One thing that any LARP will die without is Service. There is an army of volunteers, helpers, writers, portrayers, and other staff who make the game run. Without them, there are no players, no game, and nothing more than these rules on a page. In Tempest, those who put out effort to make the game better, or make it run at all, may be awarded with Service Points. These Points can be offered by Staff for various help, for donations, or other benefits to the group. This chapter will attempt to lay out that system, as well as give a menu of special benefits that a person might purchase with Service Points.
A person who has been awarded with Service Points can treat those points however they wish: the points can be spent, returned, or given to others. Unfortunately, there are some limits on book-keeping.
Whenever someone performs volunteerism or service for a Tempest game, they are awarded with Service Points. The following list gives guidelines for how much should be awarded by Staff. These are guidelines only, and Staff will adjust their awards based on what is needed. Each game should have their awards posted somewhere so that volunteers know they are being awarded in a fair and consistent manner.
Playtesting: 4 SP / Day
For those non-staff who take the time to playtest at Alpha Playtest events, and provide feedback.
Running & Organizing Tempest Practices: 8 SP / Practice
Publicly organizing and running a “Character Practice” where the goal is to educate on the rules, and provide new players with an introduction to the system, community, and larping in general.
Portraying NPCs (Per Hour): 1 SP / Hour
For both full-time NPCs and PC crossovers - NPCing hourly. Sign In & Out required.
Portraying NPCs Bonus: Plot Discretion
For both full-time NPCs and PC crossovers - Particularly taxing NPCs or service above and beyond.
Portraying NPCs (Full Event): 25 SP / Event
For both full-time NPCs and PC crossovers - NPCing of Full Events.
Non-Staff Encounter Writing: 4-10 SP / Encounter
This award is for crossover PCs that write content, all content is subject to Plot approval.
Non-Staff Encounter Running: 4 SP / Hour
This award is for crossover PCs that run content for the game.
Non-Staff Full Event Writing: 15 SP / Event
This award is for crossover PCs that aid in the Plot writing but are not able to run content on-site.
Non-Staff Full Event Staffing: 30 SP / Event
This award is for crossover PCs that aid in the Plot writing and Major Staffing of an event.
Minor Staff Positions: 15 SP / Event
A Minor Staff Position is any position that allows the player to do other things such as play or full-time NPC in the same event. PC Ritual and Rules Marshals are categorized here.
Major Staff Positions: 50 SP / Event
A Major Staff Position is any position that precludes playing the game for at least the event Staffed.
Major Staff Monthly: 5 / Month
This award is a catch-all for the ongoing work between events, such as maintenance of documentation and other small tasks that might be required.
Major Staff Content & Rules Work: 2-4 SP / Hour
Per-hour content work for Major Staff, covering rules work, worldbuilding, website upkeep, art & prop creation, and so on.
Creating Props: As posted, base: 1 SP per $8 dollar of value.
Props that are requested by the Staff, posted publicly on the various social channels.
Creating Costumes: As posted, base: 1 SP per $8 dollar of value.
Costumes that are requested by the Staff, posted publicly on the various social channels.
Cash Donations: As posted, but generally $10 / SP
Cash donations are accepted year-round, but increased rewards are available during donation drives that happen occasionally for specific purposes. Stay tuned to the social channels to be notified when they go live.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the things one can spend Service Points on. Additional options may be available, sometimes in a time-limited manner, so be sure to watch for posts and notifications about other Service Point opportunities!
These options are presented in addition to the generalized ability to “rewind” recent character purchases, for those who need more flexibility, or need to reverse much earlier decisions.
Note: New Players receive an automatic rewrite after your first game: All players may fully rewrite their character after playing their first game so that they can try things out, get advice, see how they feel in their costume and aesthetics, all without any risk.
Retrain Power: 5 SP
Switch a Class Power for another of equal or lower level.
Edit Spellbook: 5 SP
Replace a Spell in your spellbook for another of equal or lower level.
Alter Class-Level: 25 SP
Replace a class-level with another (either Base or Advanced). You must meet all the requirements for your new class, including roleplay, SP, and skills.
Refund CP Purchase: 1 SP per CP
Refund a CP purchase, note all CP refunds must be approved by staff (Head of Rules or Head of Plot), additionally some CP purchases such as Inheritance may have additional requirements to refund.
Role Access: 2-60 SP
Roles are generally acquired through roleplay, contacts, and positions attained in-game, but accommodations can be made for those providing service to the game, with Plot approval.
Advanced Class Access: 0-60 SP
Advanced Classes are generally acquired through roleplay, contacts, and class requirements, but accommodations can be made for those providing service to the game, with Plot approval.
Between Events, there are so-called Between Game Events. These are all the things that occur while the players are not actually on stage. This may include research, or minor quests, or negotiations between warring groups.
Sometimes, a BGE will be invited by Staff, but usually, the players will have some action they want their characters to perform and will put in a request for a BGE. This is a write-up of who they are and what they would do. It should include some parameters (like that the characters will not resort to killing, or that they will not lie during the encounters) and the general actions and goals of all involved.
Generally, BGE’s cannot include direct confrontation with other PCs or situations where the outcome is overly risky (such as making an assassination attempt or breaking out of jail) as those situations are difficult to adjudicate narratively. Staff will then respond with a write-up of the results of the Event.
Each option may be taken by a given player once per event BGE.
A standard BGE allows for two actions. More actions may be purchased, and some Advantages, like Steed will give some actions for free. By default, the actions a character can take are:
Although carriers may be common, letters and other missives take some amount of time to get from one place to another. Characters are allowed to send as many letters as they wish during each action. A letter will take one action to get to another character if that character is in a different location such as another nation, or across a sea. If the addressee is in the same location, the communication arrives almost immediately. Here are some guidelines for those communications:
For Example: Knox writes to Tymera during his first action; she will receive the letter and be able to act on it and respond during her second action. He could get the response letter during or after his second action. On the other hand, Nasarack and Triss, writing insulting letters to each other while both are in the same town, could go back and forth as often as desired between Events.
[This section is undergoing alterations due to changes to the BGE system.]
Information makes the world go round, and in Tempest that goes double. The well informed are more likely to survive the trials and tribulations the realms throw at them.
The Down Low: 5 SP / Event
While your average rumormonger is well versed in the comings and goings of the movers and shakers of the world, the truly connected can reliably learn more detailed and less error-prone information by tapping into more reclusive information brokers. This option provides a different rumor sheet that is overall more accurate, more detailed, and more likely to contain actionable information that others might not have access to. Note that widespread revealing of this information to others may have consequences for the character who it’s tracked back to.
Notoriety: 10 SP
The player may craft a single “So It Has Been told” paragraph of a few short sentences, similar to the Perk Minor Fame. The content of this paragraph is subject to Plot approval. Any given character may only purchase this option once.
Treasure Maps: 20 SP
Every so often, the traders, archaeologists, and treasure seekers of the world stumble upon a find of true worth, but find themselves stymied by traps, monsters, or other hazards. When this occurs, they will post bounties in conspicuous places, first come first served. Getting to the front of the line just sometimes means greasing the right palms, or paying off the competition.
“Treasure Maps” is a catch-all for various forms of content that might include (but is not limited to), an actual map to follow, a module run during the next event, a BGE opportunity with a potential treasure outcome, or many other things that our content writers might come up with.
These opportunities come up only occasionally, and will be posted publicly with a generalized description, but there’s always bound to be a surprise or two, so come prepared.
NPC Visit: 50 SP
Sometimes you just need a face to face with the right person to get things done. With this option, you may request a generalized NPC (Ex: I need a high priest of the Tower), or a specific one (The Mayor of Crowne Pointe). Every effort will be made to accommodate reasonable requests with the following caveats:
Other options that don’t truly fit in the other categories.
Extra Haven Charges: 1 SP / Charge
See “Havens” for specifics. This adds one charge to the player’s Haven up to the standard maximum for havens (i.e. 30 charges)
Mod Day - Player Focused Module: 20 SP / Module Attendee
When the opportunity arises, the Plot team will be scheduling Mod Days which are single day events, with scheduled modules for teams of 6 to 10. Generally, these modules are written to further certain plotlines, but we often have the ability to custom create content for specific groups. This option allows the player to set certain parameters or criteria that we will attempt to fulfill. As always, Plot teams have final say in all content, and Module availability is first-come, first-served.
Plot-Written PC Backstory: 10 SP
This option allows a player to request that their character’s backstory be written by the Plot team. Generally, the player will provide some criteria, parameters, or a brief sketch paragraph of the overall theme and tone for the character. Players should expect some back and forth communication during the process, as fine tuning the backstory will take collaboration. In addition, players selecting this option may find threads to current and future plotlines woven into their backstories.
Note: This option may not always be available, based on the Staff’s present workload. Limitations, slots, and similar systems may be present to ensure we can provide appropriate quality content.
Custom NPC - Full Time NPCs Only: 20 SP / Year
For our full time dedicated NPCs, we’re offering the opportunity to help craft a unique, named NPC that they will portray. This NPC is intended to be a recurring character the player may use during off-hours to interact with the game, or during specific plot necessitated storylines. As always the use and direction of NPCs is up to the Plot Team, but every effort will be made to accommodate the use of these NPCs where possible.
Researching Custom Crafting Recipes: 50 SP / Recipe
The pinnacle of every craftsman’s career is an invention or masterwork that alters the entire landscape of their craft. These revelations often bear the name of their inventor as they broaden the understanding of their craft, and gain notoriety for their work. Players selecting this option have the opportunity to collaborate with Staff to create a new recipe for one craft, and once approved, have their name or appellation attached to the crafting recipe’s name.
Roleplay Items (Offboard resources): Variable
This category covers various in-game resources available only between games that carry minimal or no in-game benefit, focused mostly on roleplay. Your personal cottage (20 SP), mansion (200 SP), boat (50 SP), vineyard (300 SP), or wizard’s tower (250 SP) can be purchased here, among many other things. These purchases may feature in plotlines that affect the area they are placed in, or may have subtle (or not so subtle!) impacts on events that occur around them. As always, Plot has final say on all placements, purchases, and effects they have.
Mastercasting: 20 SP / Incant
The character may write their own spell incantation. This may be for all the spell-tiers or just for Master-tier. This incantation must be approved by Staff before it is used and will be logged and permanent. If the spell-caster chooses just to re-write the Master-tier incant, it need only be forty syllables.
These options are available only to those who have dedicated a great many hours to the game, generally totaling more than 100 service hours, or three events in a Major Staff role.
Item Stasis: 2 SP Per Item per Year
This option pauses the expiration of a tagged item, such that it no longer decays. While in stasis, the item cannot be used during play, but it also does not suffer expiration. This is useful while a Staff member is dedicated to their staffing position and cannot play, but also is useful to those who play by sealing away a magic item for later use, should they come upon a duplicate.
Catch Up Items: Variable
This option provides a mechanism for Staff members who miss large portions of the campaign to adequately equip their character for future play. Exact costs depend on the items requested, and all items garnered through this system must be craftable or findable through the normal course of play.
Character Advancement: No Cost
Staff Members, and Full Event NPCs (including PC crossovers), and military-deployed players, gain experience for each event they serve.
Free Game: 30 SP
For those with a position of Major Staff or above for one year of events (8), the option to purchase PC events with Service Points is offered as a thank you for their hard work and dedication.