Plot crew

File:KolFord.jpg

Head of plot: Kolin Ford

Head of campaign: Andy Rafferty

Overview

Plot is the biggest department in Empire, as it incorporates all our NPCs, our plot writers and runners as well as characters like the nation bards, egregores, civil servants and magistrates and back room operations crew who work in costume and make-up. We need lots of people to help us fill out all these roles, so if you're interested in getting involved in the IC side of Empire then we're keen to talk to you.

The plot department is divided into dozens of different teams. Some crew are members of many teams, some are members of just one. Everyone who works in the plot department is expected to have a good familiarity with the campaign setting. The department is headed by Kolin Ford who is the head of plot (responsible for plot run at events) and Andy Rafferty who is the head of campaign (responsible for the ongoing campaign).

Costume

• Work with the NPC and plot teams to equip and prepare any NPC encounters
• Plan new costume creation and purchase
• Sort and maintain PD's costume throughout the event
• Assist in preparing player volunteers for battles

The costume team are essential to dress NPCs and get them ready for encounters. Profound Decisions have two trucks full of costume and we are purchasing new costume all the time. The costume team use their knowledge of the costume inventory to dress NPCs for roles they are about to play, including the player volunteers for the battles. They also help them to change after an encounter and ensure used costume is put away. At the end of the event they help pack the plot room away and separate any costume that needs cleaning or repairing. The costume team also work before the events helping to plan and arrange new costume creation and purchase in preparation for upcoming plots.

Being a member of the costume team requires some skill with costume, since you need to be able to use the existing wardrobe to create an effective look for a character. It's a good role for people who enjoy working with costume and who want to help PD manage their costume wardrobe and acquire new costume.

We are looking for at least three crew to help us with the costume at events.

Make-up

• Work with the NPC and plot teams to prepare any NPCs that require make-up or prosthetics
• Plan new make-up and prosthetic creation and purchase
• Sort and maintain PD's make-up throughout the event
• Assist player volunteers before and after battles

The makeup team are essential for any roles that require make-up or prosthetics. These include orcs and characters with lineage, but they also include Eternals and their heralds. The makeup team plan complex make-up arrangements in advance so that convincing effects can be created quickly in the field. They also help player volunteers don and remove make-up before and after battles. At the end of the event they help pack the plot room away. The make-up team work before the events helping to plan and arrange new make-up and prosthetic purchase in preparation for upcoming plots.

Anyone can help with make-up, since some make-up requires only a basic colour application. More complex make-up arrangements require some skill and experience. An air-brush is available for make-up crew who know how to use it. It's a good role for people who enjoy working with make-up or prosthetics and who want to help PD produce some fantastic creatures.

Miriam Nicholas

We are looking for at least two more crew to help us with the makeup at events.

NPCs

• Playing barbarians and other NPCs during encounters, skirmishes and battles
• Playing NPCs on the field
• Playing Eternals and heralds in off-field encounters

Our NPC team play all the roles that have been created and written for the event. We will be running skirmishes and encounters throughout the weekend where the NPCs play the barbarian enemies of the Empire, so most NPCs will be need to do plenty of fighting. But there are also NPC roles engaged in plot on the field and parts as eternals and their heralds for those who want them.

Anyone can be an NPC but it really helps if you have some experience of live roleplaying already. If you have never live roleplayed before, then it is better to play a few games before volunteering to NPC. It is a great role for anyone who enjoys roleplaying a character in a battle, but it is also good for anyone who enjoys working with writers to create enjoyable plot for players.

We are looking for one hundred and twenty crew to play NPCs for us at the event!

Skirmish Team

Bards Egregores

Magistrates

• Imperial character that conducts trials
• Engage players in the legal process
• Try to keep conflict between players political

The magistrates are official Imperial characters who operate the legal system, conducting trials and overseeing the application of the law. Their role is to involve players in the legal process as thief-takers, detectives and militia etc. The point of the magistrates is to do everything in-character, to make murder as difficult to get away with as humanly possible. The goal is to redress the balance of games in which murder is trivial and the cheapest solution to any political problem. Empire is intended to provide a PvM game for players combined with a PvP political game. The magistrates exist to try to ensure that most conflict between players remains political. It is possible for a magistrate to play other roles some of the time if they wish.

Being a magistrate requires some charisma and personal presence. The magistrates have the full backing of the setting, but that will not serve if they cannot get the support of the majority of players. Magistrates need to be unbiased and although they are encouraged to play the role on an ongoing basis they should avoid becoming embroiled in the politics of the game; like all civil servants they are compelled to remain honest and impartial by the magical power of the oaths they have sworn. Being a magistrate is a great role for anyone with an intuition for skullduggery and a sense of drama for making court scenes dramatic.

Jon Creek is our head magistrate. We are looking for one or two other magistrates.

Plot Writers

• Write plot for events
• Run plot at events

It is the job of the plot writers to create the plot lines that alongside the politics of the setting will help make Empire an exciting game to play. Plot writers need to write the plot before the event. They also need to run the plot at the event, or else convince another plot writer to do it. Running plot includes briefing and debriefing NPCs and helping to get encounters ready by liaising with costume and make-up. The plot writers will work in small independent teams. Plot writers may choose to play roles or perform other responsibilities during the weekend.

Each team will be led by an individual with experience creating and running LRP plot. You don't need to have a experience to write plot, everyone has to start somewhere - but we will want our team leaders to have proven experience creating plot for LRP events. Being an Empire plot writer is a great role if you enjoy creating plot and enjoy seeing players enjoy the game you have helped create. If you have ever wanted to create plot for a big game with over a thousand players, this is your chance!

We have produced a set of plot guidelines to let writers know what style of plot is appropriate for Profound Decisions Empire events. There are also some guidelines for how plot teams work.

Andy Rafferty is the overall head of plot for Empire. Alan Dent, Chris Edwards, Kolin Ford, Sam Sutton and Dave Young are running plot teams for Empire. We are looking to recruit at least eight independent plot teams.