Post by Nathalia on Nov 7, 2009 3:24:40 GMT -5
Welcome to the Capital Police Academy, a PC-run job opportunity for your Card to earn ranks and bonuses aside from those offered by the Courts!
The Capital Police Academy is not for the faint of heart, and those who would join are forewarned that this is not the safest job ever invented.
For every perk, there is a slap in the face.
All Suits and Ranks are welcome, some more so than others, and anyone can join so long as they are considered to be an adult by the heads of the station.
This is an entirely Dealer/PC-run section of the site (with very few exceptions). Small chunks of information will, on occasion, be tossed up for you, but this will largely end up being based on how well you are able to handle these characters and options with other players or yourself.
Every two to four weeks, a new “case” will be assigned to each level in the police station. It can be tackled by up to two different groups each time. This will be explained further in the rules below. There are eight NPCs that will come with the station. They are (in most cases) your superior officers and are to be obeyed...whether you like it or not. This is a situation that will give you villainous NPC outlines to work with for every case; you will then be able to play them and their actions with your character without having to wait on a moderator or another player if you don’t want to.
Keep in mind that this is a Police station, so disobedience to the law or your superiors could result in a far worse fate than simple ejection from the force...
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Rules:
1. Please play nicely with other people on the police squad. Some missions and cases will require more than one PC to solve it and tackle the NPC villain. However much this might cause a player to dislike playing with another, keep in mind that you will be paired for pacing (quick players are more likely to be paired with one another) and that we are trying to have an enjoyable time with these. If your characters don’t like one another and are assigned to the same case, take it as an opportunity for them to expand their horizons in a positive or negative light.
2. Please only make use of the NPCs assigned to you for your case level. If you are found using an overpowered NPC for your lower-level case, that thread will be terminated, no points will be gained for it, and you may be kicked off of the force.
3. You will be given (in order for you to be able to play them) knowledge of your opponent’s powers and abilities in the confidence that you will use them without your characters’ knowledge. This information is not being given to you so that your character can be played as “psychic” and automatically know what’s coming to put the villain out with one well-planned blow. It’s done so that you can choreograph your own challenges without having to wait for an admin. The same thing goes for the NPC officers you may be allowed to take with you for a mission. Please use them according to their guidelines and not as tanks or “meat-shields”.
4. In many situations, there will only be a limited amount of PC police allowed on a case at a time. If you aren’t able to find the clues littered about the site fast enough then you might have to wait for an “open” case to come around to get your turn. “Open” cases tend to be slower-paced and easier for people to take care of when they aren’t around as often; they tend to revolve more heavily around theft, larceny, and petty tortuous injury (eg: he gave me a black eye!).
5. Stay within the parameters defined by the case given to you. If the case states that the person you’re looking for lives somewhere in Morganberry, don’t complain that you can’t find his information in the Capital. If a villain is said to be hiding out in the Capital, don’t say that you caught him in Avington.
6. Just because you have an officer character does not mean that you are now allowed to involve yourself in any fight on the board. Ask people before your officer decides to jump into a thread, as this fight may have been preordained for plot purposes. The police aren’t around every single corner (though they might like you to think they are) and the Capital is huge. It isn’t unreasonable for your character to miss a scrap every now and again.
7. Officers are sworn under oath to duty to do their absolute best not to kill.
I know - counter-intuitive, isn’t it?
Truly though, they aren’t out to gun down every baddie they see. In fact, some may be tossed in a cell for a few days and then released! Going after a thief who stole bread and blowing their head off with your Queen’s ability will not impress your commanding officer and may even earn some harsh punishments as a result. This also goes for excessive abuse, especially out of character. Coppers are not out here to break every Card’s kneecaps who stole a loaf of bread.
Consider that, even if the act was wrong, they may have had a reason for doing it, and their punishment may not be as harshly considered. Having an overly vigilant character who thinks “all villains must die!” will likely not only have the SD in question kicked off the squad, but also probably cast as a villain themselves and arrested by their former coworkers.
However, if it is ridiculously in character for your copper to go insane on a baddie due to past conceptions or preconceived notions, realize that the admin will not only allow, but smile on this behavior. Just be aware that it still may result in a pissed off superior when you return to the station that evening. (For example: If I were to force Mr. Todd to become a copper, he would be horrifically prejudiced against any and every Morganberry he saw, sometimes going out of his way to punish the Morganberries he caught unjustly because he simply can’t stand the Realm and what he thinks it’s done to his life. He would receive demerits for this conduct and may even have a spell or curse laid on him to rectify this behavior.)
8. When confronting a baddie after they have been located by your cop, do not be too surprised if every once in awhile the Admin pops her head in and issues the baddie with a power s/he had hidden up their sleeve, or a random move they might make. Once per encounter (meaning once per thread with a battle/contention going on), the admin will roll a die to see if your NPC buddy (should you have one) pulls an extra ability out, if you stumble upon a dropped item or weapon, if the baddie pulls an extra trick, or if nothing happens and you play out as planned. The Admin will not be playing with you (hardly ever, as her life has eaten her), but it will not be unusual for her to stick her nose in, especially if it looks as though either the copper in question is abusing their power, the Dealer hasn’t read the baddie’s description, or they’re trying to make the baddie into an impromptu pushover without any consequences.
Sometimes, the baddie in question will be an absolute whining cur and your copper should have no problem rolling them up in a rug and tossing them in a cell.
This, however, will be indicated to you in the baddie’s short description as you take your case.
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NPCs:
There are a few rules pertaining to the NPCs to be used in the Police Station. They are being supplied to you for backup and to bounce your character off of if you have a hard time playing alone.
1. The NPCs are not here to be killed. Look at their personality snippets. If it seems likely that one of them would take a shot for you then you might be able to play it out as such. If it doesn’t (you should be able to tell, I’ll try to make it obvious), then don’t let them take every hit until they drop to keep your character pristine. This also works in reverse. They’re here to help you on certain missions, not just to look pretty (or ugly, depending on the person). Their abilities will be supplied to you along with their personality snippets, so be sure to make use of them if they’re offered. The fights will be monitored, so be careful not to double-use their abilities.
2. If you are allowed to take an NPC or two with you on your mission, it will be mentioned in the police sketch that’s posted up every three to four weeks. It will be specific as to level and rank so that you are aware which one pertains to you. (For example: If you are a level one copper and there might be three missions posted. You would look for the section under the heading for level ones. This is the part of the description that would dictate to you who and what your tools and available NPCs are.)
3. Some missions will not allow you to use NPCs. Do not take them on the missions anyway or your character will be penalized.
4. The NPCs are not to be abused. If your lower-ranked Club character is capable of forcing every character on the force to fear them without question, there will be an investigation into why.
5. The NPCs are not your pets.
They have to be shared with other PCs on the force, and they may be assigned to some missions with other players and not with yours in some occasions.
If you’ve RPed out a relationship between the NPC and your character, realize that this character may be played differently when in someone else’s hands and that they do not have to play them to your tastes, just to their stated personality outlines. You can ask that the other person respect your previous RP standards, but they aren’t required to do so and should report if you try to push too hard.
As a note, malicious ruining of an NPC to get back at another person will be punished.
6. As these NPCs are pictured characters, your character might be allowed to breed with them should you so choose. The request may not be accepted, but you can make the attempt and an RP reason for its possibility will be requested.
7. With three exceptions, the NPCs could possibly be purchased at a later date if you become too attached to them.
8. NPCs are still under the jurisdiction of the Admin. If she decides to insert something for them in a fight, you will need to obey it as cannon for them.
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Ranks:
As your character advances in the academy, they will be able to gain ranks and status on the force. Your character can make quite a few choices as to which paths to take.
1. Everyone starts off as a Level one Officer.
This is the title designated to you, and the only one you will have rights to in the beginning. Officers aren’t given access to any of the Police force abilities or weapons yet as many of them are still considered to be in training or uncomfortable/unfamiliar with the weaponry and powers.
Officers are allowed to use the abilities at their disposal in order to bring prisoners and cases assigned to them to justice with as little violence as seems to be possible or reasonable. Officers are more likely to be assigned to small, petty crimes that will help to initiate them to the force with less risk. Higher-ranked Cards new on the force may be assigned to more difficult duties if their abilities allow them to handle it. Or they may be allowed to go alone.
2. Level two characters are called Sergeants.
This level can be acquired with 50 assigned/unassigned points and the approval of a superior officer (PM the Admin). You also must have posted at least ten times since becoming an officer in some form of service to the academy. (So, for example: Xenon, with her mighty art powers, can’t simply join, then PM the Admin instantly with 50 unassigned points and get a raise to Captaincy within the first week.)
Sergeants are allowed to make use of the first spell issued to the police force. This will be PMed to the Dealer once their character ranks up.
Sergeants have dominion over Officers and may be given permission to take a small group of them into fights. They may also be given the opportunity to take on more difficult missions and make use of higher-ranked NPCs.
3. Level Three is the most complex level. These characters may split their path and many people who achieve level three remain there and pursue the unique experiences offered. When promoted from Sergeant, you automatically become a Lieutenant.
This rank-up costs 100 points assigned/unassigned and at least two full cases completed in your previous rank.
Lieutenants are PMed their newly-gained powers once they achieve this new level. These powers may warp and change, depending on the changes and advances a copper makes in the third level. Lieutenants are allowed to take on more difficult cases, travel with a group or alone, and given more free use of the NPCs.
Lieutenants, as they will be taking on more serious and dangerous missions, will also be PMed with a choice of Police pet. These are usually trained police Aces, Borogoves, or Jubjubs, though one other creature is given out on very rare occasions to those who seem able to handle it. This creature is, in normal circumstances, highly trained in an area of specialty to help its master.
After a Lieutenant has posted 10 times in their new rank, they may make the choice to promote themselves into a different section of the field.
Warning: Choosing to move into a separate section of the Lieutenant’s field instead of moving up the usual academy career ladder will result in your character’s rank remaining at level three. There may be unusual occurrences and hidden ranks in this field, but you will never be able to pursue the other ranks outside of level three due to vastly different training skills and specialization.
The following are the ranks achievable within the rank of Lieutenant.
Detective: 100 points, assigned only, and at least one full case completed in your previous rank.
Some of the most important people on the force, detectives get an automatic upgrade power, as does their police pet in order to assist them with extremely difficult locating tasks as they desperately attempt to uncover a lead to the next case they have to work on. Some cases for other ranks cannot be solved without the use of a detective’s abilities and some require you to use these abilities in exceedingly creative ways. Detectives can rank up further within their own section of level three, though many get so carried away with their current projects that they don’t bother.
Medical Forensics: 100 points, assigned only, and at least one full case completed in your previous rank.[/b]
Medical Forensics rarely ever see the sun again, and this job is usually reserved for those who have Corvie blood in them out of bias. However, if you convince your commanding officer that you’re capable then she just might let you in anyway. These coppers are automatically assigned a very special familiar that will assist them in being able to identify people, either through tissue samples or extreme perseverance. The public is generally unaware of these coppers and they are very rarely seen, usually sticking to their labs or picking at recently-located corpses.
Night Watch: 100 points, assigned only, and at least one full case completed in your previous rank.
The Night Watch gets a bit of a bad rap.
Many would say that those stuck working the night watch didn’t feel the need to further themselves, or that they were simply foisted there for being useless.
This is in no way true.
The Night Watchmen are trained to be especially good at keeping still, preying on their enemies’ weaknesses, and finding their way to people who don’t want to be found. They receive and extra ability upon joining and their assigned pet will also gain an interesting power or magical item. The Night Watch are the most usual coppers for the public to run into during the evening. They constantly patrol the streets along with the Corporals (level fours), who mainly manage the day watch.
4. Level fours are referred to as Corporals.
This rank up costs 100 points assigned/unassigned and 50 points assigned only, as well as at least three full cases completed in your previous rank.
Once gaining this rank, officers are given another rank-specific power that varies slightly between characters.
These coppers are considered to be the “Day Watch”. They are most often seen patrolling the streets, the first people to be picked on when fights spring up, and the first people on the scene at the sound of a scream. They are well-trained to deal with miscreants of all varieties and are well-equipped and capable of taking on the challenges thrown at them.
5. This level is referred to as Captain.
This rank up costs 200 points assigned/unassigned and 100 points assigned only, plus at least two full cases completed in your previous rank.
Captains have use of all NPCs save one, though some may be restricted as per the case, and are able to issue some orders to the lower levels. Some majority cases will attempt to target them and as a result, Captains find themselves with the largest (and most useful) arsenal of spells and a special Police weapon and possibly new pet/assistant. Captains may also raise themselves in ranks...but doing so might mean fighting the current Captain for the title. There are places for 3 Captains at a time though, so hopefully it won’t come to that.
Captains also hold slight dominion in the Courts, normally adhering to one Court in particular and showing up for ceremonies or extremely unusual circumstance. However, since they are the Capital Police force, the cops tend to stay in the city.
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Ranking Powers:
Gaining abilities in the force is very similar to gaining abilities for the fixed ranks of numbered Cards. You receive your new power or item as you gain each rank. Each spell is similar to others within its rank, yet unique to an individual, and these spells can only ever be gained by members of the police force.
Borogoves, Jabberwockies, and Medical Forensics familiars are also exclusive to the Capitol Police and other Cards may not purchase or earn one any other way.
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Cases:
Cases will be posted approximately once a month, time permitting.
There will be cases for each level that needs one and they may be completely different, linked in some way, or the same case, but different bits of it for different people to handle. Cases will be posted on the main page of the Capital Police thread in the Bazaar and will be made apparent to everyone in the force with an update when there is one.
The first few cases will be obvious and easy to get everyone off and running, but as you progress, they will become harder to solve and may involve long, detailed searches of the site and/or your brain to make heads or tails of what the current baddie is either up to or where they’re trying to hide (especially if you happen to be a detective).
Cases often arrive in the form of either a wanted poster with a little information for you to go on, or some substantial evidence your superior has gathered for you to look at and draw conclusions on.
Not everything will be easy to discover. Some cases or baddies might require a very specific application of your own powers in order to take them down, some might require the interesting use of an item, and some might require the correct NPC to be present at the time. You will be playing it out on your own, but getting all of the clues to fit together is often going to be vital to discovering where the main baddie is even located.
Completing a case often awards points to the copper(s) responsible and (as they become more difficult) will either increase in monetary value or begin awarding other prizes as well.
Once you have gained a case, you will be given a brief personality and history description of the baddie, and then be permitted to chase them down and capture them yourself. You will be PMed the baddie’s abilities and be expected to use them honorably as you believe the baddie would against your copper!
Getting to know the bad guy’s attacks ahead of time does not mean that your character automatically knows them all without question and is therefore perfectly prepared for the battle. You must still play as though your character is in the dark. If some spells have been revealed to you in the case description, then you know them. If the bad guy is known for a particular spell, then you know that one too. Don’t be too quick to assume, they might have an Ace up their sleeve... Literally, a vicious one. <3
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Points:
Yes, the points for moving up in rank in the Police station are rather high. This is because the majority of these points for each move can be achieved through either unassigned points, or quick posting.
The items, powers, and familiars your characters will be receiving will most likely outweigh the points as they are currently posted and may even be modified to rise as time goes on if things are achieved too easily. The Admin reserves this right.
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Warnings:
This is not the most friendly area for characters to occupy. Realize that signing your character up to be a copper means that it is very possible, even likely that they will be injured on the job, especially if they are higher level or lower level opting for a higher level battle.
At any point in time, the Admin could poke her head in and declare a hidden ability or weapon the baddie may have had concealed, or an especially tricky jump that you may not have pulled off as well as you thought you did. They may also have an arsenal of spells (this knowledge will be released to you as you play) that could cause permanent and painful scarring on your character that you may not like!
At the beginning of every copper battle, the Admin rolls a die (for those of you who feared that the threats above were signals of punishment, oh no, it isn’t so!). This die will be assigned certain properties, some good for you, some good for the baddie, some good for potential NPCs, and some with the option of nothing happening and everything going exactly as you play it.
It is more likely to go as you play it out, but beware that anything could potentially happen to your character. Even death is something to fear if you have a higher-ranked copper and are facing very dangerous baddies with rather nasty spells. You will be warned before going into a case if it has a risk of death, and the prizes for participating in such a case will match the risk.
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Punishments and Backfires:
The coppers have set up a good system for keeping their own ranks from going bad. The spells Police receive and use on a daily basis need to be used for force business only and, if used to harm innocents or for illegal purposes, can suddenly become curses instead of useful spells.
Some of these curses are quite extreme and some are lighter, depending on the spell used and in what manner. All new recruits are informed of this danger upon joining the force.
If you are tempted to play a rogue copper, realize that this fact is very hard to hide from the superiors, though it can be done. If discovered, insubordination will be punished with eviction from the force, placed curses, a stripping of awards (not points, unless you’re being ridiculously out of character about it), and possibly a “fitting” punishment from the current head Captain.
While these results can be very interesting and fun to play with, I encourage people (Like you, Pale!) to try NOT to make it your goal to tear down the Capital Police, as they took me so long to get running.
Please.
If your character starts attacking PC coppers maliciously and without reason because you are now a “dirty cop” and you do NOT have their permission for this action, then THAT is when you will start to lose points, as well as possibly the character, for extreme abuse of the system.
If you are currently playing with another character and your copper takes a disliking to the other PC copper, you may snipe at them and fight with your own, normal Card abilities should you choose. However, the station still expects the job to be done and using your Police abilities outside of the case will, again, result in curses.
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Please post questions below.
The Capital Police Academy is not for the faint of heart, and those who would join are forewarned that this is not the safest job ever invented.
For every perk, there is a slap in the face.
All Suits and Ranks are welcome, some more so than others, and anyone can join so long as they are considered to be an adult by the heads of the station.
This is an entirely Dealer/PC-run section of the site (with very few exceptions). Small chunks of information will, on occasion, be tossed up for you, but this will largely end up being based on how well you are able to handle these characters and options with other players or yourself.
Every two to four weeks, a new “case” will be assigned to each level in the police station. It can be tackled by up to two different groups each time. This will be explained further in the rules below. There are eight NPCs that will come with the station. They are (in most cases) your superior officers and are to be obeyed...whether you like it or not. This is a situation that will give you villainous NPC outlines to work with for every case; you will then be able to play them and their actions with your character without having to wait on a moderator or another player if you don’t want to.
Keep in mind that this is a Police station, so disobedience to the law or your superiors could result in a far worse fate than simple ejection from the force...
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Rules:
1. Please play nicely with other people on the police squad. Some missions and cases will require more than one PC to solve it and tackle the NPC villain. However much this might cause a player to dislike playing with another, keep in mind that you will be paired for pacing (quick players are more likely to be paired with one another) and that we are trying to have an enjoyable time with these. If your characters don’t like one another and are assigned to the same case, take it as an opportunity for them to expand their horizons in a positive or negative light.
2. Please only make use of the NPCs assigned to you for your case level. If you are found using an overpowered NPC for your lower-level case, that thread will be terminated, no points will be gained for it, and you may be kicked off of the force.
3. You will be given (in order for you to be able to play them) knowledge of your opponent’s powers and abilities in the confidence that you will use them without your characters’ knowledge. This information is not being given to you so that your character can be played as “psychic” and automatically know what’s coming to put the villain out with one well-planned blow. It’s done so that you can choreograph your own challenges without having to wait for an admin. The same thing goes for the NPC officers you may be allowed to take with you for a mission. Please use them according to their guidelines and not as tanks or “meat-shields”.
4. In many situations, there will only be a limited amount of PC police allowed on a case at a time. If you aren’t able to find the clues littered about the site fast enough then you might have to wait for an “open” case to come around to get your turn. “Open” cases tend to be slower-paced and easier for people to take care of when they aren’t around as often; they tend to revolve more heavily around theft, larceny, and petty tortuous injury (eg: he gave me a black eye!).
5. Stay within the parameters defined by the case given to you. If the case states that the person you’re looking for lives somewhere in Morganberry, don’t complain that you can’t find his information in the Capital. If a villain is said to be hiding out in the Capital, don’t say that you caught him in Avington.
6. Just because you have an officer character does not mean that you are now allowed to involve yourself in any fight on the board. Ask people before your officer decides to jump into a thread, as this fight may have been preordained for plot purposes. The police aren’t around every single corner (though they might like you to think they are) and the Capital is huge. It isn’t unreasonable for your character to miss a scrap every now and again.
7. Officers are sworn under oath to duty to do their absolute best not to kill.
I know - counter-intuitive, isn’t it?
Truly though, they aren’t out to gun down every baddie they see. In fact, some may be tossed in a cell for a few days and then released! Going after a thief who stole bread and blowing their head off with your Queen’s ability will not impress your commanding officer and may even earn some harsh punishments as a result. This also goes for excessive abuse, especially out of character. Coppers are not out here to break every Card’s kneecaps who stole a loaf of bread.
Consider that, even if the act was wrong, they may have had a reason for doing it, and their punishment may not be as harshly considered. Having an overly vigilant character who thinks “all villains must die!” will likely not only have the SD in question kicked off the squad, but also probably cast as a villain themselves and arrested by their former coworkers.
However, if it is ridiculously in character for your copper to go insane on a baddie due to past conceptions or preconceived notions, realize that the admin will not only allow, but smile on this behavior. Just be aware that it still may result in a pissed off superior when you return to the station that evening. (For example: If I were to force Mr. Todd to become a copper, he would be horrifically prejudiced against any and every Morganberry he saw, sometimes going out of his way to punish the Morganberries he caught unjustly because he simply can’t stand the Realm and what he thinks it’s done to his life. He would receive demerits for this conduct and may even have a spell or curse laid on him to rectify this behavior.)
8. When confronting a baddie after they have been located by your cop, do not be too surprised if every once in awhile the Admin pops her head in and issues the baddie with a power s/he had hidden up their sleeve, or a random move they might make. Once per encounter (meaning once per thread with a battle/contention going on), the admin will roll a die to see if your NPC buddy (should you have one) pulls an extra ability out, if you stumble upon a dropped item or weapon, if the baddie pulls an extra trick, or if nothing happens and you play out as planned. The Admin will not be playing with you (hardly ever, as her life has eaten her), but it will not be unusual for her to stick her nose in, especially if it looks as though either the copper in question is abusing their power, the Dealer hasn’t read the baddie’s description, or they’re trying to make the baddie into an impromptu pushover without any consequences.
Sometimes, the baddie in question will be an absolute whining cur and your copper should have no problem rolling them up in a rug and tossing them in a cell.
This, however, will be indicated to you in the baddie’s short description as you take your case.
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NPCs:
There are a few rules pertaining to the NPCs to be used in the Police Station. They are being supplied to you for backup and to bounce your character off of if you have a hard time playing alone.
1. The NPCs are not here to be killed. Look at their personality snippets. If it seems likely that one of them would take a shot for you then you might be able to play it out as such. If it doesn’t (you should be able to tell, I’ll try to make it obvious), then don’t let them take every hit until they drop to keep your character pristine. This also works in reverse. They’re here to help you on certain missions, not just to look pretty (or ugly, depending on the person). Their abilities will be supplied to you along with their personality snippets, so be sure to make use of them if they’re offered. The fights will be monitored, so be careful not to double-use their abilities.
2. If you are allowed to take an NPC or two with you on your mission, it will be mentioned in the police sketch that’s posted up every three to four weeks. It will be specific as to level and rank so that you are aware which one pertains to you. (For example: If you are a level one copper and there might be three missions posted. You would look for the section under the heading for level ones. This is the part of the description that would dictate to you who and what your tools and available NPCs are.)
3. Some missions will not allow you to use NPCs. Do not take them on the missions anyway or your character will be penalized.
4. The NPCs are not to be abused. If your lower-ranked Club character is capable of forcing every character on the force to fear them without question, there will be an investigation into why.
5. The NPCs are not your pets.
They have to be shared with other PCs on the force, and they may be assigned to some missions with other players and not with yours in some occasions.
If you’ve RPed out a relationship between the NPC and your character, realize that this character may be played differently when in someone else’s hands and that they do not have to play them to your tastes, just to their stated personality outlines. You can ask that the other person respect your previous RP standards, but they aren’t required to do so and should report if you try to push too hard.
As a note, malicious ruining of an NPC to get back at another person will be punished.
6. As these NPCs are pictured characters, your character might be allowed to breed with them should you so choose. The request may not be accepted, but you can make the attempt and an RP reason for its possibility will be requested.
7. With three exceptions, the NPCs could possibly be purchased at a later date if you become too attached to them.
8. NPCs are still under the jurisdiction of the Admin. If she decides to insert something for them in a fight, you will need to obey it as cannon for them.
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Ranks:
As your character advances in the academy, they will be able to gain ranks and status on the force. Your character can make quite a few choices as to which paths to take.
1. Everyone starts off as a Level one Officer.
This is the title designated to you, and the only one you will have rights to in the beginning. Officers aren’t given access to any of the Police force abilities or weapons yet as many of them are still considered to be in training or uncomfortable/unfamiliar with the weaponry and powers.
Officers are allowed to use the abilities at their disposal in order to bring prisoners and cases assigned to them to justice with as little violence as seems to be possible or reasonable. Officers are more likely to be assigned to small, petty crimes that will help to initiate them to the force with less risk. Higher-ranked Cards new on the force may be assigned to more difficult duties if their abilities allow them to handle it. Or they may be allowed to go alone.
2. Level two characters are called Sergeants.
This level can be acquired with 50 assigned/unassigned points and the approval of a superior officer (PM the Admin). You also must have posted at least ten times since becoming an officer in some form of service to the academy. (So, for example: Xenon, with her mighty art powers, can’t simply join, then PM the Admin instantly with 50 unassigned points and get a raise to Captaincy within the first week.)
Sergeants are allowed to make use of the first spell issued to the police force. This will be PMed to the Dealer once their character ranks up.
Sergeants have dominion over Officers and may be given permission to take a small group of them into fights. They may also be given the opportunity to take on more difficult missions and make use of higher-ranked NPCs.
3. Level Three is the most complex level. These characters may split their path and many people who achieve level three remain there and pursue the unique experiences offered. When promoted from Sergeant, you automatically become a Lieutenant.
This rank-up costs 100 points assigned/unassigned and at least two full cases completed in your previous rank.
Lieutenants are PMed their newly-gained powers once they achieve this new level. These powers may warp and change, depending on the changes and advances a copper makes in the third level. Lieutenants are allowed to take on more difficult cases, travel with a group or alone, and given more free use of the NPCs.
Lieutenants, as they will be taking on more serious and dangerous missions, will also be PMed with a choice of Police pet. These are usually trained police Aces, Borogoves, or Jubjubs, though one other creature is given out on very rare occasions to those who seem able to handle it. This creature is, in normal circumstances, highly trained in an area of specialty to help its master.
After a Lieutenant has posted 10 times in their new rank, they may make the choice to promote themselves into a different section of the field.
Warning: Choosing to move into a separate section of the Lieutenant’s field instead of moving up the usual academy career ladder will result in your character’s rank remaining at level three. There may be unusual occurrences and hidden ranks in this field, but you will never be able to pursue the other ranks outside of level three due to vastly different training skills and specialization.
The following are the ranks achievable within the rank of Lieutenant.
Detective: 100 points, assigned only, and at least one full case completed in your previous rank.
Some of the most important people on the force, detectives get an automatic upgrade power, as does their police pet in order to assist them with extremely difficult locating tasks as they desperately attempt to uncover a lead to the next case they have to work on. Some cases for other ranks cannot be solved without the use of a detective’s abilities and some require you to use these abilities in exceedingly creative ways. Detectives can rank up further within their own section of level three, though many get so carried away with their current projects that they don’t bother.
Medical Forensics: 100 points, assigned only, and at least one full case completed in your previous rank.[/b]
Medical Forensics rarely ever see the sun again, and this job is usually reserved for those who have Corvie blood in them out of bias. However, if you convince your commanding officer that you’re capable then she just might let you in anyway. These coppers are automatically assigned a very special familiar that will assist them in being able to identify people, either through tissue samples or extreme perseverance. The public is generally unaware of these coppers and they are very rarely seen, usually sticking to their labs or picking at recently-located corpses.
Night Watch: 100 points, assigned only, and at least one full case completed in your previous rank.
The Night Watch gets a bit of a bad rap.
Many would say that those stuck working the night watch didn’t feel the need to further themselves, or that they were simply foisted there for being useless.
This is in no way true.
The Night Watchmen are trained to be especially good at keeping still, preying on their enemies’ weaknesses, and finding their way to people who don’t want to be found. They receive and extra ability upon joining and their assigned pet will also gain an interesting power or magical item. The Night Watch are the most usual coppers for the public to run into during the evening. They constantly patrol the streets along with the Corporals (level fours), who mainly manage the day watch.
4. Level fours are referred to as Corporals.
This rank up costs 100 points assigned/unassigned and 50 points assigned only, as well as at least three full cases completed in your previous rank.
Once gaining this rank, officers are given another rank-specific power that varies slightly between characters.
These coppers are considered to be the “Day Watch”. They are most often seen patrolling the streets, the first people to be picked on when fights spring up, and the first people on the scene at the sound of a scream. They are well-trained to deal with miscreants of all varieties and are well-equipped and capable of taking on the challenges thrown at them.
5. This level is referred to as Captain.
This rank up costs 200 points assigned/unassigned and 100 points assigned only, plus at least two full cases completed in your previous rank.
Captains have use of all NPCs save one, though some may be restricted as per the case, and are able to issue some orders to the lower levels. Some majority cases will attempt to target them and as a result, Captains find themselves with the largest (and most useful) arsenal of spells and a special Police weapon and possibly new pet/assistant. Captains may also raise themselves in ranks...but doing so might mean fighting the current Captain for the title. There are places for 3 Captains at a time though, so hopefully it won’t come to that.
Captains also hold slight dominion in the Courts, normally adhering to one Court in particular and showing up for ceremonies or extremely unusual circumstance. However, since they are the Capital Police force, the cops tend to stay in the city.
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Ranking Powers:
Gaining abilities in the force is very similar to gaining abilities for the fixed ranks of numbered Cards. You receive your new power or item as you gain each rank. Each spell is similar to others within its rank, yet unique to an individual, and these spells can only ever be gained by members of the police force.
Borogoves, Jabberwockies, and Medical Forensics familiars are also exclusive to the Capitol Police and other Cards may not purchase or earn one any other way.
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Cases:
Cases will be posted approximately once a month, time permitting.
There will be cases for each level that needs one and they may be completely different, linked in some way, or the same case, but different bits of it for different people to handle. Cases will be posted on the main page of the Capital Police thread in the Bazaar and will be made apparent to everyone in the force with an update when there is one.
The first few cases will be obvious and easy to get everyone off and running, but as you progress, they will become harder to solve and may involve long, detailed searches of the site and/or your brain to make heads or tails of what the current baddie is either up to or where they’re trying to hide (especially if you happen to be a detective).
Cases often arrive in the form of either a wanted poster with a little information for you to go on, or some substantial evidence your superior has gathered for you to look at and draw conclusions on.
Not everything will be easy to discover. Some cases or baddies might require a very specific application of your own powers in order to take them down, some might require the interesting use of an item, and some might require the correct NPC to be present at the time. You will be playing it out on your own, but getting all of the clues to fit together is often going to be vital to discovering where the main baddie is even located.
Completing a case often awards points to the copper(s) responsible and (as they become more difficult) will either increase in monetary value or begin awarding other prizes as well.
Once you have gained a case, you will be given a brief personality and history description of the baddie, and then be permitted to chase them down and capture them yourself. You will be PMed the baddie’s abilities and be expected to use them honorably as you believe the baddie would against your copper!
Getting to know the bad guy’s attacks ahead of time does not mean that your character automatically knows them all without question and is therefore perfectly prepared for the battle. You must still play as though your character is in the dark. If some spells have been revealed to you in the case description, then you know them. If the bad guy is known for a particular spell, then you know that one too. Don’t be too quick to assume, they might have an Ace up their sleeve... Literally, a vicious one. <3
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Points:
Yes, the points for moving up in rank in the Police station are rather high. This is because the majority of these points for each move can be achieved through either unassigned points, or quick posting.
The items, powers, and familiars your characters will be receiving will most likely outweigh the points as they are currently posted and may even be modified to rise as time goes on if things are achieved too easily. The Admin reserves this right.
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Warnings:
This is not the most friendly area for characters to occupy. Realize that signing your character up to be a copper means that it is very possible, even likely that they will be injured on the job, especially if they are higher level or lower level opting for a higher level battle.
At any point in time, the Admin could poke her head in and declare a hidden ability or weapon the baddie may have had concealed, or an especially tricky jump that you may not have pulled off as well as you thought you did. They may also have an arsenal of spells (this knowledge will be released to you as you play) that could cause permanent and painful scarring on your character that you may not like!
At the beginning of every copper battle, the Admin rolls a die (for those of you who feared that the threats above were signals of punishment, oh no, it isn’t so!). This die will be assigned certain properties, some good for you, some good for the baddie, some good for potential NPCs, and some with the option of nothing happening and everything going exactly as you play it.
It is more likely to go as you play it out, but beware that anything could potentially happen to your character. Even death is something to fear if you have a higher-ranked copper and are facing very dangerous baddies with rather nasty spells. You will be warned before going into a case if it has a risk of death, and the prizes for participating in such a case will match the risk.
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Punishments and Backfires:
The coppers have set up a good system for keeping their own ranks from going bad. The spells Police receive and use on a daily basis need to be used for force business only and, if used to harm innocents or for illegal purposes, can suddenly become curses instead of useful spells.
Some of these curses are quite extreme and some are lighter, depending on the spell used and in what manner. All new recruits are informed of this danger upon joining the force.
If you are tempted to play a rogue copper, realize that this fact is very hard to hide from the superiors, though it can be done. If discovered, insubordination will be punished with eviction from the force, placed curses, a stripping of awards (not points, unless you’re being ridiculously out of character about it), and possibly a “fitting” punishment from the current head Captain.
While these results can be very interesting and fun to play with, I encourage people (Like you, Pale!) to try NOT to make it your goal to tear down the Capital Police, as they took me so long to get running.
Please.
If your character starts attacking PC coppers maliciously and without reason because you are now a “dirty cop” and you do NOT have their permission for this action, then THAT is when you will start to lose points, as well as possibly the character, for extreme abuse of the system.
If you are currently playing with another character and your copper takes a disliking to the other PC copper, you may snipe at them and fight with your own, normal Card abilities should you choose. However, the station still expects the job to be done and using your Police abilities outside of the case will, again, result in curses.
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