Monthly Blankets

[mikestrauss]

I just scoured the rule book, alliancelarp web site, and this forum. I know that monthly blankets exist, but where is the policy actually written down? What is the full policy?

Small questions, I know. But, it is sorta the thing that should be easily discoverable.

-MS

 

[Robb G]

aren't they under the goblin points section near the end of the book? (i don't have mine on me at work)

 

[mikestrauss]

aren't they under the goblin points section near the end of the book? (i don't have mine on me at work)

I checked there. That section discusses event blankets, but not monthly blankets.

-MS

 

[OrcFighterFTW]

Like all other things involving Goblin Stamps, it is handled at the Chapter level, so you will find it within a specific Chapter's policies. I think at this point, all Chapters have the Monthly Blanket option, so it is found in all chapters, but is not actually a national policy. For example, Southern Minnesota's reference to it is found on page 51 of the SoMN Player's Handbook:

Goblin Stamps – The Main Reward

The most common reward for donations and volunteer work are Southern Minnesota “Goblin
Stamps”. Goblin Stamps can be redeemed for a variety of things including: “Monthly Blankets”
which give character Build at a rate of 30 Goblins per blanket, per month; production items (potions,
weapons, battle scrolls, etc) at a 1:1 exchange rate according to the production price of the item up to
a maximum of 50 Goblins per day of the event; to purchase magic items on a limited basis; and
finally, Goblins can be used to pay for a player’s yearly membership fee. Goblin Stamps may also be
used to blanket an event you NPC or are unable to attend. Goblin Stamps accrued in Southern
Minnesota can only be reclaimed in Southern Minnesota.

 

[mikestrauss]

Like all other things involving Goblin Stamps, it is handled at the Chapter level, so you will find it within a specific Chapter's policies. I think at this point, all Chapters have the Monthly Blanket option, so it is found in all chapters, but is not actually a national policy. For example, Southern Minnesota's reference to it is found on page 51 of the SoMN Player's Handbook:

Are you certain that it isn't a national policy? From what I have heard about monthly blankets, you are only permitted to get one per month per character, even if you are a member of multiple chapters. That isn't exactly an enforceable policy if it only exists at the chapter level.

Honestly, I'm sorta dumbfounded that this information is not easily findable.

-MS

 

[Lurin]

It is easy to find, with those that have access to the policy. This is one of those items contained within the agreements at the owners level (I had to look it up myself, but it IS in there). The book does recognize that its list is not inclusive nor the definitive authority.

 

[Wraith]

Ah, so it's in the Secret Rules category.

:whistle:

 

[RiddickDale]

Ah, so it's in the Secret Rules category.

:whistle:

...

Stephen
National PR

 

[Warlok]

Without any negative implications, I have to agree with Kiefer here. I have never read the policy, but I have had the Monthly Blanket policy explained to me by more experienced players:

It is an extra Day Event of XP available each month. You can only have 1 on a character for each month and it must be earned in that character's home chapter. Also, you can only earn one Monthly Blanket each month per chapter.

For example:
Joe Player has three characters (Ein, Zwei, and Drei) in two chapters (X and Y). Ein and Zwei are homed in Chapter X. Drei is in Chapter Y.

Joe can get one monthly in each chapter, so Drei can be blanketed every month; but he must choose each month between Ein and Zwei. Also, Joe cannot blanket Ein in Chapter X, get a transfer, and blanket again for the same month on that character.


I hope that illustrates what I've been told clearly enough.

-Luke

 

[Wraith]

Sorry, Stephen, but this one doesn't even get the 'but the formal magic system is FOIG!' excuse. This is just a bit of rule that is very important to the players that, while commonly assumed to exist thanks to longstanding tradition, is only actually recorded someplace that no new player could ever possibly read it.

 

[Alavatar]

Sorry, Stephen, but this one doesn't even get the 'but the formal magic system is FOIG!' excuse. This is just a bit of rule that is very important to the players that, while commonly assumed to exist thanks to longstanding tradition, is only actually recorded someplace that no new player could ever possibly read it.

Per the ARB:

Each chapter has its own policies about Goblin Points. Most allow you to use them for the following:

This suggests that not only are the examples given not required for a chapter to have available, but anything in excess is chapter specific. (I was going to give an example about how the ARB lists event discounts in exchange for Goblin "Points", but that seems to have been removed.) As such, by calling "Monthly Blankets" "secret rules" you are calling Chapter Specific Policies "secret rules".

Plainly put, in my opinion the ARB is the governing document for how to play the game and how the mechanics of the IG world work (i.e. the Player's Handbook). Everything having to do with managing the game is governed by the documents available to Owners and Staff (i.e. the DM Guides and Monster Manual). The ARB may contain information on management, but players should consult staff for the appropriate clarification on chapter or game-wide policies. Goblin Stamps (or Points as the ARB says) is one of the ways the game is managed so really only the owners and staff have full disclosure on their limitations (i.e. there may be limitations or requirements behind the veil such as in the Bylaws or something). What is given by chapters in their Goblin Stamp FAQs is the information that players are allowed to see for that chapter.

 

[Jim]

Sorry, Stephen, but this one doesn't even get the 'but the formal magic system is FOIG!' excuse. This is just a bit of rule that is very important to the players that, while commonly assumed to exist thanks to longstanding tradition, is only actually recorded someplace that no new player could ever possibly read it.

Or perhaps it is listed with documentation provided to new players by their local chapter. Certainly this is something that a local chapter decides to do or not do;they have the rules on what they can and cannot do outlined for them. If this (and other local information) is hard for you to find, it may be far more useful to volunteer to help your local chapter put together a new player document and/or forum post then to decry secrecy from above.

 

[Wraith]

Jim : That argument would work better if this wasn't a policy all the owners agreed to in their own bylaws, as Dave pointed out above. This isn't a LCO boondoggle, it's accepted policy on an available way to use player resources that is only contained in documents that players by definition don't have access to.

Hence 'secret rules'.

I do admit I get deeply tired of the continual stream of 'Have a problem with the game is run on the national level? Volunteer more locally!' that comes out around here, as a side note. I get it. The game needs people to help do things. That's awesome that you have the time and money to invest in making your local chapter better, but please realize that volunteering more does nothing to change the things that come up for discussion, and generally comes off as 'You don't do enough for the game, stop having opinions!' levels of elitism. This is probably not the intent, but it seems to be the result.

 

[Inaryn]

Jim : That argument would work better if this wasn't a policy all the owners agreed to in their own bylaws, as Dave pointed out above. This isn't a LCO boondoggle, it's accepted policy on an available way to use player resources that is only contained in documents that players by definition don't have access to.

Hence 'secret rules'.

I do admit I get deeply tired of the continual stream of 'Have a problem with the game is run on the national level? Volunteer more locally!' that comes out around here, as a side note. I get it. The game needs people to help do things. That's awesome that you have the time and money to invest in making your local chapter better, but please realize that volunteering more does nothing to change the things that come up for discussion, and generally comes off as 'You don't do enough for the game, stop having opinions!' levels of elitism. This is probably not the intent, but it seems to be the result.

The owners inform their Logistics staff of the policies they wish to have regarding goblin stamps and their expenditure within their chapters. The Logistics staff of a chapter is the steward of this knowledge, the resource, and your character.

There are no secrets about goblin stamps or monthly blankets or anything regarding how your character is housed and maintained. It is, after all, your character.

Much as if you have questions regarding your bank account you speak with a representative at your bank, so too should you speak to the Logistics staff if you have questions about your character. I'm certain they will be pleased to help you sort out whatever you need. I personally have an evening of the week that any of the players I am serving can email, call, IM, or even drop by my house (with pre-arrangement) and know that I will be available to them for as long as it takes to resolve their questions.

This is not any instance of secret rules. Rather, in regards to monthly blankets, it's something that either hasn't made it to the rulebook as yet (which we have plenty of, if you'll recall the addendum) or something that has been decided is to be governed on a local level. Neither of those scenarios depicts a desire to keep the knowledge a secret.

 

[Jim]

Jim : That argument would work better if this wasn't a policy all the owners agreed to in their own bylaws, as Dave pointed out above. This isn't a LCO boondoggle, it's accepted policy on an available way to use player resources that is only contained in documents that players by definition don't have access to.

Hence 'secret rules'.

I do admit I get deeply tired of the continual stream of 'Have a problem with the game is run on the national level? Volunteer more locally!' that comes out around here, as a side note. I get it. The game needs people to help do things. That's awesome that you have the time and money to invest in making your local chapter better, but please realize that volunteering more does nothing to change the things that come up for discussion, and generally comes off as 'You don't do enough for the game, stop having opinions!' levels of elitism. This is probably not the intent, but it seems to be the result.

I'm not trying to be elitist. I'm trying to say I get tired of the continual stream of people having plenty of time to share their "opinions" often without suggesting or attempting to implement practical solutions. It is very easy to complain. It is less easy to work to make things happen in a positive fashion, however at the end of the day it is far more rewarding.

No, making a new player document wouldn't change the agreement made on high in dark corners of super secret mountain on the night of the eclipse when the moon was in the second house and Jupiter was aligned with Mars, however it would make that information readily public, which I believe was the concern.

 

[Wraith]

Jim, I think much of why we don't see many practical solutions on here is that a lot of what is argued over -has- no practical solution other than at the owners' level. We can write proposals all day, but without some discussion to get a feel for how they might be received in different games they won't hold a snowflake's chances in a blast furnace of getting passed.

There is also a bit of disenfranchisement on the part of some players (myself included), as the responses they get to discussion make it clear that the frustrating parts of the game will not change, and new rules releases show that problems that have been brought up for years still haven't been addressed. Not something more volunteer work will fix, that.

 

[Dreamingfurther]

I do admit I get deeply tired of the continual stream of 'Have a problem with the game is run on the national level? Volunteer more locally!' that comes out around here, as a side note. I get it. The game needs people to help do things. That's awesome that you have the time and money to invest in making your local chapter better, but please realize that volunteering more does nothing to change the things that come up for discussion, and generally comes off as 'You don't do enough for the game, stop having opinions!' levels of elitism. This is probably not the intent, but it seems to be the result.

There is also a bit of disenfranchisement on the part of some players (myself included), as the responses they get to discussion make it clear that the frustrating parts of the game will not change, and new rules releases show that problems that have been brought up for years still haven't been addressed. Not something more volunteer work will fix, that

Having strong opinions is fine, expressing a strong, often negative opinion frequently in many places while not being particularly involved in any individual chapter on a regular basis starts to become something else. I think also the reason a lot of people continue to suggest local chapter involvement is that when one is significantly and often involved at the local chapter level its a lot easier to realize that this game really is about the people, and not the rules or policies.

In all honesty if there are things about the way Alliance works that you have been frustrated about for years, through multiple revisions of the rulebook and nothing has changed, it is probably not going to change any time soon. You are right that just putting in volunteer work won't change these aspects, as that one of the natures of how Alliance larp works is that it doesn't change much and provides a relatively stable game experience over time.

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone to play Alliance, but if you are overall frustrated with aspects of the game that you see as problems but haven't been 'fixed' for years most likely that is because the silent majority of the playerbase and/or maybe owners doesn't see those aspects as problems. If this is the case you might want to find another game, because it is certainly true that Alliance is only one flavor of LARP. The 'core' of what Alliance is as a game has been established for a long time now I probably won't change any time soon.

 

[Wraith]

Not to be insulting, David, but have you realized how nice you have it as a student without full time employment responsibilities and with a chapter local to you? I get as involved as I can, but when the close chapters are 250 miles off, I figure making half of Chicago's events, the national, and coming up to Minnesota a couple times is outstanding. It also isn't something that is going to happen again this year, because $4/gallon gas makes travel impractical.

That said, you are right, the people are the important part, and the reason we keep putting so much money and effort into this game. However, the rules clearly shape the way the game is played. Changing the way people play based on the internet is impossible. The rules, in the other hand, are in a position to be discussed and argued to get a good idea of their intent and how they will interact. The rules have issues, in my opinion as the result of having carried far beyond their designers' wildest dreams when it comes to pc survivability and power level.

My goal here is to provoke enough honest debate to generate the perspective necessary to write rules proposals that will get past the owners, who have a vested interest in not upsetting people who are 'winning' at the current status quo.

 

[Mike Ventrella]

The real problem as I see it -- having done this for over 20 years now -- is that there is not a consensus on what the "problems" are.

One player sees a rule that he absolutely hates and thinks "This is such a problem! Why haven't they fixed this yet? What a bunch of incompetent people!" whereas another player may say "Boy, I love that rule, and I'm so glad they have it. It's one of the reasons I play this game."

 

[Dreamingfurther]

Your right Mike. Although I'd like to say that at this point the less 'consensus' about what 'problems' there is probably means that the problems are getting to be smaller and smaller.

At least the way the system is set up the owners are the ones who try to synthesize the most different viewpoints and help shape the game, along with all the other owners in a way that will keep a higher number of their players happy. This has been going for many years by now and while obviously I doubt anything will ever be perfect, I think the game as it stands is a pretty polished and well working system.

If the game had such serious flaws and problems would we really be seeing multiple new chapters opening every year, and increasingly better attended national events?

Your comments about death prompted me to start another thread about that Kiefer, however for the purposes of this thread I think the subject of Monthly Blankets has been pretty well covered... They are a chapter level thing that I'm pretty sure every chapter has a very transparent policy about and the rulebook certainly doesn't include every detail about getting involved with the game.