Research

From FiranMUX

From time to time, players want their characters to invent things in the Firan world. In the past, characters have invented new weapons, food dishes, types of clothing, and even battle artillery. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and thus the staff tries to limit new invention to stuff the game really needs. Adding something to the game's world can disrupt the fine balance that we like to pretend Firan has.

This is the new process for inventing something.

Necessity

First, the invention must be something the game needs. It might be something that you think the fictional populace needs, but if the game doesn't need it, it's unlikely to be approved. This requires you to think a little like a game designer: Will the play of the game be substantially better with this new invention? More importantly, will this invention disrupt the game in an unseemly way?

Some inventions are meant to shake things up and change how the Firans interact with the world. For example, if the Firans succeed in reinventing Throg's net-throwers, they will have an advantage against the Shamibelians during war season. In the past, this was an approved research project despite its potential to shake up the game. If someone suggested inventing gunpowder, however, the staff would not approve the research project. Gunpowder would change the play of the game in ways we don't like.

Legendary Skill

In the Firan world, only exceptional people invent things that change the world. Inventing something is always done as part of a Legendary Quest. To invent something, a character must earn a Legendary (6+) skill in an appropriate area of knowledge. For example, to invent a new type of war machine, one needs Artillery 5 or better and must complete a Legendary Quest.

A Legendary Quest is an ordeal one must complete to achieve a skill greater than 5. For example, inventing that new war machine could happen as part of one's Legendary Quest for Artillery 6. That means you need to start with Artillery 5 to even consider researching a new artillery invention.

Essentially, the success of your research depends on you achieving your Legendary skill. If you complete your Legendary Quest, you'll succeed in researching the approved invention. If you fail, your research will fail.

All the normal rules for Legendary Quests apply. See those rules for more information.

Research TinyPlot

There is one additional requirement for research. When you research a new invention, you must run (be the game master for) a long-running tinyplot involving the invention. You must use only the out-of-character tools and authority you have as a player to organize a mostly consent-based story about your research. It must involve other people. Your character will be the inspiration and creative genius behind the invention but others will contribute ideas, work, and support. In short, you cannot do it alone.

As a game master (GM) you are expected to organize role-play, set up events, adjudicate some dice rolls, and write some local emits in the rooms where you're role-playing. You may ask a Player Helper to announce important milestones in your story. Success ultimately depends on your Legendary Quest (which depends on you earning XP and sending in logs) and not on any dice rolling. You're encouraged to describe setbacks that make the story dramatic, not just role-play success every evening. If you give up the Legendary Quest, you are expected to end the research tinyplot with some kind of failure scene.

As usual, logged proof that you're doing this GMing must be sent to firan-logs@yahoogroups.com with an appropriate subject heading. When you start your Legendary Quest, include the details of your invention and your research tinyplot in your @request.

Summing Up

• Research is a rare and special thing reserved for the greatest achievers in Firan society: those with Legendary skills.
• Invent something useful for the game. Think like a game designer.
• Inventing something new requires you to combine the research plot with your Legendary Quest for the skill most appropriate for the research.
• Inventing something new requires you to be the game master for the research plot.
• Submit logs to earn your Legendary Quest and your invention at the same time.