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Public Information Notice: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2008 Article IV Consultation with Bolivia
January 29, 2009
Public Information Notices (PINs) form part of the IMF's efforts to promote transparency of the IMF's views and analysis of economic developments and policies. With the consent of the country (or countries) concerned, PINs are issued after Executive Board discussions of Article IV consultations with member countries, of its surveillance of developments at the regional level, of post-program monitoring, and of ex post assessments of member countries with longer-term program engagements. PINs are also issued after Executive Board discussions of general policy matters, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Board in a particular case. The staff report (use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this pdf file) for the 2008 Article IV Consultation with Bolivia is also available.
January 29, 2009
On January 14, 2009, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Bolivia.1
In recent years, Bolivia experienced an export boom led by the hydrocarbons and mining sectors, which supported an improvement in the growth performance and a strengthening of the external and fiscal positions, but inflation accelerated and investment remained low in the context of persistent political tensions. The rise in export prices through mid-2008 led to exceptionally high external current account surpluses and reserve accumulation. Changes in the hydrocarbons taxation regime in 2005-06 further boosted fiscal revenue, shifting the public sector accounts from deficits into substantial surpluses. Increases in food prices combined with external surpluses that fueled demand pressures, caused inflation to rise to double digits in 2007-08. As part of its policy response, the central bank gradually allowed the Boliviano to appreciate, which contributed to a significant reduction in deposit dollarization. However, despite the predominantly positive trends, private investment rates remain among the lowest in the region.
In 2008, strong hydrocarbons and mining exports have continued to support Bolivia's growth performance as well as its fiscal and external positions. Real GDP growth has picked up to an estimated 5.9 percent (from an average of 4.7 percent in 2006-07), boosted in part by the start of production at a large mining project. The external current account has recorded a surplus of 11 percent of GDP, and central bank reserves have risen to historical highs. The combined public sector has also remained in surplus, benefiting from continued high export-based revenues.
Following an increase of inflation to 17 percent in the first half of 2008, twelve-month inflation declined to 12 percent at the end of the year. While the earlier increase was driven partly by food inflation, external developments generated demand pressures, compounding the effects of the supply shock. The external developments and associated partial monetization of the increase in reserves have contributed to double-digit inflation, which peaked in mid-year and has since eased somewhat. The role of excess aggregate demand in the inflationary process is evidenced by increases in non-food inflation. The deceleration in recent months reflects moderation in food prices, slower monetary expansion as reserves stabilized, a modest appreciation of the Boliviano, and substantial depreciations of trading partners' currencies.
Bolivia's overall fiscal position has improved in 2008, benefiting from high hydrocarbons-based revenue. The overall fiscal surplus is estimated to rise to 3.5 percent of GDP (from 2.6 percent of GDP in 2007), reflecting in part a strong increase in the surplus of the state energy company YPFB, which benefited from high natural gas export prices and the incorporation of activities such as refining and distribution, previously carried out by private sector enterprises. However, the non-hydrocarbon deficit has risen to an estimated 8.5 percent of GDP—reflecting, among other things, outlays on new social programs and higher fuel subsidies. Net public debt has continued to fall, with the overall fiscal surplus reflected in rising public sector deposits at the central bank.
Booming hydrocarbon and mining exports, together with high remittance inflows, led to a record-high current account surplus and large reserve accumulation, with major pressures on monetary/exchange rate policy during the first three quarters of 2008. In the period through September, the central bank stepped up open market operations, mainly through greater placement of indexed instruments. However, foreign exchange inflows were only partially sterilized, so that monetary expansion remained strong. Meanwhile, the authorities continued to implement small nominal upward adjustments to the exchange rate under the crawling peg regime. Since September, central bank reserves have declined somewhat, in part as a result of lower foreign exchange inflows and greater demand for foreign assets, resulting in a significant slowdown of monetary expansion. As a result, the growth rates of broad money and currency in circulation declined somewhat to, respectively, 24 percent and 35 percent for the year as a whole. During the last three months, the exchange rate has been stable, following about three years of gradual nominal increases. In real effective terms, the Boliviano has appreciated markedly over the past year, reflecting mainly the high inflation in Bolivia and significant currency depreciations in trading partners.
The banking system appears to be stable and liquid, although some vulnerable areas require special attention. Mainly reflecting sluggish demand in the context of political uncertainties, credit to the private sector has continued to expand at a very low pace, contributing to high levels of bank liquidity. Bank capitalization stands at 14 percent, and nonperforming loans have fallen to 5 percent of total loans. However, the level of restructured loans (about 9 percent of total loans or 40 percent of equity) still raises concerns. In addition, the system remains exposed to exchange-rate-induced credit risk, as loan dollarization remains high.
As Bolivia's integration with international capital markets is very limited, the current global crisis affects Bolivia mainly through declines in commodity prices and remittances. Capital inflows have been negligible for many years, except for foreign direct investment (FDI) in hydrocarbons and mining, thereby largely insulating Bolivia's financial system from the external turmoil. However, current trends in commodity prices will have a major impact on export receipts and related fiscal revenue—starting in 2009, because of the lagged response of contractual gas export prices.
Executive Board Assessment
Executive Directors noted that strong hydrocarbons and mining exports have continued to support Bolivia's growth and macroeconomic performance. In 2008, real GDP growth picked up, the external current account surplus remained large, and international reserves reached record levels. The combined public sector balance remained in surplus, benefiting from continued high export-based revenues. The currency strengthened, which contributed to a further significant reduction in deposit dollarization.
Directors noted that risks to Bolivia's outlook have increased because of the sharp deterioration of the global economic environment. Lower energy and mineral prices and an expected decline in remittances could slow GDP growth and push both the fiscal and external current accounts into deficits. Key policy challenges for the authorities will be to maintain sound fiscal and external positions, to consolidate the decline in inflation observed in recent months, and to reduce widespread poverty through increased investment.
Directors stressed that the increase in risks to the outlook requires a proactive fiscal response. They welcomed the authorities' fiscal strategy, which includes cuts in lower-priority capital expenditure while preserving social spending. To reduce dependency on volatile export-based revenue and ensure inter-generational sharing of hydrocarbon wealth, Directors saw a need to target a reduction in the non-hydrocarbons fiscal deficit over the medium term. They encouraged the authorities to seize the opportunity of declining oil prices to reduce gradually hydrocarbons subsidies, while using part of the resulting fiscal savings to protect vulnerable groups. Appropriate wage restraint, and a rigorous prioritization of investment projects will also be important.
Directors emphasized the importance of well-designed structural reforms for further strengthening Bolivia's fiscal position. They considered that the tax system could be simplified to improve its efficiency and equity, including through streamlining the value added tax framework and closing loopholes in the corporate income tax. They noted the need to better balance expenditure allocations and available resources at each level of government, and to improve the budget process.
While recognizing the role of supply shocks in raising inflationary pressures, most Directors saw merit in a more active monetary policy to help speed up the decline in inflation to single digits. In particular, they encouraged the central bank to conduct open market operations in a manner consistent with bringing about positive real interest rates on non-indexed bonds, and thereby eliminate the incentive for indexation. Higher real interest rates and lower inflation would also help consolidate the reduction in dollarization achieved in recent years. A few Directors cautioned against proposals that could affect the independence of the central bank.
Executive Directors considered the real effective exchange rate level to be broadly appropriate. Many Directors believed that greater exchange rate flexibility, supported by an appropriate monetary policy framework, would help absorb possible negative external shocks stemming from adverse movements in commodity prices. A few Directors, however, noted that greater flexibility in the current environment could rekindle inflationary pressures and risk reversing the de-dollarization trend of recent years.
Directors noted that Bolivia's financial sector appears to be stable and highly liquid, and is unaffected by the global financial crisis. Nonetheless, efforts to reduce vulnerabilities need to continue. Directors welcomed plans to fully adopt international accounting standards and the ongoing efforts to improve risk management practices in banks. They encouraged the authorities to introduce prudential regulations that mitigate market risks and credit risks from dollarization. Other pending reforms to be addressed include the introduction of a deposit insurance scheme, the adoption of legislation governing corporate bankruptcy and restructuring. A few Directors called for the strengthening of the anti-money laundering regime. Directors supported the proposed FSAP update in 2010.
Directors stressed the importance of improving the investment climate—including constructive negotiations with investors in disputed contracts—as Bolivia's private investment rate remains significantly below the levels observed in the past decade and well below the regional average. This will be the key to fostering broad-based economic growth and reducing poverty.
Est. | Proj. | ||||
2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
(Annual percentage changes) | |||||
Income and prices |
Real GDP |
4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 4.0 |
GDP deflator |
5.9 | 13.7 | 9.3 | 12.0 | -2.3 |
CPI inflation (period average) |
5.4 | 4.3 | 8.7 | 14.0 | 8.9 |
CPI inflation (end of period) |
4.9 | 4.9 | 11.7 | 12.0 | 8.0 |
(In percent of GDP) | |||||
Combined public sector |
Revenues and grants |
30.9 | 34.3 | 34.6 | 36.3 | 34.0 |
6.5 | 9.4 | 9.0 | 8.3 | 6.9 |
Expenditure |
33.2 | 29.8 | 32.9 | 34.0 | 35.2 |
Overall balance |
-2.2 | 4.5 | 1.7 | 2.4 | -1.2 |
Total net public debt |
71.1 | 41.9 | 26.8 | 17.0 | 17.9 |
External sector |
Current account |
6.5 | 11.3 | 13.2 | 11.0 | -0.4 |
Merchandise exports |
29.2 | 33.6 | 33.8 | 35.7 | 26.6 |
11.3 | 14.5 | 15.0 | 17.2 | 12.2 |
Merchandise imports |
24.4 | 24.4 | 25.9 | 29.3 | 29.5 |
Gross international reserves |
2,042 | 3,385 | 5,587 | 7,796 | 8,304 |
47.0 | 65.9 | 78.9 | 84.5 | 90.1 |
(Changes in percent of broad money at the beginning of the period) | |||||
Money and credit |
NFA of the financial system |
20.7 | 31.3 | 35.4 | 28.0 | 5.6 |
NDA of the financial system |
-6.6 | -12.9 | -3.7 | -4.4 | 2.0 |
39.6 | 34.7 | 33.1 | 31.8 | 32.5 |
Broad money |
14.1 | 18.5 | 31.7 | 23.6 | 7.6 |
Interest rates (percent, end of period) |
7.9 | 5.4 | 6.2 | ... | ... |
7.4 | 4.9 | 4.6 | ... | ... |
Sources: Bolivian authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections. |
Bolivia: Selected Economic Indicators
1 Under Article IV of the IMF's Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country's economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country's authorities. |
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Establishing an effective Compliance and Ethics Program ("Program") has become a necessity to protect any highly regulated organization. At its core, an effective Program protects an organization by detecting and preventing improper conduct and promoting adherence to the organization's legal and ethical obligations. In 1991, the U.S. Sentencing Commission established the most recognized standards for an effective Program within its Sentencing Guidelines Manual ("Guidelines"). These Guidelines are closely aligned with the principles set forth in compliance guidance that various agencies have developed over time. These include guidance related to investment companies, companies interacting with foreign officials, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmaceutical companies, and government contractors to name a few. These Guidelines and this guidance have been used by organizations to design and implement their Programs. While there is no "one-size-fits-all" Program for every organization, there are several core components that must exist to have an effective Program. These components are set forth below.
An organization must have standards of conduct and internal controls reasonably capable of reducing the likelihood of criminal and other improper conduct (Guidelines, § 8B2.1(b)(1)). The foundation of these controls should be a code of conduct. The code should contain an overall description of the program and address in a practical manner the compliance risks that are relevant to the organization. It should identify clearly those who are responsible for administering the program, the role of the governing authority, and provide general guidance on the business behavior expected of all employees. The code should also identify clear channels for reporting misconduct or violations of the code, and make clear that disciplinary action will be taken if an employee violates the code.
In addition to the code, an organization needs to have more specific policies and procedures to provide detailed guidance on the approach the organization wants employees to follow, or avoid, in its business relationships. These more detailed policies and procedures should address legal and regulatory risks relevant to the organization's business. These can be policies that address areas such as conflicts of interest, political contributions, agent and vendor due diligence, internal accounting practices, anti-corruption expectations, record retention, government funded projects, export controls, and custom issues. Depending on the industry, there are several guidance manuals, such as those identified above,that attempt to explain the types of areas that should be addressed.
The organization's governing authority, which usually refers to the Board of Directors or if the organization does not have a Board of Directors, should be knowledgeable about the content and operation of the Program and exercise reasonable oversight over its implementation and effectiveness. Specific individuals among high-level management should be assigned overall responsibility for the Program. One or more individuals should be assigned responsibility for the "day-to-day" operations of the program. Those individual(s) should have direct access to the governing authority and report to it periodically. This direct access is necessary to ensure that compliance information is channeled to those with the ultimate accountability for the organization. Those responsible for running the program should have adequate resources to operate the program effectively. What is deemed adequate will vary depending on the size and operations of the organization.
It is further expected that corporate leadership strive to foster a culture that promotes compliance with the law. This "culture of compliance" can be achieved through publicly rewarding compliant behavior and making clear that the reporting of non-compliant behavior benefits the organization and will not be met with retaliation.
An organization should take reasonable steps to ensure that individuals with substantial authority have not engaged in illegal activities or conducted themselves in a manner inconsistent with the Program. This usually requires that the organization employ screening procedures to check a person's background and criminal history. This would include background checks and following up with prior employers or references in connection with hiring and promoting. In addition, there may be more industry specific checks required depending on the organization's operations. For example an organization that receives federal contracts and certain types of federal assistance and benefits should consider steps to determine whether its employees are listed on the government's Excluded Parties List System (EPLS). The EPLS identifies those tagged with administrative and statutory exclusions across the entire government, as well as individuals barred from entering the United States. Similarly, an organization that receives revenue or payments from federal healthcare programs, like Medicare and Medicaid, should consider steps to ensure that employees are not listed on the OIG Excluded Parties List. This list is maintained and published by the OIG and lists all persons and entities who have been "excluded" from participation or involvement in federal health care programs.
An organization should ensure that the Program's code of conduct, policies and procedures are widely promulgated and that employees are trained on the programs objectives and relevant policies (Guidelines, § 8B2.1(b)(4)). Proper training should be required for all employees including the governing authority, the organizational leadership, the organization's employees, and, as appropriate, the organization's agents. Proper training typically includes training on the code of conduct, and basic components of the compliance and ethics program. Depending on the size of the organization, additional specialized training should also take place for the various policies and procedures applicable to specific employees who need them to properly perform their jobs. It is recommended that training be tracked, attested to, documented, and followed-up.
An organization's Program should include monitoring and auditing systems that are designed to detect criminal and other improper conduct (Guidelines, § 8B2.1(b)(5)). This is an essential component of the Program as it allows the organization to evaluate whether it is effective and is being followed. In general, the audit should assess compliance with the code of conduct as well as the policies and procedures adopted to promote adherence with laws and regulations. Whether the audit is conducted internally by someone within the organization or by an outside entity, it should be done by individuals who are independent from the area being audited. In addition to evaluating the company's compliance with legal requirements, in order to evaluate effectiveness, the audit should gain an understanding from employees of the organization's ethical climate by asking employees whether they are comfortable reporting potential violations of the organization's policies or the law, how they view the organization's commitment to compliance, and whether there are risks that the Program is not addressing.
Effective lines of communication with employees regarding compliance concerns, questions, or complaints are critical. Employees must be comfortable speaking with a compliance officer or management regarding compliance concerns that may arise. Utilizing a reporting system, such as a hotline or helpline, is important to provide a means for employees and agents to report or to seek guidance about potential or actual improper conduct. The Guidelines and several compliance guidance also recommend that the reporting system incorporate a non-retaliation policy and that an organization should allow for anonymous or confidential reporting. The non-retaliation policy should be clearly documented, communicated to employees, included in training, and strictly enforced. Few things will chill a compliance reporting process more than if employees perceive that they will be punished in some way for reporting problems or asking for guidance.
An organization should promote and consistently enforce the Program through incentives and disciplinary actions. This should be done throughout all levels of the organization (Guidelines, § 8B2.1(b)(6)). What is an appropriate incentive on disciplinary action will be "case specific." Appropriate incentives could include rewarding material concerns that are raised and even rewarding helpful recommendations for improving the implementation of the Program. Appropriate disciplinary actions could range from a reprimand with additional training, to a demotion, to termination. Ultimately, in order to be effective, the incentive or disciplinary action should be proportional to the conduct.
If improper conduct has been detected, it is imperative that an organization take reasonable steps to both address it, and to prevent further similar misconduct (Guidelines, § 8B2.1(b)(7)). The failure to prevent or detect improper conduct in and of itself does not mean that a Program is ineffective. However, the Guidelines make clear that a "recurrence of similar misconduct creates doubt regarding whether the organization took reasonable steps to" achieve an effective Program (Guidelines, §8B2.1 Commentary App. Note 2(D)). Thus, it is important for appropriate remedial measures to be taken. Such measures may include anything from disciplinary measures aimed at the person responsible for the improper conduct to modifying the compliance Program that is currently in place.
An organization should periodically assess the risk of improper conduct within its operations and take appropriate steps to design, implement or modify each element of the program to reduce the risk of improper or unethical behavior (Guidelines, § 8B2.1(c)). This assessment usually entails evaluating factors such as audit results, recent litigation or settlements, compliance complaints, employee claims, industry enforcement trends, and the existence and sufficiency of policies covering an area. Organizations are now implementing formal risk assessment processes, whereas before they were frequently done more informally. The organization should map the results of a risk assessment on a "matrix" to show the level of risk for each area examined, the likelihood of a violation and the likely damage to the organization from a violation. These "risk matrices" should then be used to help prioritize program activities for the coming year. An organization should conduct a risk assessment at least once a year.
The importance and complexity of compliance programs have skyrocketed in recent years. It has become a key element for employees, investors, regulators, and everyone interested in running, protecting, and evaluating an organization. Although some of the best guidance comes from the federal sentencing guidelines, by the time a problem gets to the sentencing stage, it is far too late to implement a compliance program. These eight components provide the essential foundation to begin -- today to protect any highly regulated organization. These components help to establish an effective compliance and ethics program by detecting and preventing improper conduct and promoting adherence to the organization's legal and ethical obligations. The time to start is now.
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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.
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First Post - Hello!
Just wanted to say hi. I have been programming a couple of years now with C and Objective C. I have an app in the app store but never thought about doing games till a couple weeks ago. I quickly discovered this is a type programming that I have not done yet.
It's nice to know there is a forum for game developers.
It's nice to know there is a forum for game developers.
Welcome! Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you might have!
Game programming is definitely very different from app programming. It comes with a bunch of unique challenges. Good luck.
Welcome to the board! Which app do you have in the store?
KB Productions, Car Care for iPhone/iPod Touch
All too often, art is simply the loss of practicality.
Hi, what app do you have in the store?
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Paizo Pathfinder® Paizo Games |
About Paizo Messageboards News Paizo Blog Help/FAQ |
Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the High Court (PFRPG)
Pathfinder Society Scenario #7–22: Bid for Alabastrine (PFRPG) PDF
The Primordial Dancer: Creation's Muse (PFRPG) PDF
Monster Classes: Harpy, Imp, Medusa (PFRPG) PDF
Caster Prestige Archetype: Davirat (OGL) PDF
Yeah sorry about the lack of response from me, my ambition and enthusiasm may have gotten ahead of my ability to follow through. Still likely to go ahead with this campaign, but not sure when exactly. When I finally get it up I'll be posting a new thread and will send those who expressed interest a PM to let them know.
Gah, I am terrible at GMing, too lazy. I really like this setting and wanted to play with it but as you can tell from my posting frequency I'm not doing well. So unless someone wants to take over running this thing I think I'm going to close it down. Sorry to everyone for dragging this out and ending it before it even really gets started. If I don't hear anything otherwise I'll close this campaign in a few days.
Hadn't looked into it too deeply to what would be different categories (as stated previously, was mostly focusing on the Ship game, which didn't get the response I was hoping for...), but was planning to go with weapon and armor ratings. As far as Craft and Lore I've actually looked at diversifying/mashing some of the skills for this setting. Let me find my notes... Err, okay think they must be on my other computer and can't be bothered getting that out right now. From what I remember I had smushed Lore and Craft together (to represent both practical and theoretical knowledge), and then split them into different areas of expertise. From memmory I think they were Computers, Mechanics, Science!, and then Alien Tech or something like that. As to the weapons thing, yeah that's a perfectly legitimate use of Create Advantage. Of course if you fail... :p
"The Indians derailed the train?" he asks, surprised and somewhat skeptical. "How'd they manage that? What brings you good folks to California anyway?" When Shrewd mentions 'Mr. Grizzly' it takes O'Malley a few moments to decipher his meaning. "Oh, you mean the automaton? Just part of Hellstromme's security; you wouldn't credit it but even down here we've had occasional problems with 'wildlife'" The group arrives at the tents, and O'Malley holds open the flap. "Make yourself comfortable. Will your other friend be joining us?" he asks, looking towards Raveneau. T.J. should he attempt to locate Buckner, is informed that the foreman has accompanied the crew back down the tracks to repair the roof where the posse made their ingress to the tunnels. He is encouraged to "Take a load off while ya can." The sawbones meanwhile withdraws a syringe and a couple bottles from his bag, finally selecting one and injecting Elias in the arm. "That'll help him rest'a bit eas-yer. Ah'll see 'bout getting 'im settled." he reassures Raveneau, checking Elias' vitals once more before shuffling down the tunnel and speaking with some of the workers. He returns then to the stove and gives the pot a stir, seeming to have forgotten about Raveneau.
The population is going to be fairly small, I'm thinking a couple thousand at most, but uhh, it's not much of a spoiler to tell you that Ship was launched for a purpose, and was made to be self sufficient so super-crops are definitely plausible. I do see religion cropping up, but not as a major part of the lives of the majority. As to misrepresenting ship's desires, I doubt they'd remain in their position for too long, ship is intelligent and fairly aware of what's goign on inside her :) Infiltrators and spies not so much, I've said a couple times this place is pretty close to a utopian society, disputes are simple, and the tribes all live fairly harmoniously. I realize this doesn't make for terribly exciting games, which is why the launching point will disrupt this harmony :D More after sleep/if/when I remember
I was planning to do the phases a little differently myself. the ideas I had however were for... High Concept: Super/Villain Type (eg: Evil Mastermind bent on World Domination, Seductive Siren of Saskatoon, Vindictive Energy Blaster)
Phase One: Origin Story (When/What/Why/How did your powers manifest)
Not sure what you mean by "karmic conscious"
I didn't think I'd seen that movie, but from reading the plot it seems I did :) Uhh, there are similarities, but instead of being in hypersleep and evolving into horrible cannibalistic monsters, it is a generation ship where the characters live their lives out in a simpler, more natural environment. The excitement will come from reality finally breaking into the ship and dragging them out of their nice primitive utopia.
I don't want to run any particular type of campaign/story other than using the setting elements I have shared. I have one in mind, but more importantly I wanted your input. I have my ideas, some of which I've posted, but I haven't wanted to squash your own creativity by giving you too much info. By the sounds of it you're just wanting me to give you guys the full setting and take it from there rather than collaborate to create something together. If that is the case then see the spoilers below. If it's not the case, then make some suggestions, tell me what sort of campaign you want to play! Think of the information about ship as the launching point for the campaign, rather than necessarily encompassing the entire campaign.
Skeksin Answers:
PWO's Answers:
Umm, well like I just said, character concept not so important for now. Trying to figure out whether you like my plot idea or not. Kinda important to get these details down before we move on to characters and such. Also, you can get the PDF for free from Evil Hat or DriveThru RPG. Or do you guys just want me to establish the setting myself? I'd really prefer to have you guys involved in things a bit more, but--from the responses so far--it doesn't seem like you're all that interested in this world creation stuff. Please tell me I'm mistaken (easy enough to do over the internet)
Hellstromme listens to your introductions, but his attention seems to have been caught once again by his clipboard as he distractedly flips a couple pages and peers at something. "Yes, certainly Mr. Beauchamp. There's no shortage of work around the place, even with as many men as we have; tunneling through a mountain is no easy task. Buckner will find something for you to do to make yourselves useful." he replies absently. "Yes, I think the folks back east will be in for quite a shock. It should be a good show. Now if you'll excuse me..." -=-=-=-=-=- "Lets leave the good doctor to his work shall we. I'd be interested to hear a bit more about the circumstances of your arrival." O'Malley says, leading the way to the door and holding it open for the rest of you. The dull roar once again envelops you, and it takes a few moments to adjust to the noise again. O'Malley shuts the door behind him and smiles at the two burly guards. "Dr. Hellstromme was kind enough to provide me with a tent. I'm afraid it doesn't help much with the noise, but it should give us some privacy at least." he offers, once again leading the way around the caboose. Once past the bulk of the train the are able to see the rest of the camp, such as it is. The track ends a few feet beyond the train's engine, and beyond the tunnel continues off into the darkness. Between is a level area with four tents in two pairs, one pair larger than the others close to the train, with the other pair being some distance from the rows of bedrolls near the edge of the illuminated region. On the opposite side of the tunnel are arranged a dozen or so small, collapsible tables each with a few chairs, arranged around an iron stove atop which bubbles a large pot of savory smelling food. On the largest of the tables is laid the badly burned black man Raveneau brought from the train's wreckage, with Raveneau and a grey-haired man talking nearby.
Well, that's why I'm asking you guys for your opinions. I need to know if you're happy with the progenitors and eldritch horrors elements, or if you'd favour a different kind of campaign. So far noone has commented (I figured it's the weekend and was allowing till monday before I gave this a nudge), so I don't really have anything to go on. You tell me what sort of game you want to play, I see this as a collaborative effort. Once we've got the basics down, then we can get into more detail. Characters can come afterwards once we get to that step of game creation (I'm going through the process as detailed in chapter 2, I encourage you all to read/follow along).
Grand Moff Vixen wrote: Bummer GMF (don't mind me, I'm lazy and like shortening names :p), hope you make it there safe and sound. Ideas are good, once you've got some bring em back here and share! @Skeksin: Yes, if players self compel and cause themselves problems as part of roleplay then that can result in retroactive fate awards. Players can also ask for compels for their character (the three headed dog is sleeping near the pile of gold? Well I guess me being As quiet as a moose could cause some problems.), or offer compels for other players. It's meant to cost them a fate point to offer the suggestion, but that seems to go against the feel of the game (unless of course the two PCs happen to be in opposition at the time, in which case I would charge the point). Anyway! Thoughts! Do you guys like my suggestions for the plot of the campaign? Hate them? Have much much better ones? Share em! Doooooo eeeeeet! !!!
@Airon87: Very true, well I guess we'll see how it goes for us; it's new to everyone in the group I believe @Grand Moff Vixen: As I just said, none of us have played FATE before that I'm aware of, but it seems very well done, and has some very good explanations, advice and examples for everything :) Plus it's pay what you want, so that's awesome. I was going to say it sounded Native American-ish PWO :) Hrmmm, I was thinking more a single name, but that's just me. I too like the idea of her usually just being called Ship (hence why I kept capitalizing it above), so perhaps they use her full name (Icimani Ina) only for ceremonial occasions and the like. Considered bad luck to risk distracting her by calling her attention perhaps? People can feel free to continue to submit name suggestions or register interest, but we should keep this thing moving as much as possible. Setting and Scale
Well those are a little on the flowery side :p Took a look at what I might do for Necessary Evil and how I might convert some of the powers your characters have. I likely won't bother to convert everything, and powers like Attack, Melee and Ranged and some others I'll need to discuss with people since they'd work a bit differently. But that will have to wait for now until Sunday morning or so.
Alright, sorry about delayed response, I have to admit I got a bit bummed out when this thread failed to get ANY replies :p @Airon87: I assume you mean with regards to compels? Still fairly new to the system and putting this campaign together, but I figure I'll post with the assumption that the player accepts the compel (possibly in a spoiler), and if they refuse then we can deal with that in game. The book says that even if they refuse the compel sometimes the 'bad stuff' starts to happen anyway and the fate point they pay allows them to describe how they change/overcome the bad stuff. I was also considering getting everyone on a skype chat (text, but potentially voice if people are up for that) so that we have an instant messaging capability. I'm sure people will be on at all different times, but it could potentially help to speed some of that stuff up.
Don't think I read Interface, so would have to go back and check that out. Wealth, considering you can just steal stuff with relative ease it's probably not worth a subsystem for it. Armor and Weapons yes, extra refresh yes. If everyone can please head over and post in the recruitment thread for the ship game then I'm just going to push forward with world creation on that. Doesn't look like we'll be getting any more players, but maybe once we start establishing the setting proper then it might draw some interest. http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2q0qz?Recruitment-for-a-game-of-space-exploraio n VoV/Musad/Mark I understand you've got your own recruitment thread, but if you get the chance then I would appreciate your input alongside everyone else's, world and character creation is probably going to take a while anyway.
Well I'd hoped to get some interest :P I guess I should give you guys some info on the setting itself and see if that attracts anyone's attention. Remember the below is just my thoughts on the setting, and most of it will be open to discussion. Think of it as the initial fuel to start a fire and try and get some creativity going :) So please, let me know if this sounds like your thing, and/or any thoughts on the below. Spoilered for length/convenience. Preliminary Setting Information
As stated above the campaign concerns a group of people from a living ship who have been isolated from the larger galaxy for millenia as Ship has largely drifted through interstellar space. Ship is a living, intelligent being, but posseses a unique and alien intelligence that makes direct conversation nigh impossible. In every generation one, or occaionally more speakers are chosen who bond with Ship and learn to interpret her needs and desires for her inhabitants. Such demands are infrequent, and the five races who reside within her large chambers live idyllic lives of luxury and relaxation.
Approximately three quarters of ship's ~12km length is hollow, forming 5 connected, irregularly circular chambers roughly 500m in diameter. Each chamber features slightly different envionmental conditions, though all are habitable. There is an approxmiate seasonal cycle. All of the chambers posses some vegetation and wildlife, some being more 'wild' than others, the same being true of their weather and environmental conditions.. The five chambers are known to the inhabitants as The Eeyrie (mountainous terrain, scrubby brush, sandy tundra, primary home of the Gargoyles who live in caves dug into enormous stalgmites hanging from the cieling, access gained by long narrow paths, sharp switchbacks and giant ladders carved into the walls), ??? (temperate, small hills, scattered vegetation and small animals, the main home of the Humans), Foresthome (well tended wilderness, trees grow everywhere including from walls, other plants hang from cieling, everywhere is green. Neat, easily traversed paths lead through the forest to the varios Dryad settlements, the next chamber, and Father Tree. Main home of the Dryads), the Wetlands (as wild as Foresthome if not more, a mishmash of jungle, swamp, and ???. Paths are less common and less well maintained. Filled in large part (approx 1/3) by an enormous 'mountain' of stone which houses the Mantis in an extended cave network and features the ruined structure that is their seeming origin), and ??? (swampy area proper? Full of plants and animals/insects used by the biochemists in their creations. Large population of humans and altered). The rest of Ship (including a thick section that runs beneath the habitat areas, though generally innacessibly from such) is taken up by the complex biology of Ship. Features include an enormous brain, a similarly sized stomach, and all the other various organs necessary for Ship and her inhabitant's survival (she is almost entirely self-sufficient, able to drift for centuries through interstellar voids without lasting harm, as long as there is a system at the other end in which she can 'refuel'.) Primary propulsion is via a 'frill' almost as long as she is that Ship can extend and acts as a solar sail, secondary propulsion provided by expelling gasses. Races:
The five races that reside within ship vary quite a lot. The relationships between them and the peculiarities of their cultures are largely still to be determined (don't want to limit anyone's creativity) apart from what is mentioned below. The rest will be decided during world creation.
The inhabitants of ship have only myths and legends to go by as to the origin and purpose for their journey. The things they do know is that the humans are the only original inhabitants of the ship, while the Gargoyles and the Dryads 'evolved' (with some help from Ship) from the fauna of ship. The Mantis were introduced by ship along with the asteroid that now resides within the wetlands from the last system they were in (a few centuries ago) when it discovered said asteroid and some genetic remnants of the species (see the Mantis entry for more information). The Altered developed as a result of the Human's biochemical research, and seemingly as a natural result of life aboard the ship. Shipboard life is idyllic and peaceful. Though a diverse group of races in a small region there have been few large scale conflicts between the various races. Populations remain small by mutual agreement, and though each of the races has a 'home' chamber members of any particular race can be found in any chamber in some amount (though the asteroid remains the sole territory of the Mantis, they lay no claim to the wetlands at large) however small. Gargoyles: Gargoyles were the first race to emerge after Ship's journey began. They are almost as old as the humans, having 'evolved' less than a century after departure. They originate from a extant species of small servitors who used to facilitate ship's functions, and were 'raised' during a time of conflict to serve as warriors to protect ship (or at least so the stories go). From this origin they developed a peaceful culture that dwell in high places that match their rocky hides. They are relatively similar to humans, but 'simpler'. They are proper omnivores that can digest anything organic, and even obtain some benefit from minerals, and their physiology is generally quite robust, able to go for several days without sustenance or rest without detrimental effects. Their skin is thick and tough containing significant mineral deposits. They display a high mutably to Human Biochemical tests, and legends tell of other times of conflict when great warriors developed clawed hands and feat, thickened, truly stone-like skin, and even some tales recount, growing great wings to bear them aloft. Dryad: Perhaps edged out by the emergence of the Altered thanks to the human's efforts, the Dryads are the second ship raised/created species, emerging some decades further into the journey than their predecessors the gargoyles. They were not raised directly from the plants as one might imagine, but instead from a group of humans reputed for their nurturing nature. Ship bonded these humans with the trees and the plants of Foresthome, whose traits they took on. It is said that Father Tree is in fact the leader of this group who became one with a sapling, his form melding into it instead of the other way around; certainly Father Tree would seem to be almost as old as Ship, his roots extending throughout Foresthome, joining the entire forest beneath the soil. The Dryads are small in stature, appearing mostly human except for a fibrous feeling to their skin (which is likewise thicker than a human's), their hair which bears resemblance to the foliage of the trees, and the small ducts that some posses on their inner forearm, from which they can release small darts of sharpened wood which grow naturally within. Human: The humans are the original inhabitants of Ship, and one may assume, the purpose for her journey. If they once knew that purpose however, it has been losts to their memory. They maintain a long oral tradition of the major events within Ship, and it is from these that the newer races learn their origins and began their own retellings. The humans live in simple huts, raising crops and hunting the local wildlife for what they need to survive. What little extra they gather they use to barter with the other races for items from 'their' habitats. The humans are also the reason for the good health and gentle lives of many aboard the ship, for a faction amongst them are dedicated to the study of the science thy call biochemistry. Growing replacement 'parts' and other strange, living creatures that serve a variety of medical uses, as well as extracting and brewing various drugs. It is also this group that is responsible for a large quantity of what have come to be known as the altered (see below). Mantis: The Mantis as the only race to have originated from outside the ship. Relatively new additions to shipboard life they have nevertheless integrated with the others, though they are the most insular of the five. The asteroid from which they emerged was delivered into the wetlands chamber by ship, and some decades later from it came the first Mantis. It took some time before communication was established, the Mantis having what seemed to be their own method of communicating with sounds, signs and body language rather than true speech. They picked up the language of the Ship eventually however, and told the tale of their parents awakening in a strange chamber within the asteroid. Few have been allowed into that chamber, but those that have report strange structures and shapes that they can only assume is the inspiration for the Mantis' talent for engineering. Since their 'awakening' inside the asteroid the Mantis have dug deep and far, enlarging the original chamber and constructing many others spreading out from that place. They have also displayed a keen intellect and skill with tools and invention which they have shared with the other races, helping to improve the lives of all within the ship. They are the ones responsible for the contruction of the raised paths through the more swampy areas of the wetlands, for widening and smoothing the paths of the Gargoyles (as well as creating a platform that can be raised and lowered from the main Gargoyle home to allow swift, though labor-intensive entry and exit), improving the designs of the Human's villiage, and collaborating with the Biochemists, even the Dryads treetop platforms are more stable and safe thanks to the Mantis' ingenuity. The Altered: Not truly a unique race the Altered are the result of genetic anomalies, Biochemist experiments and alterations (it's hard to think of someone as completely human when their lost arm has been replaced by a fleshy tentacle, or when their life-saving liver replacement results in growing scales over half their body), and other freaks of nature (usually the result of attempts at crossbreeding). Though malformed or deformed by the other races standard the Altered are nevertheless accepted by the other races. Many of them share the Human's talents at Biochemistry (or indeed were biochemists before their enthusiasm for discovery got the better of their common sense), others gain other skills, whether through new abilities granted by their mutations, or simply through hard work like anyone else. Some parents when faced with an Altered offspring will choose to reject such offspring, and either give them to Altered parents (who may be incapable of having their own children), or 'Return them to Ship'. Such may also become the fate of Altered whose mutations result in violent behaviour and personalities; such dangerous Altered are captured, restrained by their neighbours, and anaesthetised by a Biochemist or herbalist, before being fed into one of the orifices provided by Ship for recycling waste. Such treatment is only performed as a last resort however, when the Biochemists or other wise persons deem their mutations too extreme for them to survive or be corrected. Miscellaneous Setting Conventions: The setting contains some other things that (I hope) set it apart as below. These will all be up for discussion and expansion in world creation though feel free to make suggestions now :) Some of the below ideas may be abandoned completely if that is the consensus of the group.
Ta-Da! Please proceed to the recruitment thread in an orderly fashion :) Then ya know, read and make a post or something.
Welcome to the recruitment/interest check thread for a new game using the FATE Core rules. As per those rules the game creation will be done communally. I will be providing some pre-established setting facts to guide the setting into something I'd like to run, but the players will have input into those facts as well, and we may end up with something different if I like the ideas enough :) The basic premise of this setting is a distant future (several millenia at the least) 'soft' Science Fiction setting. I say soft because I have only a high-school level science background, so there will be technobabble and a lot of handwaving about why certain things work the way they do. I do like a certain level of realism however, so I try to anchor things in reality as much as I can. The focus of the setting is upon a single, large (on the order of a couple miles long) living ship. One of the first orders of business will be to come up with a name for said ship, and define some characteristics of it (though the ship design is one of the pre-established facts mentioned I'm open to alterations). The ship is home to a number of races (currently 5), and it's own relatively complex ecosystem complete with flora and fauna and weather. It is from these races, which have been isolated within the ship for a few millenia that the PCs will be drawn. The campaign will open with their idylic little society being intruded upon by the outside world, which will introduce them to the larger issues of the campaign setting and pit them against an empire spanning multiple worlds in multiple star systems. There are spots in the campaign for approximately 6 players, though most of those slots will likely go to the members of another campaign I was running which may be ending. At the least they will be given preferential treatment. Applicants should be familiar with the FATE Core rules (that is, the 2013 revision/reprint)—which can be obtained for any amount you wish to pay (including free) from the FATE/Evil Hat website (direct product link here), or DriveThruRPG—and the assumptions it makes there in regards to player attitude. That is to say players should be willing to invest in the setting, provide opinions and ideas about the setting, other players and their own characters, be willing to take constructive criticism and advice, work cooperatively with the other players and GM to make a fun, and enjoyable game for everyone. As the book says, characters should be Proactive, are (generally—that's what the Trouble aspect can be about after all) Competent, and lead Dramatic lives. Players should also be able to post regularly, checking the game once a day, and posting as frequently as they are able to and it makes sense to do so. Any notification of absences should be given in advance (where possible) in the discussion thread, or as soon as possible into the period of absence. If players go two days without posting or notification they will be considered AWOL and GMPC'd until their return, and after a week will likely lose their place. Posting over the weekend is slightly more relaxed, as the GM works weekends and is unable to post as regularly himself :) (I understand things happen sometimes, the important thing is to keep me informed. If I know something is happening to you in RL then I'm not going to be upset. The unexpected happens to all of us, just drop us a post or PM and let us know) Recruitment will be open for roughly a week, or until I get a full roster of six I'm happy with. If you don't make it into the six then don't forget about the game completely, feel free to follow along. All too often someone is unable to continue and another slot may open up :) Once recruitment closes then we will move onto the world creation and character creation which as the Core book suggests we will do cooperatively. Feel free to include some thoughts on what type of character you'd like to play and let me know in your submission. I can provide some of the pre-established info for the setting in a future post if people wish, but remember that these things may be subject to change. I am more interested in getting a gauge of interested parties, and their abilities for cooperative storytelling (which is how I see this campaign). Previous experience with FATE is not required, but extremely helpful, and players will be expected to have read the player-relevant chapters of the book before the game officially starts (which will be after game and character creation). Look forward to chatting with you all and getting this game off the ground!
well the characters would likely change a little in the process, and it'll take me a while to figure out how I want/we should convert it exactly, but I'm up for it once I've gotten the other game off the ground. What about the rest of you? Oh, and recruitment thread will be going up in a couple hours. Will post a link here when it's done.
Hmm, almost finished reading the whole thing now and... the book has rules for adding superpowers. Would you guys be interested in converting Necessary Evil to FATE and continuing (or at least trying it out)? I think it would solve some of the problems I was having. I'd still like to do the ship one now that I've been working on it, and you're all welcome to join it too :)
Alright, so had a chance to look over the first third of the book or so (up to chapter 6 I believe). I think what I want to do from here is open up a recruitment thread and find us one or two more players and then we can go through the world and character gen processes together. It may be a little slow but I think it will make for a better campaign in the long run. I just have to learn to say yes a little more and not be so stingy with info :) I will try to get said recruitment/interest check up tonight before work (wouldn't hold my breath on that count though :p) or else some time over the weekend.
Michael's conduct earns a raised eyebrow from the reporter but Hellstromme only stands to cast his gaze over his new guests. "Welcome travelers. What brings you to our little expedition here?" he asks, seeming to be in quite a good mood despite the unexpected visit. He listens to your story and glances at Charley Bill. "We've already got a crew on the way to patch the hole. Resupply train had to blast the debris off the track." he reports. Hellstromme waves his hand in dismissal and the foreman lets himself out, momentarily allowing the noise of the drill in from outside. As soon as the door shuts the caboose falls into blessed silence apart from the sound of the half-dozen people occupying it. "Perhaps you've heard Wasatch dropped out of the so called 'Great Rail Wars?' I believe Mr O'Malley here reported as much last year." "The thruth is we've been working on a revolutionary way to avoid these treacherous mountains. After your experience with those buffoons at Smith and Robards, I assume you can see why." "Ahead of us, beneath approximately a half-mile of earth and stone, is a new machine of such staggering complexity that I alone can service it. That is why I am here." "By my estimations, we should be emerging in California in a few days time. From there we will link with my existing line and roll into the City of Lost Angels by high noon in two days. There we will confront Reverend Grimme with the inevitable approach of progress, and end these damnable and expensive Rail Wars forever." "You will accompany us on this historic occasion and witness an epic moment in history as our guests. Mr. Buckner will see that you're fed and shown around the camp, please listen to what he says, the tunnel can be a bit unstable sometimes." Raveneau: Raveneau is led past the fancy caboose to a more open area. The ground has been leveled by the track has not yet been placed to allow extra room for the camp he finds there. Things appear relatively simple, there are two pairs of tents, one amongst the bedrolls and the others some ways further down separate from everything else which would seem to be the privies.
A small stove has been set up near some collapsible chairs and tables and it is to this area Raveneau is led where an older man is stirring a pot on the stove. The other horses are led off towards the privy where a roped off area is erected and they are corralled. At a call from one of the men leading the horses Jeb, the man tending the stewpot turns to look at Raveneau and strolls in his direction. The man looks to be in his 50s, more grey than black in his hair, a little stooped but otherwise in good health. He looks Raveneau over briefly before he shifts his attention to Elias. "Weeeell..." he says, making a sucking noise through his teeth. "Better get 'im on one of the tables so I can take a proper look at him." he instructs Raveneau. If the huckster doesn't seem to want to do it himself he calls out to a couple of the laborers returning from dealing with the horses. "Careful now. Don't want to crack his scabs." he cautions them. After a few minutes examination and making sucking and clicking noises, he heads over to one of the tents, returning with a carpet bag and sets it on the table. "Not too much I can do fer him. Someone's done a good job with the bandages, but with the burns so bad..." he observes with a clucking noise. "He been given anything? Don't seem ta be drugged, just deep unconcious. That's about the best thing for him raight now."
AS far as propulsion I was thinking it would have a sort of giant 'frill' that would act as a solar sail. It probably wouldn't get to the speed of light but yeah, right sort of idea. It spends a lot of time in the voids between stars living off of ambient radiation and whatever debris drift's it's way. It's an omnivore in the truest sense of the word. Will be working on read full rules and typing stuff up at work the next few nights, but you guys should have enough to create characters if you'd like :) Would help give me ideas as well. You can feel free to create your own racial aspects if you'd like, I'll let you know if it gets too outlandish.
wut. Hadn't heard about the Richard Garfield thing. Anyway, FATE is looking more likely than Savage Worlds at this point. Probably won't get around to reading the full FATE rules myself (so no idea about armor and whatever else it was you asked about PWO) until the weekend when I can do it at work :p
Haven't heard of that game, but yes it is potentially an option for Gargoyles (cuz ya know... they're gargoyles :p). For some reason I see them as kind of mutable physically. I also saw them as growing in gel pods hanging for a wall instead of standard birthing :p Kind of like an egg-laying species I suppose.
Alright, well once again I'm open to input from you guys about what you want, but I'll continue to answer with what I had in mind. Layout of the living areas is approx 2/3s of the ship in 4-6 large, open compartments. I haven't quite been able to decide about gravity, I'm thinking either rotational, or preferably parallel to travel, but the only way I can see that working is if the ship is providing it psionically. It's certainly big and powerful enough to do that, but it seems like a significant drain on it's abilities. It could result in loses of gravity when it needs to divert it's attention towards ship defense. Illumination is provided by ship through bioluminescent 'veins' in the ceiling that fairly effectively mimic sunlight. The illumination level (and color) changes to a softer bluish light at 'night time'. As far as cultures, the individual races have their own cultural identities, but there is no strict segregation or anything. The Mantis of course live in their asteroid chunk in one of the middle chambers (though a few have joined the other communities), and I can see the other races each having 'claimed' one of the other chambers and having altered it to suit them, but you can expect to find any of the 5 anywhere on the ship in some quantity at least. If you want a rough population breakdown well... I'd just be pulling numbers out of my butt since I don't know how big a population a space like this could feasibly support, but we'll say total population of 10,000 broken down into 4000 Humans, 2500 Dryads, 2000 Gargoyles, 1000 Mantis, 500 Altered. Since you mention wars (and a few other similar questions) and the like I'll quote the below paragraph again :p GM-Peanuts wrote: The races generally get along quite well, there are occasional periods of turmoil, caused by both internal and external forces, but generally the races work together to maintain the ship, and live peacefully. (Unsurprisingly, the campaign will be set at the start of a period of turmoil :p). Think of the ship as a kind of garden of eden and you wouldn't be too far off the mark. There are tales of contact beyond the ship in the past, but many believe them to by simply myths (it hasn't happened in several generations. The ship inhabitants are fairly insular). It is very much a utopian society where everyone works communally for the greater good (maintaining ship, defending her in times of peril). To these people the Ship is their world, without her they wouldn't exist. At the start of play the only thing 'sci-fi' about this campaign is that they're on a ship instead of a planet, the sci-fi elements will be introduced in the first arc, and things will expand from there. Even when they are introduced this is not going to be a 'hard' sci-fi campaign, because I'm not smart enough to pull that off :p There will be handwaving (technology indistinguishable from magic which is basically what's going on with Ship) so don't expect great complex schematics and mountains of technobabble (or perhaps do on that last part). It will be fairly sandboxy, and again, the first arc will introduce the 'threat', but your characters will not have been aware of it until the start of the campaign. Any questions or thoughts from the other players? :p Your input is greatly desired.
There are 5 races, just me forgetting about the altered (since they're kind of a mongrel race). No specific reason for so many, just wanted to provide a bit of variety, and add some things I'd been thinking of for a while. I did orignally stat them up in savage worlds and some other stuff for this besides, but FATE should be even easier. I can see about googling some images when I type this up. Well, I figured it was pretty big for a spaceship. There will be potential for exploration, don't you worry, but I'm happy to discuss what I had in mind with you guys. FATE seemed to indicate that worldbuilding was meant to be a communal exercise, so I'm happy for input. Will get more info up for you in the next few days I hope, but to answer at least some of your questions... Ship is indeed a generational ship, and has been travelling for so long that any knowledge of what she really is, her purpose, etc. has become a matter of myth (I do have some ideas and notes on why which the party may be able to learn depending on where this thing goes). As to genetic diversity it's not so much of an issue, the inhabitants are quite primitive technologically speaking, except where medicine is concerned (more about that later). The races generally get along quite well, there are occasional periods of turmoil, caused by both internal and external forces, but generally the races work together to maintain the ship, and live peacefully. (Unsurprisingly, the campaign will be set at the start of a period of turmoil :p). Think of the ship as a kind of garden of eden and you wouldn't be too far off the mark. There are tales of contact beyond the ship in the past, but many believe them to by simply myths (it hasn't happened in several generations. The ship inhabitants are fairly insular). The ship is a living, intelligent being, though does not posses sentience in the way we understand (don't look too much into that, it's just a handwave so that the ship can't give you all the answers. Alien brain chemistry, etc.). It is quite powerfully psionic in order to be able to defend itself, and can communicate simple requests with it's inhabitants through specially chosen representatives; they are able to communicate the ship's instructions without really needing to understand that scraping the growths out of a certain tunnel (for example) is required because they are leaking a pollutant into the water supply which passes through that duct. The ship has a high level of control over it's own functions and can reshape itself (some limitations) should the need be required. Beyond the mysterious biological functions that sustain both ship itself and her inhabitants; ship contains a small, but diverse ecosystem. Were it not for the walls arching up overhead, and the lack of a sun one could almost be forgiven for thinking her large, open compartments belonged on a beautiful, habitable planet somewhere. Trees, undergrowth, crops, insects, animals, and more all abound within her picturesque environments. I am open to suggestions as to where the campaign goes. The start of the game will be tribal fantasy (the races have no technology to start with, the only materials they have regular access to is wood, bone and some stone, with the rare bit of metal finding it's way into the system, usually introduced by the ship itself in the form of a tool) dealing with an unexpected disaster affecting the ship. There will be opportunities from there to introduce more sci-fi elements, space opera, trading/exploration and what have you. Okay last, the races. I still need to look over the full FATE rules, but I'm thinking I'll come up with some Aspects common to each race and you guys can choose one (or come up with something similar that fits the theme) to use for one of your starting Aspects: Gargoyles: They're what you'd expect from the name. A race of humanoids with hard, rock-like skin containing a large mineral content. They are the most physically imposing of the five races, though they have a tendency to stoop; even without that they cannot match up to the Mantis in height. The elders tell stories of the race's birth when Ship gave them life, raising them from the small, mindless creatures that scurry about her halls to serve her in a time of great need. The legends tell of great heroes and warriors setting aside their peaceful ways, to be given fearsome claws, grow mighty wings to fly over her fields and landscapes, remaining ever vigilant. Dryads: Not as stereotypical in this case (May come up with better names for these races. Suggestions welcome and encouraged). The Dryads, like the Gargoyles tells stories of being birthed by ship. They claim that their distant ancestors were chosen from amongst the humans, and bonded to the trees and plants that they might ever have someone to tend and guide them. Physically the Dryads are the smallest of the races (generally speaking, the Altered can vary a lot in size), about the size of a dwarf, though not as rotund or robust. What they lack in size they make up for in heart; the Dryads are the most caring and nurturing people, both towards the plants and animals that live within Ship, and the other races as well. They do not usually join the human's in their medical pursuits, but are accomplished natural healers and have a keen understanding of the habits of nature. This is not to say that they are all timid rabbits who want nothing more than to help people. That is a strong drive within them but they posses other abilities granted by their floral origins. Their skin is fibrous and tough, and many of them posses an organ that can fire needle-like darts from their arms when threatened. Legend tells of other more power dryads who joined their Gargoyle brethren in defending the ship, growing vines to assault and entangle their foes, drip poison onto their darts before firing, or confuse and delude ship's enemies with clouds of pollen. Mantis: The mantis (again, open to better names) are a species of insect-like humanoids who originate from outside the ship. Stories amongst the other races tell of a time not too long ago (2-3 centuries) when Ship (I keep wanting to call her Moya now damn it :p) 'gave birth' to a great rock. It lay dormant, and ship's representatives counseled that the place was to be left alone. It was not until a generation later that from it crawled the first Mantis. Extremely tall and thin, with a second pair of smaller arms, and a chitinous carapace the Mantis were nevertheless humanoid. Initial encounters between the Mantis and the other races were tentative, but eventually they were welcomed onto the ship. The race it seemed, had been birthed at the same time as the great rock. The mantis would have been welcomed as the latest creation of Ship, had it not been for a strange structure at the heart of the rock. Seemingly incomplete, or perhaps only part of a larger whole, the building featured strange markings, odd constructions and other mysterious formations that were found nowhere else on the ship. Communion with the Ship confirmed that the Mantis had been 'saved' and 'reborn'. Since their arrival the Mantis have gradually acclimatised to the lifestyle of the ship. They remain somewhat removed from the other races however, continuing to live in the large rock, digging more tunnels to accommodate their growing numbers, and pursuing their own strange interests. The Mantis are the most advanced species, quite intelligent, constructing tools and simple devices to aid their excavations and the work of their allies, inventing new techniques for farming and hunting. There are some who feel that Ship made a mistake by welcoming these 'outsiders' within her, but to question the will of Ship is to question she who provides for them all, and their voices are largely ignored, or fall silent. Humans: The original inhabitants of the ship humans are the most numerous of the races, but not by any great amount. They live in harmony with the others and pursue their own interests, the primary of which is the Science of Biochemistry. Though the greater understanding of the science has faded as their memories of their origins before Ship, the humans remain adept manipulators of biological processes. Their primary method of affecting such changes, comes in the form of growing organisms in vats of chemicals extracted from plants, animals (and in some rare cases Ship itself), and if possible the blood of the intended recipient. The organism is then swallowed/inserted/implanted/attached to the recipient where it forms a symbiotic bond with it's host where it secretes chemicals/is absorbed/replace another organ/enhances functions or whatever else it was grown to do. Some organisms can be grown to survive and function independently of a host and used as tools and--if need be--weapons. Technologically (tool crafting, construction, theory) Humans are second only to the Mantis, but as in medicine occasionally surpass the insectoid people, if for no other reason than having more minds to bend to a task. Of course not all humans are scientists, the majority are simple tribesmen and women. The Altered: Not so much a proper race as a category for the occasion genetic reject. Whether a result of crossbreeding (see spoiler below), the body rejecting human biological implants, improperly grown implants, or just random mutation (a flaw in Ship's radiation cover, something she ate... etc.) the altered are beings that posses aberrant features and odd abilities. They generally suffer from a shortened lifespan (though that can still be several decades), and sometimes crippling deformities and defects. Despite this they are generally accepted by the other races, the only exceptions being those whose mutations result in an imbalanced mental state, or who otherwise endanger the Ship or other inhabitants. Those who suffer from such abnormalities are restrained, anesthetized, and 'returned to the ship' (tossed down the orifices that recycle waste). Some who overindulge in implants, or other chemical overdoses (can be caused by some plants, animals, and Ship) have diverged from the base stock sufficiently to fall within this category. Crossbreeding:
The races are generally biologically incompatible, though Humans and Dryads can breed, if with a rather low birth rate. The offspring of such a union biologically take after one parent or the other with some slight transfer from the other parent.
Besides those unions, the occasional 'freak' birth does occur however, Mantis Human hyrids, Gargoyle Dryad monstrosities; such children rarely survive to term, but those that do are often raised and loved by their parents in the accepting environment of the ship; others however are left to the animals, abandoned, or 'returned to the ship' (see above)) If an altered reproduces with anything else, the offspring has a higher chance of surviving than a normal crossbreed, but it is still relatively low (and will most likely be an even more unusual Altered) Phew! That took a while. Still more rattling around in my head but that should answer your questions, and hopefully get you guys thinking about characters, the setting, and where you'd like to take it :) Oh and since I didn't really mention it above, there are Psionics aboard the ship (the representatives chosen by Ship for instance), it's relatively uncommon, but not unheard of for people to posses it beyond the representatives.
The man looks at Michael as he steps up, noting the sling, but it's not til he looks past him to the doctor and his patient that his eyes go wide. "Christ! That must have been some attack, but then..." he glances to the rest of the workers and gestures for them to continue. "Charley Bill, Charley Bill Buckner." Well, you better come on in, we can see about getting someone to look at you all. We'll need to keep you in our protective custody until we get to Lost Angels anyway. It shouldn't take but another week with any luck. We just can't let word get out thet we're almost there or we'll have every rival rail gang in the West descending on us like flies on cow patties." "Don't worry though. You're safe. We've got a couple of celebrities with us so you can bet we're well armed. Who? Well, that fella from the [iTombstone Epitaph[/i]. Lacy O'Malley. Writes all them weird tales? Let me introduce you to the other." Unless anyone objects he leads the way past the steamy section by the resupply train--now it seems being loaded with tools and lumber--revealing the camp proper. Several dozen men wield pick-axes, smoothing the walls to either side of the tunnel, while on the tracks ahead sits a very fancy-looking caboose attached to a second train. It is surrounded by stacks of equipment, railroad ties, foodstuffs, water barrels, and even some explosives, and seems to be Buckner's destination. He stops along the way, calling out to one of the workers by name, and sending him off to "Fetch the sawbones." A couple others take charge of the horses, though they look somewhat uncertain what to do with them, no other animals seem to be present. That sorted, the cowboy turns to the train, nodding to the two grim guards at the rear of the caboose--both armed with Gattling shotguns, you notice--and one of them knocks some sort of code on the caboose door. You don't hear anything from inside for all the noise in the tunnel ahead, but someone must have answered for the guard nods you on in. You step up onto the rear platform and into the most luxurious rail car you've ever seen. The walls are carpeted with rich red velvet panels inset into cherry wood. Brass fixtures and handrails add contrast, and a short dining table is set with what looks like more silver than came out of Virginia City. But what really captures your attention are the two figures seated in plush chairs at the other end of the car. One is no doubt the famous Lacy O'Malley. He wears his trademark white suit and hat, though even from here and by the flickering candles you can tell it's seen better days. He smiles amiably and tips his hat. The other figure sits back in his chair with a clipboard in his hand. He wears a scarlet smoking jacket and puffs on a pipe. His face is hidden in shadows, but as he leans forward and his piercing gray eyes emerge from the darkness, there can be no doubt this is the famous Dr. Darius Hellstromme.
Looked over the FAE rules last night (wasn't feeling up to tackling the core ones on my third nightshift) and yeah it looks pretty good. It's different to anything I've tried before but it looks like what I want. I'll try to get some more setting info typed up in the coming days and post a recruitment thread to see if there's any interest from other parties, looks like we may have lost Cash.
Moya was not the inspiration, but it did come to mind after I'd been working on the ship for a while. I don't actually know Moya's dimensions, and have not played Mass Effect, but much smaller than the ringworld and dyson spheres (although it does have it's own ecosystem like a ringworld). It's More in the vicinity of a few miles in length, and a few hundred metres diametre. Unlike Moya Ship is almost entirely organic, and requires no Pilot. It's also a lot slower (no starburst/hyperdrive for you guys :p)
Well I'm up for suggestions on systems, so if you have one you like Belle, or indeed anyone else, then feel free to throw me a link so I can check it out. I'm open to any, just needs to have the right feel to it. As to the setting, well I don't have time to go into detail before bed, but basically the PCs will be members of one of 4 different humanoid species living together on an enormous, living ship flying through space. There are many stories told about why you're on this ship, what the ship is, where the ship came from, where it's going, etc. etc. All you really know is that for all your life you've lived inside ship (need to come up with a name still), lived off of the bounty it provides, and occasionally been called on to do strange tasks that noone really understands. Can tell you more later, but that's the general concept of it for now, feel free to ask questions.
Sorry guys, I really am still interested in this campaign, but I don't think I'm quite up to running it. It's a bit too freeform/chaotic for my meager talents... I can keep trying if you guys want, or else I've actually had a different idea for a setting rattling around in my head for a week or two now. Should be able to fit it into Savage Worlds fairly easy and it's a rather smaller world (at least at the start. Has the potential to go very large later on if I feel up to it). What's everyone's opinions?
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Personal Directory Information |
Name: | Mohammad Hassan Tahririan |
Institution: | University of Isfahan |
Email: | click here to access email |
State and/or Country: |
NA Iran |
Linguistic Field(s): |
Applied Linguistics |
Selected Publications: | The methodology factor in teaching ESP. ESP Journal, 12.3, U.S.A. 1993. Core Vocabulary and EFL materials. JSSH 16.2, Iran,1993. Task-process approach in teaching writing to EFL learners. RBIU. 7.1, Iran,1993. Process-feedback method in teaching EFL writing. IJOAL, 23.1. India, 1995. EFL learners' proficiency and their performances on GPE and ESP collocations. IJOAL 24.2. . India, 1996. Communicative Conventions in Discussion Discourse. International Journal of Psycholinguistics. 13. 3. Japan, 1997. Passivization: a cross-linguistic perspective. IRAL 36.2 Germany, 1998. Information structure in Persian. The Journal of Humanities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 8.2, Iran, 2001. Peer review, teacher feedback, and EFL learners' writing development. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics(IJAL). 5.1, 2001. The functional role of linking strategies in processing L2 words. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities of Shiraz University. 18.1. Iran,2002. Content-based EFL instruction: a multiple intelligences approach. Journal of the Faculty of Letters and Humanities, University of Isfahan. 2, 29. Spring-Summer 2002. A contrastive schematic genre analysis of Farsi and English narratives: the case of short stories. Sheikhbahaii Research Bulletin (Humanities). 1.2, Iran, 2002. Analysis of e-mail genre: A new perspective to EAP writing. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics(IJAL). 6.1. Iran, 2003. Analysis of e-mail genre: a new perspective to EAP writing. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics 6. 1, 2003. The significance of encyclopedic knowledge in the integration of word meaning by EFL learners. AILA 21.2, Singapore, 2003. EFL learners' proficiency in English and their writing performance on a letter writing task. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 6:2, 2003. Content-based EFL instruction: a multi-intelligence approach. Language for Specific Purposes. 18.1 England, 2003. Discoursal and formal features of psychology and sociology texts: a case of text analysis for ESP purposes. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities of Shiraz University. 19.1. Iran,2003. College EFL learners' achievement and their language learning strategies. The Journal of Humanities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 10.2, Iran, 2003. |
Courses Taught: | Language Teaching Methodology Contrastive Linguistics Introduction to Linguistics |
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text: I have a room that is 10.5' x 11.0', concreate wall's, 3 windows dived in pairs. Now, this room is gonna become my bedroom and work office. I don't really want to buy a bed and a desk, perhap's what i like to do is build a bed (twin - i'm single) with a desk attach to it, with enough space to work; Put my LCD Monitor, my Tower PC, Printer, and space to write documents. I know it would be much easy to go by it, but i really like to do it my self. I got's to star working from home, why not do it from scrach and save some money? right? Thank's for all the help i can get.


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May 14, 2012
Study Shows Exercise Experiments In Asymptomatic Patients After Coronary Revascularization
Asymptomatic patients who undergo treadmill exercise echocardiography (ExE) after coronary revascularization may be identified as being at high risk but those patients do not appear to have more favorable outcomes with repeated revascularization, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication. The article is part of the journal's Less is More series.
Cardiac events and recurrent ischemia (a temporary shortage of oxygen caused by impaired blood flow; identified in the study as new or worsening cardiac wall motion abnormality shown on the echocardiogram) are common after revascularization procedures, both percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary bypass graft surgery (CABG).
Guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association recommend evaluation with stress imaging tests, including ExE, in symptomatic patients after revascularization, but evaluating asymptomatic patients "is more controversial," the authors note in the study background."Testing is considered inappropriate early after PCI (<2 years) and CABG (<5 years), but the justification for these cutoffs is ill defined," the study notes.
Serge C. Harb, M.D., and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic Heart and Vascular Institute, Ohio, examined the effectiveness of testing asymptomatic patients early and late postrevascularization. Their observational study was conducted with data from asymptomatic patients with a history of PCI or CABG who were referred for ExE at the Cleveland Clinic from January 2000 through November 2010.
ExE was performed in 2,105 asymptomatic patients (average age 64; 310 were women; 845 [40 percent] had a history of myocardial infarction [heart attack]; 1,143 [54 percent] had undergone PCI and 962 [46 percent] had undergone CABG an average of 4.1 years before the ExE).
Ischemia was detected in 262 patients and 88 of them underwent repeated revascularization. A total of 97 patients died over an average followup period of 5.7 years, and death was associated with ischemia in groups tested both early (less than two years after PCI or less than five years after CABG) and late (two or more years after PCI, or five or more years after CABG), according to the study results. The main predictor of outcome appeared to be exercise capacity, "suggesting that risk evaluation could be obtained from a standard exercise test rather than exercise echocardiography," the authors note.
"In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that asymptomatic patients who undergo treadmill ExE after coronary revascularization may be identified as being at high risk but do not seem to have more favorable outcomes with RVs [repeated revascularization]," the authors conclude. "Given the very large population of post-PCI and post-CABG patients, careful consideration is warranted before the screening of asymptomatic patients is considered appropriate at any stage after revascularization."
(Arch Intern Med. Published online May 14, 2012. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1355. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org.)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Invited Commentary: Is Routine Stress Testing Worth the Effort in Asymptomatic Patients After Coronary Revascularization?
In an invited commentary, Mark J. Eisenberg, M.D., M.P.H., of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, writes: "A strategy of routine periodic stress testing in asymptomatic patients following coronary revascularization is associated with high rates of resource utilization and high costs. Most positive test results using such a strategy will be false-positives and will lead to further testing and additional angiographic procedures."
Eisenberg continues: "Despite the fact that current evidence discourages the use of routine testing, this strategy is still commonly observed in practice. Thus, the time has arrived for a large, well-controlled trial randomizing asymptomatic patients postrevascularization to routine periodic stress testing vs. conservative management."
"Until well-supported data become available supporting such a strategy, routine testing in asymptomatic patients is probably not worth the effort," Eisenberg concludes.
(Arch Intern Med. Published online May 14, 2012. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1910. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org.)
Editor's Note: Dr. Eisenberg is a national investigator of the Quebec Fund for Health Research. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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