faq

[maisondeslettres]

Welcome to Compass City, a city that is largely run by the underground. Here, it only seems like the politicians are the ones in charge. What matters here is influence and the most influential people in this city belong to the Maison des Lettres, one of three major crime syndicates in the area. The Maison des Lettres has connections with DuBois Pharmeceuticals, and DuBois supplies the Maison with something they on the street call Clarté. Clarté is what gives the most successful businessmen their edge. It’s what keeps the housewives from losing their minds. Say what you will about the Italians with their violent force and the Chinese with their girls and opium parlours, but most people in Compass City know it’s the Maison that runs things. When you control who has the edge and you know everyone’s dirty little secret, you have a hand in everything.

The Maison des Lettres is a panfandom AU game open to all applicants. Characters will find themselves in Compass City, a city similar to New York in the 1940’s. They will have AU backgrounds to fit them into the setting. Everyone in the city is used to carrying a device like a smartphone with texting and network capabilities. Housing is unassigned and will be expected as a part of characters’ AU background.

This game will delve into intense and historically accurate subjects, including the darker aspects of the past. Expect to encounter themes like drugs, race, prostitution, and violence. The narrative will explore these elements in a way that reflects the realities of the time period, providing a gritty and authentic experience. Player discretion is advised, as the game will not shy away from addressing the harsh realities of the era.


IC Informations & Game Basics

What happens when my character arrives?
Characters fit seamlessly into the story. Their backstory can begin with them arriving in Compass City from out of town or they can believe they have lived there all of their life, but they will remember next to nothing that has happened before arriving in this world. They might feel vague pushes and pulls away from and towards individuals they knew in their former life. This is due to the mysterious force that lies beneath Compass City that not even Monsieur Fournier himself knows about. It will not be explained at first, but the layers that hide this secret will be stripped away in time.

Characters will have housing ready for them when they arrive outfitted like a house in the 1940’s. Depending on the story you have woven for your character, your character’s home will fit their means. Remember, a plumber isn’t going to live in a mansion with stables on the grounds.

Characters can have a job or be looking for work when they arrive. Whichever option fits their background is best.


What does Compass City look like?
The City is set up like a grid.

The neutral zone, where the private grade school, various places of worship, the police department and a few wealthy homeowners have set up shop is located in the Northeast Corner of the city. Streetlights dot the sidewalk, discouraging crime. A neighborhood watch keeps an eye on everything and the police pretend to listen. Who knows the real reason why this place is so safe?

The Central North area is where the jail, the courthouse, and some businesses are located. The gangs are all vying for this area.

The Southwest and Central South areas of compass city, though not an exact quarter of the city, are known as The French Quarter and are run by The Maison des Lettres. Here you will find the docks, the warehouses, DuBois Pharmacie, and Cabaret d’Ysabeau. The warehouses are under heavy protection by the Italians.

Can characters leave the city?
During hiatuses, we will allow you to get creative. Perhaps your character is in with the Chinese and took a flight there. Perhaps you’re with the Maison and you need to talk business with the head of DuBois Pharmaceuticals on the East Coast. Otherwise, no, your characters are city-bound.

Where do characters live?
That is entirely up to you. If you want to make them a rogue roaming the streets, go for it. All we ask is that you have your character live within their means.

Most games have a network device. How will that work here?
That will be the only anachronistic element in the game. Once characters find their homes, whether it be a cozy little number in a safe part of town or a spot on the sidewalk under an awning away from the rain, they will also find a smartphone kind of device with a leathery exterior and a hi-res screen. It will have network and texting capabilities. Text, images, video, sound can all be sent on this device. More than that, there is a gossip website that will have details about your character everyone can learn.

How does the gossip website work?
Salacious details about your character are submitted by you, the player, to cause a stir in the game

Transportation – Can my character have a car?
Of course, if it is within their means, and always consider that women were usually the passengers. If you play some woman on moxie overload, however, driving is possible, just don’t expect to be taken seriously. And, uh, given the nature of this game, if you’re at the top of one of these organizations you might want to consider having someone start your car for you.

Healthcare. You need it. We have it.
DuBois Pharmaceuticals is such a thriving business that they have opened up a business for minor injuries and illnesses. Stitches and colds belong at this free clinic, adjacent to the Pharmacie, but more serious accidents like broken arms, burns and high fevers belong at the doctor’s.

Characters can get hurt. What happens if they die? If you want them to really die, then it’s permanent and they can only return to Compass City under a new identity three days (or more, if you need it,) later. If you want the experience of dying, you can play up the drama of a character faking their death and they will be gone for three days before they can come back. When characters return from death, they will be cursed with nightmares from their real lives.

What is the culture like in-game? Everything that happened in the world up to the starting date of the game in 1945 will have happened in this world. Google is a wealth of information on days gone by. If you need to learn turn of phrase or see how people dressed, I suggest you use it.


OOC Information

How do applications and reserves work?
This game has rolling applications. In other words, applications are open all month long unless mods are on hiatus. To make an application, you must first make a reserve to avoid two people applying for the same character. There will be no challenges. This is first-come, first-serve.

How do plots work in the game?
Game-wide plots written by the moderators will begin on the 10th, preceded at some point by a plotting post. One month they will be serious and impact the world the characters live in and the next it will be a lighter, less impactful plot. It will work this way every other month.

How do TDMs work here?
During the lighter months, a test-drive meme will be posted for players to try their characters out on. Only characters outside of the game will be allowed to top-level on the TDM, but anyone can comment. Characters can play on TDMs as if they have allegiance to any family, but they will be sorted when they apply.

What kind of characters will be appable?
We allow OCs, canon characters, CRAU, canon AU, and malleable protagonists.

Hard no on…
Fandom OCs, fanon AUs, duplicates

What about age limits?
The age limit for players to participate in this game is 18+ because of mature themes like drug trade, violence, and prostitution.

The age limit for characters is 16+. Since this game is AU you can easily age your character up.

What about non-human characters?
Non-human characters or characters with inorganic parts would become humanoid. For example, Bucky Barnes could be a man with an amputated arm or a man with a fully functioning, ordinary arm. However, if a character's prosthetics could easily fit into a 1940's setting, they may keep them.

What about character(s)' abilities/powers?
Powers like changing shape or extra strength would be moderately dampened, but allowed at full force if the character is taking Clarté.

How many characters can I app?
To start with, you will be allowed three characters. You will only be able to app one at a time. If you can provide two proofs of activity, spread over no more than two threads each, and each consisting of 5 comments from you for each of your characters.

Inventory?
Characters can only bring mementos from home. These mementos will have only the vaguest of feelings attached to them, but the character will know they are important.

New & ongoing canons – How will that work?
One month must have passed before a canonpoint is appable. It is appreciated if you warn for major spoilers.

What is the system with hiatuses & drops?
Hiatuses and drops must be announced on their specific page. Hiatuses will be creatively written. Maybe your character had to disappear from the other gangs’ radar for a while or maybe they had to fly all the way to Italy on a job. Drops in games will be simple. The character will disappear and be assumed to be swimming with the fishes, though just in case they are reapped this will never be confirmed. If you have to hiatus and run, your IC excuse will be written for you by the mods.

My character speaks a language other than English. How do I handle this?
Your character’s AU self must speak a language of Earth, but they don’t have to speak English. Be prepared if you go this route, however, to run into some difficulties.

What’s activity check like?
AC has purposely been kept low, but reasonable.
Every month you may turn in…

- Two threads that add up to 6 comments.
- Or a 300-word minimum summary of what your character has been up to.
If you use the summary option too often, you will be warned.

I didn’t make activity…
You must wait three weeks before re-apping your character. The next app cycle you are to submit a summary and a proof of 10 comments.

How will plots work?

Game-Wide plots will occur on the 10th of each month. The game will alternate every other month between a serious, impactful plot and a easier, lighter plot.

Player Plots are encouraged. If they are large-scale and impact the game you must first seek a mod’s approval.