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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 48209" data-attributes="member: 2020">The Rules PostRULE 1 - WHEN WE ARE STARTING AND ENDING  We start on the 20th.  We end when the IR dies;  hopefully, the IR will be fun and stick around awhile.  - - -  RULE 2 - TURNS AND WHAT THEY MEAN  A Turn consists of one thread with 200 posts, plus my replies at the end.    A Turn represents one month of game time.  If a Turn represents more or less than that, I'll tell you.  - - -  RULE 3 - WHAT WILL BEGIN EVERY IR THREAD  At the start of every Turn thread will be posted:  The Lists Post, updated for the new Turn.  The Rules Post (this post.)  - - -  RULE 4 - WHAT YOU CAN DO IN A TURN  Post to the thread.  Or e-mail me.    You must post whether you are spending points to advance your civilization.  An Action post is just that - you say your Power is doing something.  Make as many Action Posts in a Turn as you think your Power can get away with.  If you post too many Action Posts, I'll disallow the last posts, because your Power has done all it could in the month!  E-mail me with any questions.  With comments.  With secret agendas.  With secret plots.  Anything you think is worthwhile.  - - -  RULE 5 - THE END OF THE TURN  When 200 or more posts have accumulated on a thread, and I come online and see this, I will:  Immediately declare Time Out.  Do not post to the thread following that Time Out.  Wait for the next Turn.  (I will ignore any posts after the Time Out is called, because I must focus on the 200 odd posts already there, and my e-mails.)  I will access everything that has happened.  I will then post to THAT THREAD the results, as I arbitrate them, of all the posts for that Turn.  Then I will ask the Moderator to close the Thread.  - - -  RULE 6 - I WILL ATTEMPT TO HELP YOU TO NOT GET LOST IN THE POSTS  200 posts is a lot to look at, especially if you are just logging on.  I will attempt to keep up with the thread, and comment on what is presently occurring.  Thus, my posts will be updates.  Look for my posts in the sea of posts you see.  They will help you to find out what is going on, amidst dozens of pages of text.  Hopefully.  - - -  RULE 7 - HOW YOU CAN DIRECTLY DAMAGE ANOTHER POWER  Conquer your enemy's countries, and their PL goes to you.  Devastate your enemy's countries, and their PL is halved.  - - -  RULE 8 - THE INDUSTRIAL ARMS RACE  At the start of Turn One, all the Powers of Oerth and Greyspace are considered to be in the Dark Ages, or one step up in the Medieval Ages (except the Lortmil Technomancy and the Shadow Empire.)  All Powers are considered to be in the Industrial Arms Race, for this is the IR!  All Powers in the Industrial Arms Race will gain 1 point per Turn.  These points start accumulating on Turn 2.  These points stack.  Each Power in the Race continues to gain 1 point per Turn, indefinitely.  You can declare you are sharing your technology with other Powers.  All Powers you share technology with gain an additional 1 point in the Technological Arms Race at the start of the next Turn.  For every Power that shares technology with yours, your Power gains an additional 1 point in the Technological Arms Race.  To a maximum of 4.  No power can advance more than 4 points.  So, you can gain 3 points from others helping you, and 1 from your own efforts, maximum.   Here is what your Strength Level in the Technological Arms Race means, in terms of what military weapons your Power can build:  0 indicates your country has primitive firearms.  3 indicates your country has very advanced flintlocks, cannon, and is beginning to seriously enter the field of Technomancy.  6 indicates your country is now able to produce early 19th century weapons.  9 indicates your country is now able to produce mid 19th century weapons.  12 indicates your country is now able to produce late 19th century weapons.  15 indicates your country is at 1900 Terran levels of weaponry.  18 indicates World War One technology.  21 indicates early World War Two technology.  24 indicates late World War Two technology.  27 indicates nuclear weapons.  30 indicates ICBMs.  33 indicates thermonuclear weapons.  36 indicates primitive computer guided weapons.  39 indicates your first space shot.  41 indicates your first moon landing.  45 indicates your first smart weapons.  48 indicates you have very sophisticated computer guided weapons.  51 indicates you can protect your nation from ballistic weapons (nuclear or not) with a missile defense shield.  - - -  RULE NINE - ADVANCING AND INDUSTRIALIZING YOUR CIVILIZATION  The ability to build massive weapons of destruction does not mean your civilization is advanced.    Subrule 1:    At the Start of Turn One, all the Powers of Oerth and Greyspace are considered to be at the Terran equivalent of the year 1500, for the purposes of where they stand in relation to the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Industrial Revolution.  Exception:  The Lortmil Technomancy, which is considered to be around the Terran equivalent of 1880.  Exception:  The Shadow Empire, which has some elements within it living at the Terran equivalent of 2050.  Subrule 2:    All the Powers of Oerth and Greyspace may choose to advance the equivalent of one Terran year into the Renaissance, at no cost, per Turn.  This requires a post to the thread that your Power is actively making this attempt, or you do not advance.  Subrule 3:  You may speed up your advancement by paying points out of your total Power Level.  Benefits:  Your Power passes through the Renaissance and into the Industrial Revolution more quickly.  Drawbacks:  If you are spending Power Level on this, you are not spending it defending your country, or attacking another country.  This will be taken into account concerning all posts to the thread.  For every 3 points of your Power Level value you declare you are spending this Turn on advancing your civilization, your Power is considered to have advanced an additional year Terran equivalent into the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution.  This advancement will show up at the beginning of the next Turn.    Other Powers may elect to help you (with the same drawbacks for them as noted above.)  For every 3 points of Power Level value they declare to be devoted to helping your society advance, your Power is considered to have advanced an additional year Terran equivalent into the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution.  The benefits of the help, will show up at the beginning of the next Turn.  The Power helping you, gets nothing for it's sacrifice.  Example:    The Kevellond League declares it is spending 20 Strength Levels on advancing their civilization.  Celene declares it is helping the Kevellond League, giving them 4 points of aid.  The Kevellond Alliance has 24 points devoted to advancing their civilization.  The Kevellond League is considered to have advanced 8 years (24 divided by 3) into the Renaissance on that Turn, plus the 1 free year noted above - for a total of 9 years of advancement.  Celene does not advance at all, except for the 1 free year noted above.  Subrule 4:  The true reward for advancing your civilization is huge, if you are willing to turn aside from war (or are allowed to) and devote your efforts to advancement.  For every 10 years Terran equivalent your Power advances into the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Industrial Revolution, the following happens, at the beginning of the Turn:  Small nations like Ekbir, Geoff, and the County of Ulek gain 1 point in Power Level, permanently.  Intermediate sized nations, like Zeif, Furyondy, and Keoland gain 2 points in Power Level, permanently.  Large nations, like the Peoples of the Vesve, Nyrond, the Great Kingdom of Northern Aerdi, and United Ahlissa gain 3 points in Power Level, permanently.  Vast Empires, like the Celestial Imperium, Varnaith, and Erypt, gain 4 Power Levels in value, permanently.  Small Underdark Races, like the Derro, gain 1 to 2 points in Power Level, permanently.  Large Underdark Nations gain 2 to 3 points in Power Level, permanently.  Entire Major Races of the Underdark, like the Drow, gain 4 points in Power Level, permanently.  Vast Underdark Alliances, such as the Solistarim, also gain 4 points in Power Level, permanently.  Example - the Dark Union makes 10 years of progress, so:  Bone March increases by 2 points of Power Level permanently.  The Great Kingdom of Northern Aerdi increases by 3 points of Power Level, permanently.  United Ahlissa increases by 3 points of Power Level, permanently.  The Sea Barons increase by 1 point of Power Level, permanently.  Rel Astra increases by 1 point of Power Level, permanently.  Medegia increases by 1 point of Power Level, permanently.  Dullstrand increases by 1 point of Power Level, permanently.  The Legions of Kas increase by 2 points of Power Level, permanently.  The Isles of Woe increase by 1 point of Power Level, permanently.  The Power Level of Player Characters (such as the God Emperor of the Dark Union) does not increase.  The Dark Union is now 15 points stronger, permanently.  - - -  RULE 9 - THE PLANAR ARMS RACE  A player can claim 1, 2, or 3 Planar Races to help his Power, at (or before) the start.  Those Planar Races come and aid him.  He gains 1 point per Turn, starting on Turn 2, for each Planar Race helping him.  Two or more players may claim the same group of Planars.  If this happens, it is not considered a Contested situation.  A player whose Power is primarily evil cannot summon good Planars.  A player whose Power is primarily good cannot summon evil Planars.  A player can't claim good and evil Planars.  If you discard one Planar Race, you can take another in it's place.  A player who begins the game claiming only Planars (plus his PC) starts with 9 points per Planar Race claimed.  He can claim 1, 2, or 3 Planar groups.    He then gains 1 point per Planar Race he has, from Turn 2 onward.  - - -  RULE 10 - THE MAGICAL ARMS RACE  The entry of Kas and his Legions into the Present has returned the Arcane Age to Oerth and Greyspace.  The entry of Vecna and his Legions will further strengthen magic on Oerth and in Greyspace.  Everyone is now automatically in the Magical Arms Race, since great magic is returned to the world, and researchers abound.  Everyone gains 1 point per Turn for this Arms Race.    The Shadow Empire, Vecna, Kas, Acererak, Iuz, and the Solistarim are already more magically advanced than everyone else is.  This increased magical capability is factored into their Base PL.  CASTING 10TH LEVEL MAGIC  Everyone can start throwing 10th level magic on Turn 1.  If your power can cast 10th level spells, you may announce ALL of the following during your turn:  You can counter someone else's 10th level magic.  You can freely transport your entire army from one area of Oerth to another.  Your ability to destroy all enemies is greatly enhanced, and this will be taken into account in what you say you do.  Your ability to defend yourself against attack will be greatly enhanced, and this will be taken into account in what you say you do.  You can begin to permanently alter the climate of your country.  You can begin to permanently alter the flora and fauna of your country.  You can begin to permanently alter the topography of your country.  You can begin to attempt to permanently alter your people, enhancing them in some way (increases to stats, extra limbs, mutations, psionic powers, innate magical powers, etc.)  This kind of alteration could permanently increase your country's base Power Level.  You may attempt to cause a catrastrophe of some sort, like a tidal wave, hurricane, volcanic explosion, earthquake, major (and uncontrollable) forest fire, tempest, blizzard (in the tropics), heat wave (in the arctic), and the like.  The catastrophe can be countered if another power (or the target) with 10th level magic states it is doing so, and you may only target one Power (one person IRL) per Turn with a catastrophe.  Wish spells will not stop your catastrophe.  If your catastrophe succeeds, your enemy will suffer a permanent loss to his Base Strength Total.  CASTING 11TH LEVEL MAGIC  All Powers can begin casting 11th level magic on Turn 8.  Vecna and Acererak can do it on Turn 1.  Iuz and Kas can do it starting on Turn 4.  The Shadow Empire, the Solistarim, and the Wind Dukes of Aaqa can do it starting on Turn 5.  Any Power already capable of using 11th level magic may choose to share the secret of 11th level magic with another Power that can't.  The Power bequeathed the secrets of this magic gains the ability to cast 11th level magic immediately.  Thus, any Power could gain the ability to employ 11th level magic starting on Turn 1 - if Vecna or Acererak were to help them.  Once any Power knows the secrets of 11th level magic, it can share it with any other Power.  Note that sharing the secrets of 11th level magic means you are also sharing the secrets of 10th level magic, if the nation you are sharing with did not know the secrets of 10th level magic.  If your Power can employ 11th level magic, you can announce ALL of the following during your Turn:  You can counter someone else's 11th level magic.  You can automatically counter any lesser magic.  Your power to destroy is MASSIVELY increased, and this will be taken into account regarding what you say you do.  Your power to defend yourself is MASSIVELY increased, and this will be  taken into account regarding what you say you do.  You can permanently alter the climate of your country totally.  You can rearrange the geography of your country in major ways.  You can rearrange the flora and fauna of your country as you please.  You may bequeath upon your entire population one innate magical power per Turn (anything of 5th level or lower.)  You may permanently alter your entire population, mutating them into something else (you could turn all your elves into avariel, or all your humans into elves, or all your goblins into orcs.)  You may permanently increase your Power's Strength Total by 3 per Turn.  You may inflict a major catastrophe.    Unless countered by a 10th level or higher spell, it automatically succeeds.  A 10th level spell does not stop it, but lessens it's effect.  You can cause a massive tidal wave, regions at the equator to freeze solid, regions in the arctic to melt and steam, violent earthquakes, massive explosions, massive volcanic eruptions, the devastation of an entire region by any kind of force.  The Power you target will suffer a loss of 1/4 of his entire Power Level, rounded up, permanently.  You may only target one Power (one person IRL) per Turn with a catastrophe.  You may attempt to squelch all magic on Oerth for the current Turn.  If you are countered by 10th level magic, you have only a 50% chance of success.    If you are countered by 11th level magic, you fail.  Otherwise, the Magical Arms race is halted that turn (nobody gains any points the next Turn from this Turn's research.)  Planars lose most of their abilities, and this will be noted in what is said and done.  Undead lose most of their abilities, and this will be noted in what is said and done.  If you squelch all magic with your 11th level magic, that is all you can do with it in your Turn.  - - -  RULE 11 - THE PROBLEMS WITH TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOMANCY  Technology and technomancy created on Toril and in Realmspace will work fine, on Toril and in Realmspace.  Technology and technomancy created on Oerth and in Greyspace will work fine, on Oerth and in Greyspace.  Such technology can be given to the Planars for their use (but the Planars do not start their own Technological Arms Race ... your power must continue that.)  Technology and technomancy created on Toril and in Realmspace, which is taken to Oerth and/or Greyspace, DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.  Technology and technomancy created on Oerth and in Greyspace, which is taken to Toril and/or Realmspace, DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.  (Thus, for the past 40 years, the Church of Shade which is now called the Shadow Empire on Oerth had to start from scratch learning technological and technomancical knowhow on Oerth, just like the Lortmil Technomancy had to start from scratch.)  Magic, including Arcane Age magic, works normally when taken from one place to another.  - - -  RULE 13 - TRAVELLING TO REALMSPACE OR TORIL, AND VICE VERSA  ANY attempt by ANYONE from Oerth or Greyspace, to enter Realmspace or to travel to Toril (no matter how convoluted a route you take, or what spell you use) is met by the Realmspace Border Guard.  The Realmspace Border Guard are the final arbiters of whether those entering go any further, or whether they go back.  If those attempting to enter Realmspace or attempting to go to Toril attempt to fight the Border Guard, the entire 1,000 points of the United Commonwealth of Toril, plus the 500 points of the Eternal Empire, plus the 500 points of Hope Island, plus the 300 points of the Scro Star League, plus anything else I can think of, stands ready to back them up.  Hit and run raids (popping in, dropping a nuke and running) are not possible - the Border Guard is expecting such tactics.  However, the reverse is not true, not true at all.  Anyone from Toril or Realmspace may enter Greyspace, or Gate or teleport to Oerth, as they please.  When they do so, they lose all of their technological and technomancical (I think I have invented a new word here ...) Strength Level, and they are considered to be at:  ONE-HALF for the United Commonwealth (that is, they can throw 500 points at you)  FULL STRENGTH for Hope Isle (they can throw 500 points at you)  ONE-HALF for the Eternal Empire (they can throw 250 points at you)  ONE-HALF for the Scro Star League (they can throw 150 points at you)  Moral of the story:  Don't dis the Torilians.  At least, don't dis the Torilians until you can get away with it. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />  (The Wanderer, apparently doesn't care, since he is slandering them pitilessly.)  - - -  RULE 14 - HIGH LEVEL CHARACTERS AND NPCS  A character of 30th level 2nd or 3rd edition would have a Power Level of 1.  A character of 60th level 2nd or 3rd edition would have a Power Level of 2.  A character of 90th level 2nd or 3rd edition would have a Power Level of 3.  A character of 120th level 2nd or 3rd edition would have a Power Level of 4.  A character of 160th level 2nd or 3rd edition would have a Power Level of 5.  If the character has innate magical powers, and huge numbers of high powered magical items (and/or artifacts) his power level can increase further.  By further, I mean by 1 Power Level ... 2 at the absolute most, assuming the most extraordinary of conditions.  The above applies to NPCs.  It applies to the famous NPCs of Oerth.  An NPC who is a demipower, like Iuz, has inherently greater power than the norm, and his PL is enhanced further.  - - -  RULE 15 - HOW THE ARMS RACES WILL BUILD UP YOUR STRENGTH TOTAL   Presume you decided to claim only Dullstrand, Power Level 2, as your claimed Power.  You begin the IR, on Turn One, with a Power Level of 2.  You are automatically in all the Arms Races.    For the Planar Arms Race, you select djinn, eladrin, and guardinals to help you.  You elect to stay in the Undead Arms Race, summoning good undead.  You talk 3 other Powers into helping you in the Technological Arms race.  You are in the Magical Arms Race like everyone else.  On Turn One, you convince Acererak to share with you the secrets of both 10th and 11th level spells.   RESULT:  On Turn One, you can employ 10th and 11th level magic.  On Turn Two, your Power Level increases by:  3 for the Planar Arms Race (3 Planar Races)  1 for the Undead Arms Race  4 for the Technological Arms Race (Yourself plus 3 helpers)  1 for the Magical Arms Race  You now have a Strength Total of 11  - - -  RULE 16 - THE CITY OF THE GODS  Originally (and still, officially) a Mystaran product, the City of the Gods is here on Oerth, for the IR.  It is the left-over product of a super-advanced civilization (more advanced even than the United Commonwealth of Toril) that has disappeared.  It has maintained itself for thousands of years since, by maintaining and creating new robots.    The City of the Gods, as people call it, sits up in the Godspires, in the Black Ice (just off-map to the north), in the middle of the territory of the Solistarim.  It is not possible to claim the City of the Gods.  The Solistarim cannot claim the City of the Gods anymore readily than anyone else.  It IS possible to raid the City of the Gods for their high tech goodies.  A successful raid (75% of any raid being successful) produces an increase in your PL of 2, permanently.  An unsuccessful raid (25% of any raid being unsuccessful) produces nothing.  Each raid, successful or unsuccessful, against the City of the Gods gives a cumulative 1% chance that the City of the Gods will take notice of the raids, and that there are beings out there existing that can raid it.  In that case, the City of the Gods will DECLARE WAR ON EVERYONE IN THE IR.  Yours Truly will run the City of the Gods if that happens.    The City of the Gods will then attack all those who raided it, immediately.  Once those Powers are destroyed, the City of the Gods will randomly attack all the other Powers in the IR.</blockquote>

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