OOG Plot Stuff from the Players Guide

[Mike Ventrella]

The Ashbury Times

The Ashbury Times is the in-game newspaper for the Duchy. The editor of the newspaper does not live in town so you cannot go after him, but he does have in-game reporters and contacts in town where you may leave your submissions.
The newsletter tries its best to cover all that happens at an Ashbury event that would be known to the average person, but it needs your help. After an event, be sure to send email to AllianceLARP@gmail.com and let us know what you and your friends did at the event. We can’t report on how great you were if we don’t know what you did. All those people whose names keep appearing in our paper are ones who contribute and make sure they are in the paper.

Please understand of course that articles and submissions may be cut or edited for purposes of space and clarity; also, submissions that are of a limited interest will be cut before articles that would be appreciated by many players.

The Ashbury Times also contains a gossip column called “A Little Birdie Told Me” by “Sue D’Onym.” Note that this column is always looking for gossip. If you wish to tell this columnist about the latest scandals and the things people are saying and doing behind closed doors, please send your submissions in! However, note that this is a gossip column, not a rumor column. Gossip consists of true facts that people want to remain hidden or which are presented in a bad light; rumors are just things that anyone can make up and which don’t have to be true.

You can also submit in-game and out-of-game letters, posts, and classified ads.

 

[Mike Ventrella]

The John Finnegan Roleplaying Hall of Fame

The Ashbury Roleplaying Hall of Fame award (which carries no reward except recognition) is given from time to time by Fearless Leader Mike Ventrella to acknowledge and thank those players who do everything players should do to make Ashbury the best game it could be: they constantly stay in character, always wear a complete costume and makeup, don’t metagame or whine when things don’t go their way, show good sportsmanship, and otherwise roleplay their hearts out. Imagine how much fun the game would be if everyone were like them!

There are some players who are very good in some of these areas but miss out in one or two criteria (for example, there are quite a few really good roleplayers who think wearing a costume means putting on a tabard with shorts and tennis shoes).

These awards are not given out too often. The names listed below are the only ones who have received these awards since we started in 1992. Ashbury players who have received this award over the years are Ben Alvarez, Jen August, Brian Bender, Eric Bowsfield, Justin Coggin, Bob Cook, John Corbett, Alison Egan, David Ehrhart, Michael Engler, Ted Flaherty, Jesse Grabowski, William Hahn, Henry Hart, Scott Kondrk, Miles Lizak, Ray Nagle, Eric Stehle, Sharon Taubenfeld, Nick Unger and Karl Weaver.

 

[Mike Ventrella]

Months

In the land of Icenia, the months are named after the astrological sign associated with it. As you read the in-game Astrology section, please realize that we are not using any “real world” astrology (if such a thing exists); your astrological sign is based on the month you were born and starts and ends with that particular month. Note that many Ashbans, having come from a different land, still use the old names. The months are as follows:

January: Turtle
February: Dolphin
March: Swan
April: Dragon
May: Hawk
June: Serpent
July: Ferret
August: Salamander
September: Gryphon
October: Fire Ant
November: Lion
December: Raccoon

 

[Mike Ventrella]

Racial Wines

Some racial drinks can have in-game roleplaying effects. Because of this, there needs to be a limit to the amount of them in-game and how they are acquired.

Please note that any in-game alcoholic beverage produced by a specific race will herein be referred to as a “racial wine.” This includes liquor, whiskey, ale, etc.

These rules are specifically for beverages that are supposed to be rare in-game, many of which have negative effects on members of other races. Normal wines, beers, ales and such are not affected by these rules, though for the sake of the in-game atmosphere, it is preferred that you attempt a decent physical representation if you bring some into game.

The racial wines so limited are marked with an asterisk (*) in the in-game section on wines.

Players may submit a plot write-up prior to an event in order to purchase a racial wine (i.e. they must get it from somewhere). The write-up would count as a player’s one write-up per month, if choose to spend it that way.

For example, if a player chooses to send in a write-up saying that he was in the Plains of Rage for a month, “oh, and by the way, while I’m there, I want to buy some Draelonde Wine,” the odds of him finding some Draelonde wine there are essentially zero. On the other hand, if an Amani Elf takes a trip home to the Ash Forest in their write-up, chances of acquiring some Asitikir are fairly good.

Character histories and craftsman skills will be considered, but do not guarantee success in acquiring the desired beverage. All of this is at the discretion of the Plot Committee.

If approved, you must pay game money for the tag. You can then sell it in-game for whatever price you want.

For members of the race and culture that produces the wine, the cost will be 1 gold per bottle. Up to 3 bottles may be purchased (subject to availability). Example: An Amani elf wishes to buy Asitikir.

For members of same race, but from another campaign or culture, the cost is 2 gold per bottle. Only one bottle may be purchased (subject to availability). Example: An Imladari elf wishes to buy Asitikir.

Non-Members of a race may not purchase racial wines in this manner. They may of course do so in-game from a character willing to sell it. Example: A high ogre wants to buy Asitikir.

Racial Wine Tag Rules

Wine tags will have a tear-off at the bottom, similar to spell tags. The tag should be affixed in such a way so that the long part with the out-of-game description is taped to the neck of the bottle, but the tear-off is taped to the cap (forcing the tag to be ripped when the bottle opens). The tag will represent an in-game seal of the vintner who made it.

Tagged bottles are stealable, as they are in-game items. A person who steals a tagged wine must bring the bottle to NPC camp (the bottle is still personal property) and will only keep the tag, which they may then place on their own appropriate phys-rep. This new bottle must also be plot approved. If the thief does not have the proper phys rep, the tag may not be used that event.

Players must bring the phys-rep(s) to NPC camp in order to receive tag and pay the in-game cost.

Role-playing effects of the wine (if any) will be listed on the tag OOG so that even characters who cannot read can roleplay the effects correctly.

Remember: regular alcoholic beverages do not need the tags.

Miscellaneous Wine Rules

No more than six bottles of each type of wine will be available for purchase in a single event (total).

Racial wine payment/tags/phys-rep approval will be done at NPC camp, not at Logistics. Logistics has enough to deal with.

Players must provide an appropriate phys-rep. Plot has the right to refuse any bottle phys-rep that is not appropriate. Soda, Gatorade and other similar drink containers don’t look even close to in-period, and as such are unacceptable. Examples of acceptable phys reps: Sparkling cider or non-alcoholic wine for Asitikir; IBC root beer (or similar brand) for special ales.

Players must cover a mundane label with an in-game one. Ideally if the race has a language (like elvish or biata) it should be used, but this is not required.

In accordance with Alliance policy, all racial wine phys-reps must be non-alcoholic. Players who bring real wine, ale, etc. to an event will be subject to disciplinary action.