time unless you have special dispensation directly from the team to do so.

==Stage 6 - Assigning NPCs==
You can leave assigning NPCs to your plot to the day of the event. If you have timetabled your plot correctly then the NPCs you need should be ready to play the role at the appropriate time in the plot room. You can take them to one side, get them briefed, and then send them out.

If you want specific individuals to play NPC roles for you in one of your plots, then you'll need to chat to them to arrange that. We have a large pool of volunteers who NPC full time at events who are organized into teams of approximately five. If you need a small group of NPCs then you can chat to the team leader. If you just need one or two people then it is best to speak to them direct. It is wise to check that any individual you speak to has not agreed to be in another plot that is running at the same time.

Assigning NPCs in advance can be very effective. It means you can pick people who are familiar with the role or at least that part of the setting. You can give them the brief before the event, making things much quicker on the day and you may well find your plot benefits from allowing them to have some input and development on the role.

Katie Prior is the best people from the team to provide help with assigning NPCs either in advance or on the day.

==Stage 7 - Briefing NPCs==
Your NPCs will need to be briefed before they can enact your plot. Written briefs are incredibly useful, as they provide invaluable documentation and help speed up briefing before the event and on the day. However you don't need to produce a full written brief if that is not your style, provided that your plot write up includes the essential details.

Experience has shown that plots work best when they are briefed by someone who knows the plot well. If you're not available to brief your NPCs, then you'll need to find a member of the plot team who can do that for you - and then take the time to go through the plot with them. There are some members of the plot team who specialize in briefing plot because they have good communication skills - talk to Steve Alonso if you are looking for someone who can provide help with briefing NPCs

==Stage 8 - Get a Ref==
If you are running a plot that has will demand regular support from a ref or needs a ref on hand to ensure that fighting is being handled safely then you need to get a ref. This is especially important if you are planning a quest, which is likely to involve any significant amount of combat. The ref desk is run by Nicholas Taylor, either Nicholas or Emma (who was organizing most our refs who were experienced at running skirmishes previously) can help you organize a ref to support your plot.

Refs are always in high demand at an event, so make sure you speak to them as early as possible to arrange who will be reffing your plot to ensure that they are available at the right time.

==Stage 9 - Debriefing NPCs==
When your NPCs return to the plot room they will be asked to put a debrief of their plot on to the plot wiki. The debriefs are added using the debrief button provided by the plot template which appears on your wiki page. If you need specific questions answered by the NPCs then you will need to ensure that you are there when the NPCs get back and debrief the plot.

For quests the Skirmish Team will provide an overall quest debrief in addition to any specific details provided by the NPCs

Debriefing is important because it allows us to track what plots ran and what the outcomes were. It is critically important for game consistency that we get good quality debriefs. Everyone involved in the plot process, writers, plot support, and NPCs should be aware of the importance of getting good debriefs.

==Stage 10 - Player Follow-up==
The Empire campaign specifically prohibits free text downtime - players are ''prohibited'' from trying to follow up a plot in downtime. It is worth bearing this in mind when writing a plot.

However there are things the players can do to chase a plot has left the field. The most common are:

* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Call_Winged_Messenger Call Winged Messenger] - Send a message to a named NPC.
* Create a missive to an Eternal - Send a message to a named Eternal which has provided them a way to do so - e.g. Missive to Sadogua.
** If the Eternal you are working with does not currently have a defined communication mechanism, and you want the players to be able to communicate with them, you will need to give one out with your plot - this might be an item that gives them a one-shot ability to send a message, an arcane projection which allows them to send a ritual message, or if you are confident that you will be able to support communication with this Eternal over the long term, a ritual text of such a ritual or a longer-duration item that lets them send multiple messages.

These requests will come to a field ref - who will process the request and then refer it back to the plot support team.

The plot support team will attempt to identify the plot writer best suited to deal with any player follow-up. Missives sent to eternals and letters sent to NPCs by winged messenger will be put in the post-board in plot. There is a box for each plot team where they can collect their post from. Unidentified plot will be added to a single box marked "unknown".

If you find a piece of plot follow-up in your box that is nothing to do with any of your plots, then please move it to the "unknown" box. Plot support will empty this box after the event and try to chase it up with the whole plot team using the Facebook writers group.

Players may also commission a [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Historical_research historical research] request through the Imperial Senate. This results in a report collated by NPC civil servants who spend the period between events trawling archives and libraries all over the Empire. Some research requests will find no useful information, but you may be asked to write a research request result related to one of your plots, or to provide enough details that someone else can write one. A research request is a useful tool because it allows you to help players drive your plot forward, and can be used to reveal additional information about the background; point to a quest or unexpected avenue to pursue the quest; or even provide leads to an entirely new plot, depending on the nature of the research.

==Contact Details==
* [https://www.facebook.com/Hobbes00uk Facebook Matt Pennington] or [mailto:matt@profounddecisions.co.uk matt@profounddecisions.co.uk]
* [https://www.facebook.com/andy.raff.1?fref=ts&ref=br_tf Facebook Andy Raff]

{{Plot Further Reading}}

The Hundred

2016-04-10T16:20:02Z

Bug:

<IC>Want to join us? We are the Centuria - a hundred warriors who fight against a thousand. No horn sounds for battle that we do not take the field. But we swear that whenever the Empire sets foot upon the field of battle we will match them boot for boot, blade for blade. We are slain but never die, defeated but never beaten, our banners are captured but never fall. We will become war.</IC>

==Overview==
The Skirmish team are one of the most essential parts of Empire. Our game is built around the concept of exciting, dramatic battles against the enemies of the Empire - but we need scores of capable LRPers able to fill those roles. We need a kick-ass team of fighters to make the fights feel epic. Our ultimate goal is to build an elite team who can convincingly portray every threat the Empire might face - monstrous creatures summoned from the realms, elite Jotun heroes, disciplined units of Faraden soldiers, rampaging minions of the Thule or the devious Druj.

Although we encourage the other crew to help with the numbers needed for the large battles, the key roles go to the skirmish team - it's down to them to give the leadership needed to make the whole experience immersive and fun for all participants.

The Skirmish High Command (Richard Loveday, James Crollie, Emma Woods) are responsible for organizing and deploying the skirmish team at the event.

'''We are looking for one hundred members of crew to join the skirmish team.'''

==The Goal==
The vision is to have the most effective, adaptable and experienced combat crew ever at larp. We know it will take time and dedication, from all involved, so anyone who is a part of the team will be encouraged to share their thoughts on how we can get there! The more input we can get from the team - at every level - the better it will be.

The team has a budget to purchase any materials and kit that we feel will help us run the most fun, emotive, dramatic and challenging skirmishes possible, so those conversations about ‘wouldn’t it be nice if we had x’ are now, what shall we get first! All members of the team will be encouraged to help out planning what to get next and helping to create it.

So please keep reading for the specifics of what will be involved. We fully acknowledge that it will require dedication from our team, especially at the beginning while we are still building, but if you want to help build and be a part of the coolest team in Empire then please get in touch!
{{CaptionedImage|file=Easter2013SundayBattle.jpg|caption=Skirmish team in action|width=450px|align=right}}
==What is Involved==
There will be plenty of fighting, so it's essential that you're enthusiastic about LRP fighting! Hard skills, roleplaying and fighting are really useful, but experience is not essential. You'll soon get plenty of practice at the events and we hope to have opportunities to drill and train as well. Most of the core hard work takes place during daylight at the event, so you will get evenings off, but there are opportunities for night-time encounters as well.

Being part of the skirmish team isn't just about fighting, you can help us create the visual look and feel for the elite units the Empire faces. It's down to the skirmish team to create the individual characters that bring the plots and campaign to life.

We are aiming to create a fun environment, with interesting fighting, and the chance to get involved in other areas of the game. We want to have a great crew area, where you will be able to relax and unwind and share tales of the days exploits and dramatic game enhancing combat and glorious deaths!

It will be hard work to start, but as the regular crew grows we will be able to offer more time ‘off’ where you can play more roleplay orientated roles, play your character (see below), or just relax around the crew camp (or in the evening around a fire), or get involved and many other areas of the game.

We are asking for the following from our skirmish team:
*To fight in battles, skirmishes and quests. You will have the opportunity to get involved in other parts of crewing (the more crew we get, the more time you will have to do other things (so tell your friends), but your primary responsibility will be to be available for the conflicts.
*To help build the team into the most effective fighting force larp has ever seen! This could involve taking part in combat practice/drills when time allows as well as the opportunities for fighting practice the skirmishes and quests will involve!
*Your dedication to make this happen and the understanding that it will take time and hard work to bring to fruition.
*We will need to know you will be available for most skirmishes. Once the crew is at full strength then we may not always need everyone but we want to prove a rewarding and adaptive combat experience to the players, where they have choice in what fights they attempt - even at very short notice!

==What you Get==
*'''Free event ticket'''
*'''Meal vouchers for every meal valid usable at all the onsite caterers'''
*'''Free soft drinks at the bar and hot and cold drinks in the crew area'''
*'''Time off to spend with friends'''
All Empire crew get free entry, but you also get vouchers for your meals which you can use with with any of the caterers onsite. There are free soft drinks for crew in the bar and free hot and cold drinks in the crew area throughout the event.

Most of the skirmishes stop in the evening, so you'll have some time-off if you want to join your friends in the field for a few hours to soclialize. If you're going into the IC field then you should think of a basic character and wear some appropriate costume so that you can be part of the game. You won't have any skills or a resource, but you can get a handful of rings from the skirmish team organizer if you want to buy a drink from the IC tavern. Although you don't have any skills you will need to follow all the normal rules for Empire characters, you can't go onto the IC field during time-in unless you are in-character.

If you want to roleplay something - as a break - that is a bit less hitty and a bit more plot and roleplay orientated when you're not needed for Skirmish crew duties, then ask in the monster tent - there are usually fun NPC roles that we are sending out that you can play rather than playing a 0pt background character.

==What to Bring==
As with the players turning up to monster, we request that all skirmish crew provide their own a neutral base layer, being;

* Plain trousers – ideally linen or cotton trousers which allow you suitable movement for fighting in battle and which will keep you warm and dry quickly. However, plain jogging bottoms are fine, as well as being quite warm and quite cheap. Combats are a poor choice as they are hard to hide on some of the kit briefs and they are too modern for Empire’s setting.

* Plain long sleeve top or tunic – it needs to be long sleeve to cover the human flesh colour arms when playing an orc. If the only long sleeve top you have is a T shirt that will be fine, so long as it is plain.

* safe foot wear – boots are generally the field preference, plain dark boots are fine and can be covered. The biggest thing here is safety, you will be fighting in the woods and possibly in a lot of mud. Trainers are generally frowned not just because they do not look good, but they will get very wet very quickly.

* Thermals – this isn’t a requirement, but if you talk to anyone one on the field they would suggest that a thermal layer is a life saver.

* A cloak – there are times that you will not be fighting, either sat around monster, getting food or even wandering on to the field. A cloak will keep you warm, dry-ish and means you are pretty much field ready once your orc mask comes off.

* Weapons – if you have a weapon then we would generally ask that you bring one. It’s the same request as to the players that monster and as you can appreciate we have a limited amount. There will be opportunity to try different weapons during the game, if you wish and the plot allows.

A quick note on colour; generally green, blue or red should be avoided for the basic layer as these are tribe colours, but if this is all that you have then that will be fine.

You might want to have a couple of base layers to change into during the event.

===Additional extras===
The basic Orc costume is a coloured tunic over the (above) base layers, the orc breast plate, a snood, a mask and gloves. If you wish to improve your own kit and make items for your own sole use then the following are the best places to start;

* Tunics - We have a limited number of tunics for each tribe, based on the tribe colouring, but if you want to make your own (which therefore will not be worn by anyone else), there is a great tutorial [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/How_to_make_a_t-tunic here] and [http://%20https://www.facebook.com/jack.slack/media_set?set=a.10151443701199809.563325.560834808&type=3%20 here] is an example of how to make an orc costume for £10. As you have hopefully [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Barbarians read] there are three main tribes, the Druj (dark green), the Thule (navy blue) and the Joten (red). There will be the Grendel in due course.

* Armour – Profound Decisions has purchased breastplates and these are a specifically for the orc tribes. However, if you have any additional armour that would be appropriate, such as chain maile, and wish to wear that then please bring it to be worn as the plot allows. The standard amour rules apply.

* War- skirt - Profound Decisions has purchased a large amount of leather and are in the process of making a number of items including war-skirts. however if you already own one, or wish to use the leather to make one to use at Empire, a war skirt can also help add to the overall look. Please note that the war skirt should be neutrally coloured, hessian and brown fabrics are a good choice and will allow a further top layer to be applied if appropriate for each tribe in due course.

* Snood / head cover – we have a number of orcish flesh coloured snoods made out of stockinette. Again if you want to not have to share these with other fellow larp’ers a roll of stockinette is quite cheap and also works to cover arms / legs.

If you have any specific questions, the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/161719330667810/ Skirmish Krew facebook group] is a great place to start and to also talk to other crew members.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Easter2013MondayBattle.jpg|caption=Empire Skirmish|width=900px|align=center}}
[[Category:Crew]]

The Hundred

2016-04-10T16:19:43Z

Bug:

The Hundred

2016-04-10T16:19:00Z

Bug:

<IC>Want to join us? We are the Centuria - a hundred warriors who fight against a thousand. No horn sounds for battle that we do not take the field. But we swear that whenever the Empire sets foot upon the field of battle we will match them boot for boot, blade for blade. We are slain but never die, defeated but never beaten, our banners are captured but never fall. We will become war.</IC>

==Overview==
The Skirmish team are one of the most essential parts of Empire. Our game is built around the concept of exciting, dramatic battles against the enemies of the Empire - but we need scores of capable LRPers able to fill those roles. We need a kick-ass team of fighters to make the fights feel epic. Our ultimate goal is to build an elite team who can convincingly portray every threat the Empire might face - monstrous creatures summoned from the realms, elite Jotun heroes, disciplined units of Faraden soldiers, rampaging minions of the Thule or the devious Druj.

Although we encourage the other crew to help with the numbers needed for the large battles, the key roles go to the skirmish team - it's down to them to give the leadership needed to make the whole experience immersive and fun for all participants.

The Skirmish High Command (Richard Loveday, James Crollie, Emma Woods) are responsible for organizing and deploying the skirmish team at the event.

'''We are looking for one hundred members of crew to join the skirmish team.'''

==The Goal==
The vision is to have the most effective, adaptable and experienced combat crew ever at larp. We know it will take time and dedication, from all involved, so anyone who is a part of the team will be encouraged to share their thoughts on how we can get there! The more input we can get from the team - at every level - the better it will be.

The team has a budget to purchase any materials and kit that we feel will help us run the most fun, emotive, dramatic and challenging skirmishes possible, so those conversations about ‘wouldn’t it be nice if we had x’ are now, what shall we get first! All members of the team will be encouraged to help out planning what to get next and helping to create it.

So please keep reading for the specifics of what will be involved. We fully acknowledge that it will require dedication from our team, especially at the beginning while we are still building, but if you want to help build and be a part of the coolest team in Empire then please get in touch!
{{CaptionedImage|file=Easter2013SundayBattle.jpg|caption=Skirmish team in action|width=450px|align=right}}
==What is Involved==
There will be plenty of fighting, so it's essential that you're enthusiastic about LRP fighting! Hard skills, roleplaying and fighting are really useful, but experience is not essential. You'll soon get plenty of practice at the events and we hope to have opportunities to drill and train as well. Most of the core hard work takes place during daylight at the event, so you will get evenings off, but there are opportunities for night-time encounters as well.

Being part of the skirmish team isn't just about fighting, you can help us create the visual look and feel for the elite units the Empire faces. It's down to the skirmish team to create the individual characters that bring the plots and campaign to life.

We are aiming to create a fun environment, with interesting fighting, and the chance to get involved in other areas of the game. We want to have a great crew area, where you will be able to relax and unwind and share tales of the days exploits and dramatic game enhancing combat and glorious deaths!

It will be hard work to start, but as the regular crew grows we will be able to offer more time ‘off’ where you can play more roleplay orientated roles, play your character (see below), or just relax around the crew camp (or in the evening around a fire), or get involved and many other areas of the game.

We are asking for the following from our skirmish team:
*To fight in battles, skirmishes and quests. You will have the opportunity to get involved in other parts of crewing (the more crew we get, the more time you will have to do other things (so tell your friends), but your primary responsibility will be to be available for the conflicts.
*To help build the team into the most effective fighting force larp has ever seen! This could involve taking part in combat practice/drills when time allows as well as the opportunities for fighting practice the skirmishes and quests will involve!
*Your dedication to make this happen and the understanding that it will take time and hard work to bring to fruition.
*We will need to know you will be available for most skirmishes. Once the crew is at full strength then we may not always need everyone but we want to prove a rewarding and adaptive combat experience to the players, where they have choice in what fights they attempt - even at very short notice!

==What you Get==
*'''Free event ticket'''
*'''Meal vouchers for every meal valid usable at all the onsite caterers'''
*'''Free soft drinks at the bar and hot and cold drinks in the crew area'''
*'''Time off to spend with friends'''
All Empire crew get free entry, but you also get vouchers for your meals which you can use with with any of the caterers onsite. There are free soft drinks for crew in the bar and free hot and cold drinks in the crew area throughout the event.

Most of the skirmishes stop in the evening, so you'll have some time-off if you want to join your friends in the field for a few hours to soclialize. If you're going into the IC field then you should think of a basic character and wear some appropriate costume so that you can be part of the game. You won't have any skills or a resource, but you can get a handful of rings from the skirmish team organizer if you want to buy a drink from the IC tavern. Although you don't have any skills you will need to follow all the normal rules for Empire characters, you can't go onto the IC field during time-in unless you are in-character.

If you want to roleplay something - as a break - that is a bit less hitty and a bit more plot and roleplay orientated when you're not needed for Skirmish crew duties, then ask in the monster tent - there are usually fun NPC roles that we are sending out that you can play rather than playing a 0pt background character.

==What to Bring==
As with the players turning up to monster, we request that all skirmish crew provide their own a neutral base layer, being;

* Plain trousers – ideally linen or cotton trousers which allow you suitable movement for fighting in battle and which will keep you warm and dry quickly. However, plain jogging bottoms are fine, as well as being quite warm and quite cheap. Combats are a poor choice as they are hard to hide on some of the kit briefs and they are too modern for Empire’s setting.

* Plain long sleeve top or tunic – it needs to be long sleeve to cover the human flesh colour arms when playing an orc. If the only long sleeve top you have is a T shirt that will be fine, so long as it is plain.

* safe foot wear – boots are generally the field preference, plain dark boots are fine and can be covered. The biggest thing here is safety, you will be fighting in the woods and possibly in a lot of mud. Trainers are generally frowned not just because they do not look good, but they will get very wet very quickly.

* Thermals – this isn’t a requirement, but if you talk to anyone one on the field they would suggest that a thermal layer is a life saver.

* A cloak – there are times that you will not be fighting, either sat around monster, getting food or even wandering on to the field. A cloak will keep you warm, dry-ish and means you are pretty much field ready once your orc mask comes off.

* Weapons – if you have a weapon then we would generally ask that you bring one. It’s the same request as to the players that monster and as you can appreciate we have a limited amount. There will be opportunity to try different weapons during the game, if you wish and the plot allows.

A quick note on colour; generally green, blue or red should be avoided for the basic layer as these are tribe colours, but if this is all that you have then that will be fine.

You might want to have a couple of base layers to change into during the event.

===Additional extras===
The basic Orc costume is a coloured tunic over the (above) base layers, the orc breast plate, a snood, a mask and gloves. If you wish to improve your own kit and make items for your own sole use then the following are the best places to start;

* Tunics - We have a limited number of tunics for each tribe, based on the tribe colouring, but if you want to make your own (which therefore will not be worn by anyone else), there is a great tutorial [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/How_to_make_a_t-tunic here] and [http://%20https://www.facebook.com/jack.slack/media_set?set=a.10151443701199809.563325.560834808&type=3%20 here] is an example of how to make an orc costume for £10. As you have hopefully [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Barbarians read] there are three main tribes, the Druj (dark green), the Thule (navy blue) and the Joten (red). There will be the Grendel in due course.

* Armour – Profound Decisions has purchased breastplates and these are a specifically for the orc tribes. However, if you have any additional armour that would be appropriate, such as chain maile, and wish to wear that then please bring it to be worn as the plot allows. The standard amour rules apply.

* War- skirt - Profound Decisions has purchased a large amount of leather and are in the process of making a number of items including war-skirts. however if you already own one, or wish to use the leather to make one to use at Empire, a war skirt can also help add to the overall look. Please note that the war skirt should be neutrally coloured, hessian and brown fabrics are a good choice and will allow a further top layer to be applied if appropriate for each tribe in due course.

* Snood / head cover – we have a number of orcish flesh coloured snoods made out of stockinette. Again if you want to not have to share these with other fellow larp’ers a roll of stockinette is quite cheap and also works to cover arms / legs.

If you have any specific questions, the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/161719330667810/ Skirmish Krew facebook group] is a great place to start and to also talk to other crew members.

{{CaptionedImage|file=Easter2013MondayBattle.jpg|caption=Empire Skirmish|width=900px|align=center}}
[[Category:Crew]]

Plot team

2015-11-11T17:47:00Z

Bug: /* Overview */

==Overview==
The plot team at Empire consists of everyone who writes plot for Empire. Joining plot team is simply a matter of writing some plot that fits with our [[Plot_style_guide|existing guidelines]].

What is a plot writer?
A plot writer is part of the plot team - you will collaborate with Matt and Andy to create your plot and then you run it out at the event.

Our plot team is actually a group of writers rather than a single team. While it can be fantastically helpful for groups of writers to work together on some projects, we deliberately discourage everyone from trying to work together on everything because of the logistical difficulties in organizing a large group and the creative challenges of trying to create good plot when different writers have different views on what the plot should be. This page is all about how we organize and operate our plot team.

==Editorial Approach==
Ultimately editorial control of the Empire campaign setting and the plot we run rests with Matt Pennington and Andy Raff. Andy is in charge of the Empire campaign and Matt is in charge of the game itself. Together we decide what plot can run, what new elements can be added to the setting and so forth. You can't run a plot at the events unless Matt and Andy are happy with it.

The best way to approach this is to work with Matt or Andy or both of us on the development of your plot ideas. We will give you feedback, discuss your ideas with you and make suggestions on how you can develop it. Experience has proved that if you can't work with us to develop your plot - then ultimately the whole process of writing plot for Empire will be too painful for everyone involved to make it worth the effort. This is nothing to do with being a good writer or a bad writer - it's purely because me and Andy are the editors for Empire and if you don't enjoy working with us to develop plot then it isn't going to work well being a team together. Good plot writers are always in demand, so if you don't enjoy working with us on your plot ideas then it's better to run your own events, either as Empire player events or in other settings.

Your plot only needs to be acceptable to Matt and Andy - other writers ''do not'' have any say in what plot you can run. We are very keen to avoid the lowest common denominator problems inherent in any design by commmittee, so provided Matt and Andy are happy with your plot then they will strongly discourage criticism from other writers.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Yoda1.jpg|align=right|width=750px}}
==Lead Writers==
In some cases a plot writer will do a lot of work on a tightly defined area of plot - giving them a very solid grounding in that area. When this happens we'll let other writers know that that member of the team is the lead writer for that topic. Being the lead writer does not grant editorial control, your plot still needs to meet the approval of Matt and Andy to run at an event. But it does mean that we think you will find it useful to talk to that member of the team about plot you are thinking of running. They can quickly bring you up to speed with the latest developments in that area and help you ensure that you are not attempting to write plot that conflicts with what has already gone.

Matt or Andy may choose to discuss a plot with the lead writer for that area before they make a final decision on whether to approve it or not.

==More than just Writers==
The basic assumption when you write plot is that you will be on hand to run the plot out. This means getting everything ready for the plot to go out and then briefing your NPCs and debriefing them again when they come back. Although we have a plot support team on hand to help you with anything you need help with, we are close to capacity. For this reason we don't accept plot submissions from individuals who simply want to submit the plot and then not be a part of the team that runs the plot out. If you want to join our existing plot team then that includes the responsibility for getting the plot out.

==Joining the Team==
Lots of people often ask about joining plot team - but the truth is that we're always keen with people who want to actually write and run plot at our events. You don't have to apply, you don't have to get approved - you just have to write something! Submit a piece of plot to us and if we agree you can run it and you want to write more then you're part of the team.

You don't have to produce a complex piece of detailed plot at first - in fact it's better if you don't. Rather talk to Matt and Andy as early as you can about your idea(s). We'll give you feedback and encourage you to develop the best of them into written plots following the existing guidelines. Once you've written up and run a few plots then we'll give you access to the plot wiki and add you to the Empire plot writers facebook group. But what you absolutely have to do to be a part of the writing team is to write something.


{{Plot Further Reading}}

NPC costume

2015-09-25T20:19:09Z

Bug: /* Overview */

==Overview==
We are working to equip our NPC team with the best costume and kit we can. Inevitably this is a long process that takes time and of course, money. The ideal way to get the best possible results is to work with our crew - trying to kit out a character from scratch is particularly difficult, the best person to put a costume together is the person who will be wearing it. In particular, many of our crew are able to make beautiful costumes and others are happy to buy pieces of kit for a character they are going to play. We want to encourage all of these approaches and help support with costs wherever we can.

Whatever you buy or make under any of these arrangements is your personal costume - we expect you to take it home and use it as you would any other kit you own. We only ask that you bring it with you to our events so you can use it there. Obviously, PD gain a huge amount from this arrangement, but we hope that our crew will also gain some really nice pieces of beautiful LRP kit at cheap prices.

==Costume==
* '''Available to anyone making a costume that will be worn by an NPC at our events'''
If you are making costume that will be worn by an NPC at our events, either a regular character like a civil servant or egregore, a plot NPC or one of our orcs on the battlefield, then talk to us first. If the character is useful for our events then Profound Decisions will pay the costs for any materials used to make the costume. By paying for the materials we hope to encourage anyone making kit for NPCs in the game to use the best available materials to get the best finish possible.

==Armour==
* '''Available to anyone attending an Empire event'''
We have several thousand square foot of leather on site. It is far from perfect for armour, it is thin in a dark colour but that does at least make it fairly easy to work. Any member of crew who wants to make costume or armour using the leather is welcome to use as much of it as they wish for their personal use while they are on site. We are going to look to organize kit making sessions for the start of the events for everyone involved with Empire, to try and help people create cool orc kit.

==Skirmish Team Special Offer==
We have a special offer available to any member of the skirmish team who has crewed for more than one event already. We've done several deals with traders to get orc masks and weapons for our skirmish team at competitive prices. And then - for our skirmish team - we are subsidizing the price by paying half the cost for you for any kit you will use regularly as an NPC at our events.

The deals below are available to anyone who has crewed for us as a member of the skirmish team for at least one event, so that you are certain that you are enjoying crewing and want to carry on doing it. We have a limited budget available for this special offer - so in the happy circumstance where demand is so high the PD budget to support it is spent, then you would have to wait a year to take advantage of the offer. If we have more demand than we can support all at once initially, then we will try to allocate funds to people who have been crewing the longest.

===Masks===
* '''Available to any member of the Skirmish Team'''
For masks, Profound Decisions, have an arrangement with [http://mandalastudios.co.uk/ Mandala] to supply us the perfect masks for Empire at a special discount rate for crew. To get the price even lower, we encourage everyone to group together to make a bulk order. And then we pay for half the costs of whatever you order. You can tailor your mask to your own design, so you can have more expensive options like a full-face mask, or one with hair. We will pay half the total cost for a mask for any member of the skirmish team, provided that the design is not so utterly unique that it is impossible to be reused more than once ever.

There is likely to be a crew order for masks once or twice a year at most, so if you are part of our skirmish team and you want to buy your own mask, then let us know what you want for your mask and we'll let you know when it is happening.

===Weapons===
* '''Available to any member of the Skirmish Team'''
For weapons, Profound Decisions, has an arrangement with Andy Rimmer of Offa Studios, to produce ideal orc weapons. Sketches of Andy's designs are shown below. All are available in metal (steel or bronze), antler, bone, stone or wood finishes. Obviously Andy can vary lengths on swords and axes, swords price from £40-£70, axes £50 to £70. He can do LRP safe standards as variants on pole arms and of course staves for mages/shaman.
<row-fluid>
<span12>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Weapons1.jpg|align=left|width=100%}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Weapons3.jpg|align=left|width=100%}}
</span12>
</row-fluid>
Like the masks, whatever the price of your weapon, PD will pay half the cost listed above if you are part of the skirmish team and provided it can be used by you when playing an orc at our events. If you want to buy a weapon, get in touch with [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Offa-Studio-Andy-Rimmer/367188530020303 Andy Rimmar at Offa Studio], work out what you want and then chat to us about sorting half the payment for you.

NPC guidelines

2015-09-25T17:27:44Z

Bug:

Below is a short guide on what we expect from our NPC’s and some hints and tips for making game on Plot’s front line. 

<big>'''On arrival''' </big>
* When you arrive on site, check in with Plot Support. They will give you any updates, book you in for the event and give you your meal tickets. Please also check out with Plot Support if leaving NPC-ing before time out. 

<big>'''Before hitting the field''' </big>
* Make sure that you turn up in plenty of time for make-up / briefings. If you are waiting for a role, wait in the chill out area near Plot Support, rather than outside or in the Crew Welfare hut. 
* Before you leave on your role – make sure you have read and understood the brief, if the brief contains anything you don't understand, please ask! We do expect you to know the basics of Empire – make sure you know the basics of magic calls, Anvil’s laws, game rules, etc... Share your knowledge of nations and groups with others it can make a huge differences for fellow NPC’s going out. 
* If going out with a group, talk to each other before going out. This allows you to work out characterisation, IC relationships and what your role in the encounter is going to be. This allows a much more cohesive and interesting encounter both for you and the players. Remember their IC names! 

<big>'''On the field''' </big>
* There are two key things for all NPC’s to remember – stay in character and stick to the brief. 
* When on the IC field – stay in character. If you are not sure how something works, get a ref. Even if the players drop character occasionally, we expect you to remain in character for the entire time you are on the field. 
* While we want you to improvise emotion, invest in the personality and make your character real - DON'T ‘add’ to the plot, the world, or create information about eternals / other characters – basically “Don't make shit up”! 
* When you are asked questions you don't have an answer to - you can say that you ‘don’t know’ – you CAN SAY NO. 
* See if your Plot has a ‘get out’ for the character. (i.e. New to Anvil / pigheaded, will only talk to John Smith ) 
* Never ever give a player the impression they are going to get to do something in downtime unless the brief explicitly tells you to do so. We don’t have a free text downtime at Empire. 
* We encourage taking IC notes. Many briefs can be complicated and remembering the names of players met over a long trip to Anvil can be very difficult.
* Make sure you stay IC when you take notes. 
* Remember to get the names of characters and groups that you interact with. Make sure they’re spelt correctly! 
* Don’t collect OC information like PID’s, if we have the name and group, we can find them. 
* Many players are keen to make deals with NPC’s. If that is not part of your brief, don’t make any deals! If it is part of your plot; the numbers involved in a plot that contains elements of buying or selling will be based on a number of factors. When your role involves buying or selling something, look carefully at the requirements for minimum and maximum prices. If in doubt – ask your Plot Writer or Plot Support. 

<big>'''More Hints and Tips;''' </big>
* Don't spoon feed the players - if they don't get it, they don't get it. (Exception - quest hooks) 
* Don't offer to return to the field - unless it says so in the brief, assume that you will /never play this role again. 
* Don't believe the players. They may be wrong or just lying. Don't let them doubt your brief. (But do make a note in your debrief what you believe they think) 
* PCs have the power to send letters to NPCs, but it is *intentionally* expensive. So many of them will try to find any excuse to get round that cost 

<big>'''Returning to Monster''' </big>
* DEBRIEF! Seriously – please always debrief, and don’t go out on another role until you have. 
* Always write the names of the NPC’s that went on the plot. 
* Feel free to use bullet points. (You can do this by putting "* " (remember the space) at the start of the line.) 
<big>'''And Finally...''' </big>
* Have fun! Seriously, you are giving up your time to help this game. If you are not having fun, have a word with the folk on the plot desk and we'll see what else we can do for you.

NPC guidelines

2015-09-25T17:24:58Z

Bug: Created page with "Below is a short guide on what we expect from our NPC’s and some hints and tips for making game on Plot’s front line. <big>'''On arrival''' </big> * When you..."

Below is a short guide on what we expect from our NPC’s and some hints and tips for making game on Plot’s front line. 

<big>'''On arrival''' </big>
* When you arrive on site, check in with Plot Support. They will give you any updates, book you in for the event and give you your meal tickets. Please also check out with Plot Support if leaving NPC-ing before time out. 

<big>'''Before hitting the field''' </big>
* Make sure that you turn up in plenty of time for make-up / briefings. If you are waiting for a role, wait in the chill out area near Plot Support, rather than outside or in the Crew Welfare hut. 
* Before you leave on your role – make sure you have read and understood the brief, if the brief contains anything you don't understand, please ask! We do expect you to know the basics of Empire – make sure you know the basics of magic calls, Anvil’s laws, game rules, etc... Share your knowledge of nations and groups with others it can make a huge differences for fellow NPC’s going out. 
* If going out with a group, talk to each other before going out. This allows you to work out characterisation, IC relationships and what your role in the encounter is going to be. This allows a much more cohesive and interesting encounter both for you and the players. Remember their IC names! 

<big>'''On the field''' </big>
* There are two key things for all NPC’s to remember – stay in character and stick to the brief. 
* When on the IC field – stay in character. If you are not sure how something works, get a ref. Even if the players drop character occasionally, we expect you to remain in character for the entire time you are on the field. 
* While we want you to improvise emotion, invest in the personality and make your character real - DON'T ‘add’ to the plot, the world, or create information about eternals / other characters – basically “Don't make shit up”! 
* When you are asked questions you don't have an answer to - you can say that you ‘don’t know’ – you CAN SAY NO. 
* See if your Plot has a ‘get out’ for the character. (i.e. New to Anvil / pigheaded, will only talk to John Smith ) 
* Never ever give a player the impression they are going to get to do something in downtime unless the brief explicitly tells you to do so. We don’t have a free text downtime at Empire. 
* We encourage taking IC notes. Many briefs can be complicated and remembering the names of players met over a long trip to Anvil can be very difficult.
* Make sure you stay IC when you take notes. 
* Remember to get the names of characters and groups that you interact with. Make sure they’re spelt correctly! 
* Don’t collect OC information like PID’s, if we have the name and group, we can find them. 
* Many players are keen to make deals with NPC’s. If that is not part of your brief, don’t make any deals! If it is part of your plot; the numbers involved in a plot that contains elements of buying or selling will be based on a number of factors. When your role involves buying or selling something, look carefully at the requirements for minimum and maximum prices. If in doubt – ask your Plot Writer or Plot Support. 

<big>'''More Hints and Tips;''' </big>
* Don't spoon feed the players - if they don't get it, they don't get it. (Exception - quest hooks) 
* Don't offer to return to the field - unless it says so in the brief, assume that you will /never play this role again. 
* Don't believe the players. They may be wrong or just lying. Don't let them doubt your brief. (But do make a note in your debrief what you believe they think) 
* PCs have the power to send letters to NPCs, but it is *intentionally* expensive. So many of them will try to find any excuse to get round that cost 

<big>'''Returning to Monster''' </big>
* DEBRIEF! Seriously – please always debrief, and don’t go out on another role until you have. 
* Always write the names of the NPC’s that went on the plot. 
* Feel free to use bullet points. (You can do this by putting "* " (remember the space) at the start of the line.) 
'''And Finally''' 
* Have fun! Seriously, you are giving up your time to help this game. If you are not having fun, have a word with the folk on the plot desk and we'll see what else we can do for you.

New crew

2015-09-24T21:18:34Z

Bug: /* On Arrival */

==Introduction==
Thank you for volunteering to crew one of Profound Decisions's games; we couldn't run this event without you. This page is intended to tell new crew everything you need to know about the practical aspects of crewing – and, if it doesn't, it will tell you who to ask.

We operate a permanent crew system, we encourage people to become a full time member of the crew team, rather than play some events and crew others. However, you are welcome to resume playing in the future if you choose to do so. Please let us know if you’re not enjoying what you are doing as crew and equally we’ll be honest with you if we feel it’s not working out.

==Departments==
We organise our crew into departments, with crew allocated to departments, based on their roles at the event. Each department has a head who confirms crew spaces for their department. If you want to volunteer for crewing then it's useful to tell us what departments you'd like to help out in. If you are an existing crew member and you want to get involved with the work another department are doing, then the head of that department is the first person to speak to about it.

Some departments, like the red hats (site crew), comprise multiple specialist teams such as set-dressing, tent-erection and sparkies. If you want to help out on any team, just talk to the head of the team involved.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merlot.jpg|align=left|width=200px}}
==Booking==
Before arriving at an event that you intend to crew, you need to ensure that you're booked in as crew on the Profound Decisions website. This is important for us, as it feeds into the planning and preparation for the event – preparing crew meal tickets, hiring the right number of radios, and making sure there are enough crew in different departments to ensure the smooth running of the game.

To book in, follow [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/event/crewing this link] to the main website. You'll be asked to log-in and then taking to the events page where you can let us know which events you are coming to.

If no events appear on screen after you log in and you cannot see the "Crewing" option in the "Booking" menu then this is because you are not flagged as crew on the PD database; you will need to email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk] to get yourself added to the appropriate department.

If you book for an event and subsequently discover that you cannot attend for whatever reason, please email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk] to let us know.

==What to bring==
We have a separate guide of suggestions for [[what to bring]] with you to the event.

==When to arrive==
If you are helping with set-up then please arrive on site as early as possible.
Site crew are encouraged to arrive from Tuesday evening onwards, and gate crew from Wednesday.
If you are not helping with set-up then you are welcome to arrive at any point from Thursday onwards.
{{CaptionedImage|file=orccrew.jpg|align=right|width=300px}}

==On Arrival==
When you first arrive on-site, the gate crew will direct you to where crew are camping – you should proceed there and ensure that your own personal shelter and sleeping arrangements are seen to, before checking-in at GOD. Once you get to GOD, we will give you your meal-tickets and you can then join your head of department for duty assignments.

The out-of-character camping area is typically divided into two sections: player camping, and crew camping. Crew camping is exclusively for the use of crew; players are not permitted to camp there. If you are camping with friends or family who are players, then it is better to camp with them in the player area.

Crew have available to them a stash of crew mattresses, which are located in one of the old portacabins. You are not guaranteed to be able to use one - they are limited numbers available on a first-come, first-served basis to all crew. '''If you take a crew mattress then you must ensure you return it at the end of the event.'''

==Induction==
If you are brand-new crew, then we will aim to give you an introduction to how Profound Decisions works, and your role within it. If at any point you're not sure how to do what you've been asked to do, or you don't have the right tools for the job, then let someone know.

==T-shirts==
New crew t-shirts are issued to all crew at the start of each year for Empire and Odyssey; all crew are encouraged to take and wear a single shirt of the appropriate size for their personal use. If you join the crew during a year, then ask in GOD if there are any t-shirts remaining.

==Crew Debrief==
At the end of the event, there is a crew debriefing session which all crew should try to attend if possible. This occurs at 15:30 in the monster tent. Sandwiches are provided at the crew debriefing session, after which site take-down begins.

==Crew Party==
On the evening of the final day of the event, after all the players have departed, there is a party laid on with free food and drink. The party is a reward for those who stay to help with the event take-down. Everyone who has helped with take the event down is welcome to attend the party. This is not just the red hat team - there are roles anyone can help with on take-down - please ask a head of department if you want to help with take-down but don't know what you can do to help.

==Recruitment==
We are very often looking for more people to join our crew; if you know someone who you think would fit in well, then please ask them to register an account on the Profound Decisions website and email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk]. Please do not simply bring friends to an event to crew without confirming it with the office first.

==Commitment==
You are welcome to crew as many events as you wish, but please don’t feel that you are expected to crew them all. Some roles are only suitable for crew who can make the majority of the events, but there are many crew roles that are useful even if you only make one event a year.

==Contacts==
*Office phone number (outside of events): 0845 0944 798
*Mobile phone number (during events): 07817 133 793
*Crewing administration questions / requests: [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk]

[[Category: General]]

New crew

2015-09-24T21:15:34Z

Bug: /* When to arrive */

==Introduction==
Thank you for volunteering to crew one of Profound Decisions's games; we couldn't run this event without you. This page is intended to tell new crew everything you need to know about the practical aspects of crewing – and, if it doesn't, it will tell you who to ask.

We operate a permanent crew system, we encourage people to become a full time member of the crew team, rather than play some events and crew others. However, you are welcome to resume playing in the future if you choose to do so. Please let us know if you’re not enjoying what you are doing as crew and equally we’ll be honest with you if we feel it’s not working out.

==Departments==
We organise our crew into departments, with crew allocated to departments, based on their roles at the event. Each department has a head who confirms crew spaces for their department. If you want to volunteer for crewing then it's useful to tell us what departments you'd like to help out in. If you are an existing crew member and you want to get involved with the work another department are doing, then the head of that department is the first person to speak to about it.

Some departments, like the red hats (site crew), comprise multiple specialist teams such as set-dressing, tent-erection and sparkies. If you want to help out on any team, just talk to the head of the team involved.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merlot.jpg|align=left|width=200px}}
==Booking==
Before arriving at an event that you intend to crew, you need to ensure that you're booked in as crew on the Profound Decisions website. This is important for us, as it feeds into the planning and preparation for the event – preparing crew meal tickets, hiring the right number of radios, and making sure there are enough crew in different departments to ensure the smooth running of the game.

To book in, follow [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/event/crewing this link] to the main website. You'll be asked to log-in and then taking to the events page where you can let us know which events you are coming to.

If no events appear on screen after you log in and you cannot see the "Crewing" option in the "Booking" menu then this is because you are not flagged as crew on the PD database; you will need to email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk] to get yourself added to the appropriate department.

If you book for an event and subsequently discover that you cannot attend for whatever reason, please email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk] to let us know.

==What to bring==
We have a separate guide of suggestions for [[what to bring]] with you to the event.

==When to arrive==
If you are helping with set-up then please arrive on site as early as possible.
Site crew are encouraged to arrive from Tuesday evening onwards, and gate crew from Wednesday.
If you are not helping with set-up then you are welcome to arrive at any point from Thursday onwards.
{{CaptionedImage|file=orccrew.jpg|align=right|width=300px}}

==On Arrival==
When you first arrive on-site, the gate will direct you to where crew are camping – you should proceed there and ensure that your own personal shelter and sleeping arrangements are seen to, before checking-in at GOD. Once you get to GOD, we will give you your meal-tickets and you can then join your head of department for duty assignments.

The out-of-character camping area is typically divided into two sections: player camping, and crew camping. Crew camping is exclusively for the use of crew; players are not permitted to camp there. If you are camping with friends or family who are players, then it is better to camp with them in the player area.

Crew have available to them a stash of crew mattresses, which are located in one of the old portacabins. You are not guaranteed to be able to use one - they are limited numbers available on a first-come, first-served basis to all crew. '''If you take a crew mattress then you must ensure you return it at the end of the event.'''

==Induction==
If you are brand-new crew, then we will aim to give you an introduction to how Profound Decisions works, and your role within it. If at any point you're not sure how to do what you've been asked to do, or you don't have the right tools for the job, then let someone know.

==T-shirts==
New crew t-shirts are issued to all crew at the start of each year for Empire and Odyssey; all crew are encouraged to take and wear a single shirt of the appropriate size for their personal use. If you join the crew during a year, then ask in GOD if there are any t-shirts remaining.

==Crew Debrief==
At the end of the event, there is a crew debriefing session which all crew should try to attend if possible. This occurs at 15:30 in the monster tent. Sandwiches are provided at the crew debriefing session, after which site take-down begins.

==Crew Party==
On the evening of the final day of the event, after all the players have departed, there is a party laid on with free food and drink. The party is a reward for those who stay to help with the event take-down. Everyone who has helped with take the event down is welcome to attend the party. This is not just the red hat team - there are roles anyone can help with on take-down - please ask a head of department if you want to help with take-down but don't know what you can do to help.

==Recruitment==
We are very often looking for more people to join our crew; if you know someone who you think would fit in well, then please ask them to register an account on the Profound Decisions website and email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk]. Please do not simply bring friends to an event to crew without confirming it with the office first.

==Commitment==
You are welcome to crew as many events as you wish, but please don’t feel that you are expected to crew them all. Some roles are only suitable for crew who can make the majority of the events, but there are many crew roles that are useful even if you only make one event a year.

==Contacts==
*Office phone number (outside of events): 0845 0944 798
*Mobile phone number (during events): 07817 133 793
*Crewing administration questions / requests: [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk]

[[Category: General]]

New crew

2015-09-23T18:13:12Z

Bug: /* Introduction */

==Introduction==
Thank you for volunteering to crew one of Profound Decisions's games; we couldn't run this event without you. This page is intended to tell new crew everything you need to know about the practical aspects of crewing – and, if it doesn't, it will tell you who to ask.

We operate a permanent crew system, we encourage people to become a full time member of the crew team, rather than play some events and crew others. However, you are welcome to resume playing in the future if you choose to do so. Please let us know if you’re not enjoying what you are doing as crew and equally we’ll be honest with you if we feel it’s not working out.

==Departments==
We organise our crew into departments, with crew allocated to departments, based on their roles at the event. Each department has a head who confirms crew spaces for their department. If you want to volunteer for crewing then it's useful to tell us what departments you'd like to help out in. If you are an existing crew member and you want to get involved with the work another department are doing, then the head of that department is the first person to speak to about it.

Some departments, like the red hats (site crew), comprise multiple specialist teams such as set-dressing, tent-erection and sparkies. If you want to help out on any team, just talk to the head of the team involved.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merlot.jpg|align=left|width=200px}}
==Booking==
Before arriving at an event that you intend to crew, you need to ensure that you're booked in as crew on the Profound Decisions website. This is important for us, as it feeds into the planning and preparation for the event – preparing crew meal tickets, hiring the right number of radios, and making sure there are enough crew in different departments to ensure the smooth running of the game.

To book in, follow [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/event/crewing this link] to the main website. You'll be asked to log-in and then taking to the events page where you can let us know which events you are coming to.

If no events appear on screen after you log in and you cannot see the "Crewing" option in the "Booking" menu then this is because you are not flagged as crew on the PD database; you will need to email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk] to get yourself added to the appropriate department.

If you book for an event and subsequently discover that you cannot attend for whatever reason, please email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk] to let us know.

==What to bring==
We have a separate guide of suggestions for [[what to bring]] with you to the event.

==When to arrive==
If you are helping with set-up then please arrive on site as early as possible - site crew are encouraged to arrive from Tuesday evening onwards. If you are not helping with set-up then you are welcome to arrive at any point from Thursday onwards.

By prior arrangement, it may be possible to arrange for someone to pick you up from Banbury station if you are arriving on a day where there is no regular mini-bus run for players. Such requests should be sent to the [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk].
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==On Arrival==
When you first arrive on-site, the gate will direct you to where crew are camping – you should proceed there and ensure that your own personal shelter and sleeping arrangements are seen to, before checking-in at GOD. Once you get to GOD, we will give you your meal-tickets and you can then join your head of department for duty assignments.

The out-of-character camping area is typically divided into two sections: player camping, and crew camping. Crew camping is exclusively for the use of crew; players are not permitted to camp there. If you are camping with friends or family who are players, then it is better to camp with them in the player area.

Crew have available to them a stash of crew mattresses, which are located in one of the old portacabins. You are not guaranteed to be able to use one - they are limited numbers available on a first-come, first-served basis to all crew. '''If you take a crew mattress then you must ensure you return it at the end of the event.'''

==Induction==
If you are brand-new crew, then we will aim to give you an introduction to how Profound Decisions works, and your role within it. If at any point you're not sure how to do what you've been asked to do, or you don't have the right tools for the job, then let someone know.

==T-shirts==
New crew t-shirts are issued to all crew at the start of each year for Empire and Odyssey; all crew are encouraged to take and wear a single shirt of the appropriate size for their personal use. If you join the crew during a year, then ask in GOD if there are any t-shirts remaining.

==Crew Debrief==
At the end of the event, there is a crew debriefing session which all crew should try to attend if possible. This occurs at 15:30 in the monster tent. Sandwiches are provided at the crew debriefing session, after which site take-down begins.

==Crew Party==
On the evening of the final day of the event, after all the players have departed, there is a party laid on with free food and drink. The party is a reward for those who stay to help with the event take-down. Everyone who has helped with take the event down is welcome to attend the party. This is not just the red hat team - there are roles anyone can help with on take-down - please ask a head of department if you want to help with take-down but don't know what you can do to help.

==Recruitment==
We are very often looking for more people to join our crew; if you know someone who you think would fit in well, then please ask them to register an account on the Profound Decisions website and email [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk]. Please do not simply bring friends to an event to crew without confirming it with the office first.

==Commitment==
You are welcome to crew as many events as you wish, but please don’t feel that you are expected to crew them all. Some roles are only suitable for crew who can make the majority of the events, but there are many crew roles that are useful even if you only make one event a year.

==Contacts==
*Office phone number (outside of events): 0845 0944 798
*Mobile phone number (during events): 07817 133 793
*Crewing administration questions / requests: [mailto:crew@profounddecisions.co.uk crew@profounddecisions.co.uk]

[[Category: General]]

General introduction

2015-09-22T21:15:02Z

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==Welcome==
This section of the crew wiki contains useful information for all crew. Please take the time to read through this section of the wiki as it will help you get up to speed on what is involved in crewing a PD event. We want everyone who attends a PD event - both crew and players - to have a good time - and a little bit of preparation can help to make sure that happens.
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==[[New crew]]==
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This section is explicitly for any [[new crew]] who have never crewed a Profound Decisions event before. It explains the basics of what is involved and what to bring.
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==[[Crewing]]==
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This is the [[crewing|core information]] that is applicable to all crew. Everyone should make sure they have read this and understand the basic procedures.
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==[[Crew protocol]]==
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[[Crew protocol]] is a handful of core principles that apply to all crew. These are general principles on how to efficiently handle problems and queries at an event.
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==[[Crew organization|Crew Organization]]==
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The [[crew organization]] tells you how the crew are organized, what the different departments do and who is in charge of the different areas of the crew.
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==[[Food and drink]]==
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There is free [[food and drink]] for all crew attending a PD event - this section explains what is provided and the meal ticket system we use for ensuring crew get fed.
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==[[Radio protocol]]==
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[[Radio protocol]] is essential for effective use of the radios at the events. If you are using a radio, or likely to do so, then please read these guidelines.
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==[[Crew facebook groups|Facebook]]==
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There are a large number of [[crew facebook groups]]. If you use facebook then joining the right groups will help you get involved and get to know the other crew.
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[[Category: General]]