I’m putting the various Crossroads of the Commonwealth files here because I’d like some feedback from my gamer readers. The idea here is to combine Patreon projects like this into one document, adapt it for at least one Open Gaming License, and then sell the blessed things on DriveThruRPG (once I actually learn how to format these things in a print-friendly PDF format, of course). So: suggestions on a suitable OGL would be nice, not to mention any opinions on what, if anything, should be added generally.
My Patreon account is, of course, here.
Unlike my mom, I don’t watch the various cop shows on tv, so that may be part of the problem. But I don’t grok the setting/campaign/playstyle. Who, exactly, buys and sells from The Traders? Governments? Corps? Individuals? Is there the equivalent of a market, where people are trading? The equivalent of a catalog? Traders show up to a pawn shop in NYC and try to work a trade?
Cocaine, as a vasoconstricting local anaesthetic, could be considered the best local anaesthetic on the planet. It’s legal for use in certain eye surgeries in the US. Why, exactly, does PILE care if it gets exported? Are they worried that it’ll be abused in other worlds? Are they worried about organized crime making massive profits on Earth? Something else?
Do PILE agents ever go worldhopping? Are there other worlds with extradition treaties with Earth? Can criminals come to or leave Earth, to avoid various legal entanglements?
Just how odd are the Traders, anyway? All human? Star Trek humanoids with forehead ridges and pointy ears? Intelligent humanoid animals? A floating cube and watery sphere, that communicate through radio waves interpreted by a translation device?
Say North Korea decides it wants to buy the most powerful, destructive suitcase sized weapon it can get its hands on. Is it PILE’s job to block it? Would the Traders forbid it? Would it matter if it was the UK? Would it matter if it was the House of Clinton?
Thanks. These are exactly the kinds of questions I’ll need to answer when I put all of this together into one coherent whole.
You’re welcome. Not every possible question should be answered, of course. I like the idea of leaving open who is good, who is evil, and who is just trying to make a buck. Which makes me a little leary of having two real life, living, rather polarizing [in real life] politicians as heads of the two houses. Dunno.
The polarization is, I think, unavoidable but manageable, given that it’s set twenty years ago.
Ok, more questions. What exactly is PILE’s basic purpose? Detectives, to gather evidence to get a conviction in court? A court in the USA, with all the requirements for evidence? Some other earthly standard? Evidence for a system in a different universe?
Cops, keeping the peace and trying to keep crimes from happening in the first place?
Focused on controlling import/export? Focused on immigration?
Focused on public safety?
Possibly useful stuff on the web: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/fleo02.pdf
So, PILE has roughly 10,000 people working for it. Compared to 2002, that’s about the same number as the FBI, about half the number in the INS. Roughly how many of the low level PILE guys [like the characters] were cops before? Forensic scientist types? Soldiers? How many fit positions that don’t exist in the real world, like team psychic?
Just how much tech/ magic/ psychic/ supers stuff came through that should completely change police work? Telepathy? Empathy? Beings with good enough sense of smell to detect human emotions? Purely mechanical lie detectors that are 100% accurate? Lie detectors that are 100% accurate, except that they can be spoofed by other tech?
Does PILE have a union? Do the rank and file want a union? Is there a disconnect between what the rank and file believe is PILE’s purpose, and the upper management? Between PILE and the Houses?
The one I can tell you right off the bat: PILE itself doesn’t have a union. Individuals assigned to it may still belong to their parent agency’s unions, but existing labor structures are taking a big hit in this world’s NYC. The city can afford to pay very well and offer excellent benefits; and there’s a strong “you’re not actually allowed to strike, because of the international security aspects of your jobs” attitude towards PILE that is shared by both Houses.
I guess it’s a good thing I’m still thinking about the scenario. Random thought for the night: there are some parallels with Earth Final Conflict.