The ineffable cosmos are empty and dissolute. There is only the Point, from which all shall emerge from.
To the divines, it is an empty lot, a fresh pasture, an untapped mine. It is also atrociously expensive to even afford the transportation and administrative costs to even get there. Would-be masters of creation work odd jobs as adjutants, judges of the dead, commanders of armies, champions, sandwich makers, celestial objects, particularly dangerous artifacts or on-call substitution gods, etc...Just for the chance to get their own stake in a virgin creation.
But sometimes, a godling gets a lucky break. Sometimes, a celestial patron needs a few helping hands. Such an opportunity has come to you in the form of a crab.
Specifically,
The Crab. In the distant past perhaps, The Crab had a name. For untold aeons, the divine has only been known as The Crab and all who look upon them and their aura know in their body and soul, that such a being is only known as The Crab. The Crab has offered has offered the chance of a lifetime: employment in the Shell Estates Company!
As contractors working for Shell Estates Company (SEC), you godlings have the task of running a brand spanking new universe! You'll be granted the powers of creation and destruction - to an extent limited by company guidelines and rules. Further powers and responsibilities may be granted after filling out a requisition form. Maybe!
Hi all and welcome to another attempt at a godgame that may or may not die before turn 2! This will be a more business-oriented game with smatterings of pseudo-business lingo for funsies and giggles. As godlings, players will play as employees of a distant corporation interested in the extraction of souls from the universe. This is done primarily by rearing mortals and making sure that they don't go extinct or sweat out their juicy soul essence. If you're still interested, please do continue reading the rules below. If you're
still interested, please fill out the application form at the bottom of this post. Not sure how many I'll take, but it'll be fewer than ten (10), greater than two (2) and not based on who posts first.
SEC generally manages its various departments with a light hand, offering more guidance and guidelines than firm directives. It does however, have three strict rules:
1. No murdering fellow employees.
2. The flow of souls to the Point must be maintained.
3. The Point must be maintained and functional.
The first rule applies to all current employees of Shell Estates Company within this particular existence or beyond it. Murder is defined as an unlawful premeditated killing. An employee is defined as any entity that has signed a contract of employment with the Shell Estates Company or its subsidiaries. Employees found in breach of this rule will be removed from their position, pay a fine of half their soul, and be denied future employment without approval from the managing director, company president or an approved adjutant.
The second rule applies to SEC employees as a whole within any particular existence in which souls are a) present b) extractable and c) currently valued as desirable by the company. Souls are generally defined as the thaumatergic energy possessed by all sapient entities. In the context of SEC operations, souls refer to those of mortals. Mortals are defined as sapient entities capable of storing surplus thaumatergic energy within their bodies. As such, the flow of mortals souls is what is of interest to SEC. A breach of this rule in a particular universe will result in censure to all employees involved in that particular universe, unless sufficient evidence is provided of all fault falling on one or more specific employees or non-employees.
The third rule follows on from the second and simply means that the Point must be maintained. Briefly, the Point is the main entry-exit area in the universe that can be used to enter other existences and dimensions. As a natural phenomena, there is no necessity to supply materials for upkeep. Should a universe's Point lose function, the company will censure all employees involved in this particular universe, unless sufficient evidence is provided of all fault falling on one or more specific employees or non-employees located in that particular universe.
The game is played through a series of shifts (turns). An abstract and non-fixed period of time passes between shifts. During each shift, godlings may use acts or perform any other duties or desires as they are able. At the start of each shift, acts and actions are replenished. All acts and actions are processed at the end of the turn, with reactions to these and other developments being described in the following shifts. Updates may be written during a shift for whatever reason.
Each godling is able to use employment-bound acts (EBAs) and sphere-bound acts (SBAs). These are determined by one's position in the company and by one's worship. All godlings get a trait that modifies their actions that is based on personality, backstory, or both.
One's employment greatly limits what one is able to do. Employment status can change over time by requesting a role change from admin. Success depends on company needs and reputation of the godling, but is usually a simple affair.
Sphere-bound acts are based off one's condensed reputation amongst mortals, usually accrued via worship. The number and type of background-based acts can change depending on the general opinion of the godling by worship-able entities.
Godlings are incredibly squishy and will die after a single hit from a divine non-minor entity. Of course, it would be against company policy to allow in-fighting. Still, if a godling desires to fight, they best be prepared for it.
At game start, there are seven available roles. There is no limit to any position, although a godling can only have one role at a time.
Biotic Designer: are responsible for intelligently designing organic biota and managing their existence(s). Is able to perform three(3) ecosystem creation/destruction EBA or two (2) major species creation/destruction EBAs per shift. Ecosystems may initially cover a whole continent at most. Major Species may initially cover a whole continent at most.
Company Representative: are responsible for liaising with visitor entities and entities that may naturally emerge from the universe. Representatives have no assigned EBAs, but may gain acts from dealing with visitors or native entities.
Generalised Catalyst Operative: are given no specific duty besides 'stirring the pot'. They are assumed to work on a smaller scale than other employees and are not assigned EBAs. Instead, they are granted three (3) Actions. Actions are usually undertakings of a mortal-minor entity ("demigods") power scale or lower. Generalised Catalyst Operatives may do as they wish with these Actions as long as they follow established company rules.
Mortal Relations officer: are responsible for hearing mortal prayers and cultivating their societies (see Appendix 1a: Definitions for clarification). They are given two (2) EBA for the purpose of uplifting or cultivating mortals and one (1) Action. Due to their role, they are liable to gain worship.
Planetary Landscaper: are responsible for sculpting planetary surfaces. These can include (but are not limited to) the creation of mountains, plains, oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ecosystems and continents. Planetary Landscapers create the fundamental forms on which ecosystems and civilisations are built on. Each EBA used can be used to transform one (1) region. Planetary Landscapers are given six (6) EBAs for this purpose.
Stellar Engineer: are responsible for the creation of celestial bodies. These can include (but are not limited to) the creation of stars, planets, asteroids or stellar structures. Stellar Engineers are given three (3) EBAs for this purpose. Celestial bodies are not created instantly and take several shifts to be completed. Each celestial body requires acts every shift to continue construction. To help kickstart a universe, the first stellar engineer in any given universe is granted a habitable planet seed and a sun seed; these can be used to instantly create a starting planet and sun (if desired).
Utility Manufacturer: are responsible for creating artifacts used by entities and mortals. Utility Manufacturers are given two (2) EBAs for this purpose. Artifacts can be worked on for several shifts to increase their power, although this requires additional acts.
Systems (0/1)
- Celestial Bodies (0/20)
-Non-Habitable Bodies (0/20)
- Continents (0/1)
-Regions (0/1)
-Habitable Bodies (0/1)
-Continents (0/6)
-Regions (0/4)
A newly born creation is only theoretically infinite. Whilst there always exists the endless void, the material objects of a virgin universe is found in but a single system. This system can only contain 20 celestial bodies, one of which is habitable. The habitable world can be composed of six continents, which can include four regions. For the purposes of this game, a continent can be an ocean, landmass, large floating island, etc. As the universe ages, these limits can potentially be increased or decreased.
Ecosystems can cover whole continents or regions. An ecosystem can only be placed on on a continent or region. Each continent can support five (5) major species, not including mortals.
To aid employees in carrying out their duties, a list of common words have been described below.
Act: an abstraction for divine essence, acts are the resource used for most actions. Acts are usually restricted in their use, mainly by being sphere-bound or employment-bound.
Acts, Employment-Bound (EBA): are acts that can usually only be used under the conditions stipulated by one's role.
Acts, Sphere-Bound (SBA): are acts that can usually only be used if they are related to the sphere they are bound to. SBAs are normally acquired from worship or negotiation.
Actions: small scale uses of divine power or mundane actions, these are usually undertakings of a mortal-minor entity ("demigods") power scale or lower. These can include such simple actions like farming on a plot of land, destroying a city, administering a kingdom or wrestling a whale into submission.
Artifacts: objects of divine power, they are able to perform a wide variety of actions that replicate the use of divine essence. Artifacts can potentially be used by any entity, even mortals. Artifacts differ greatly in size and can include structures as well as personal equipment. Particularly large artifacts cannot be easily moved and are embedded in regions.
Creature: a unique organism that is imbued with some sort of natural magic, they are rare and difficult to produce.
Cultivation: the process developing mortal souls. Does not necessarily require safeguarding mortal civilisation or populations, only that their souls are developed.
Celestial Body: any structure, natural or otherwise, that exists in the universe. All celestial bodies may have effects on the universe, either those assigned by their creator, or those that spontaneously come to be.
Continent: a large parcel of land, water or air that can potentially support life. All continents are composed of at least four (4) regions.
Ecosystem: a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. Ecosystems can be created fully formed through an act of the divines, and come with a complete system of organisms. For the most part, species that compose these ecosystems are not individually important.
Entity: a thing with distinct and independent existence. For practical purposes, entities mainly refer to divine or semi-divine beings.
Entity, Minor: an entity possessing lower power than a godling. Common examples include demigods or visiting gods.
Entity, Native: an entity that was born within the universe. These entities are usually bound to their home universe and can range from common sprites to the far more powerful gods.
Godling: weak, relatively minor divines that lack the raw power of more powerful deities. Despite the name, godlings are not strictly young or inexperienced; they are merely weak. Still, a godling possesses power unreachable to most mortals and minor entities.
Region: a parcel of land, water or air that is potentially capable of supporting life.
Major Species: are species directly created or influenced by the divines and are favoured by fate. As a result, these species tend to have a greater importance and influence in the areas in which they are present.
Mortals: sapient entities capable of storing surplus thaumatergic energy within their bodies
Sphere: a concept that is believed to be related to a god, these influence the sort of actions a godling can take.
Soul Credits: a currency based on soul stocks, soul credits are a common currency utilised by regular inter-dimensional travellers. SEC will be paying employees in this form at regular intervals somewhat based off average Final Essence.
Visitors: non-native entities that are not permanent universe-based SEC employees. They tend to come with requests or demands, but also boons and curses.
Name: the word by which you are known as.
Appearance: the form you often take.
Personality: the manner in which you attempt to act.
Origins: ...What were you doing before acquiring gainful employment?
Author
Topic: Contract Gods: New Hires, No Experience Required [Open For Business!] (Read 7426 times)