Off The Menu [Workshop]

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You're an employee at Finer Things, a Bar and Bistro celebrating its first year of business by throwing an Anniversary Ball. The crowd of connoisseurs are expected to start showing up for their long-held reservations around 7:00 PM, but the management is eagerly anticipating one customer in particular; the City Council would like to use the event to cover up the dealings of an important foreign ambassador.

Your superiors need you to be exceptional tonight. So instead distributing all the tips equally amoungst those who aren't on payroll, what you collect personally is what you go home with. This may be a problem if you rely on the usual system to pay rent or don't have social skills, but that's the point. You need to work as hard as you can to seize this big opportunity, or earn any money at all.

Additionally, the Owner - who you've never seen in person - plans to gift a mysterious Glittering Green Present to anyone who proves extraordinarily impressive. This prize is locked safely away in the depths of the Office, and knowing how wealthy your boss is, this might prove incentive enough to be on your best behavior.

The game's plot will last six in-game hours, starting from 7:00 PM and ending at 1:00 AM. The date is "Summer 14th, " and I will dictate the passing of time through my in-character posts.

Your superobjective is to make as much money as you can during this timeframe. Whoever does will be crowned the ultimate winner of the RP, and whoever is the most creative writer will earn the in-character reward of the Glittering Green Present. These rewards can be won by the same person or separate individuals.


Missions will appear that can earn you money, and new ones are available every hour for your character to pick up from a certain location or person. However, random events will come upon your character in the pursuit of their duty, and they might manifest as special interactions, helpful or hindering conditions, intriguing items or information; but most importantly they are scenarios or choices that may cause an increase or decrease in your payout. Some Missions will have to be tackled by more than one character, so when those appear feel free to hop on a mission with someone else to help them or commit sabotage; this is a competitive RP, after all.

Be mindful of my GM avatars Carmine and Lombardi if you plan on being a chronic backstabber, they're here to judge your work and reprimand unscrupulous behavior they observe. They can give or take away Favor, and if you sink too low or are caught doing something absolutely horrendous, you'll be Fired. There is a number system to this, a maximum of +5 and a pink slip to those who reach -20, but I keep that to myself. When a shift in your character's Favor occurs, my GM post will include a reading of my character's reaction towards you. You can gauge how many points you gained or lost depending on the intensity of their reaction.


But if you're the type to shirk labor, you can also follow Intrigue Plots. There's more than meets the eye happening here tonight, and while you're performing duties you might be pulled into the midst of one or overhear a Secret that, when pursued, could lead you to some fabulous prizes. The key to getting the most payout out of these is information and action, so pick your strategy and allies wisely: will you try to keep the glory all to yourself or split the treasure when you uncover the truth? There are a total of five Plots, based on genre: Crime Mystery, Historical Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi Thriller, and Surreal Horror.


Each hour players will gain the power to Order Takeout, a one-use ability to devise a beneficial or disastrous event that will immediately occur to another player in their next post. An event might force you to suddenly invoke this on a specific character or with a certain effect if you go too long without using it, so pay attention to everyone else's writing and try to find the perfect time to strike!

Beginning at 7:15 PM an activity called The Guest List will appear in the OOC Thread every in-game half hour that both players and fans can participate in! Two guests attending the Anniversary Ball will be presented and every person is allotted up to six questions each to probe them about their life, job, personality, anything! There is a twist, however: these NPCs have Secrets that they might accidentally reveal if you look into their responses and ask the right or most thought-provoking question. If you manage to be the one that gets it out of them, you can expect some in-character benefits. Alternatively, if a fan wins, they can choose who gets it! If you're a player, you can ask your questions as if they're being said by your character and find that the NPC is a little more generous with their answers.

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Carmine, the Ma?tre D'

This aging Trumbeak has been in the business longer than you have probably been alive, but don't let the thin round-frame glasses and graying feathers deceive you: his spry figure and keen sense of eyesight grant him near omnipresence over the establishment. He doubles as the employee manager, and therefore has the ability to benefit or fire anyone he pleases. One would be correct in describing his demeanor as cold and nervous, but he also loves novelty, considers himself a part-time scholar, and is nothing short of a perfectionist. Impress him, and you've got a loyal and powerful ally.

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Chef Lombardi

No one is sure why she considers herself a gentle giant, but perhaps it's the environment of the restaurant that sparks her to be incredibly hard and demanding. Her ferocious demeanor is complimented well by her looming presence and ear piercings, and when the going gets tough, you can expect her to throw temper tantrums so horrendous that it seems like she's willing to dirty her striped apron with your blood. Although she might be secretive, she does have her soft spots for corny jokes and is very generous. Get on her good side, and you might reap interesting Seasonings or Utensils.

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P.J. Clarke, Custodian Extraordinaire

He's been at the restaurant since the beginning, in charge of making all the chalk drawings and doing every odd-job that Carmine can't be bothered with. It's odd for a Shiny Pok?mon to resolve himself to a life wearing a pair of coveralls and cute little cap, but he seems to enjoy the work and has incredible mechanical skills. While his way of speaking can be non-sequitur and his tendency to suddenly appear disconcerting, he's a good-natured fellow with a big heart for the other employees. Reciprocating this friendliness might let you in on secrets about the staff, setting, or clientele.

Name -- Only first names exist; include nicknames or despised derivatives.

Gender -- Anything from the spectrum; do research your species' sex ratio!

Appearance -- What Pok?mon you are along with specifications such as Shiny status, Forme, Mega-Evolved, Alolan typing, or any unusual physical features. Pictures can substitute this section. Every employee is required to wear a green, black, and white-striped tie while on duty, but due to an inability to provide a standard one that accommodates all species, this tie can be any style and size within reason (bowtie, necktie with or without a collar, clip-on, flowing bow, etc.) and can be worn on any appropriate body part so long as it's easily visible. Other than that you're free to include attire or accessories that mesh with the aforementioned color palette and look professional. Feel free to mention what your character would typically wear outside of work, just know that these items will be held in the Coat Check at the start of this roleplay.

Evolutionary stage is not indicative of age. Fakemon, Legendaries, Wailord, and Ditto are prohibited. If you must have an incredibly uncommon variation, justify it well in your background. Have fun with how your character interacts with the world due to missing common appendages, having additional limbs, being a sea-dwelling creature, being immaterial, etc.

Moveset -- Four moves that are available to your species in Sun/Moon standards, and describe their effect or how you might use them. One of these slots can be used for an Egg/Tutor Move, but they must be justified: if a Cyndaquil knew Crush Claw, I better hear about their Zangoose or Sandslash father. I might reject ones altogether if they verge of godmodding territory. OHKO Moves are prohibited.

Background -- At least a paragraph on your character's history, how it has affected their current personality, what age group they belong to (they should at least be comparable to sixteen-human-years), and why they ended up in this job. Use this section to detail notable dispositions, complexes, quirks, hobbies, passions, or mannerisms and where they derive from. You are encouraged to remark on how long you've been working at Finer Things: are you brand new or have you been here since it opened a year ago?

Prompt -- Provide at least three paragraphs based on ONE of the following in-character prompts. Do note that what you write will not be integrated into the canon.


Secret -- DO NOT PUT THESE ON YOUR PUBLICLY POSTED SIGN-UP. Now, everyone has events, places, people, or things that they'd rather leave in the past. Someone within the restaurant might discover and play on your character's secrets, so please submit at least one to the GM via Private Message in tandem with you submitting your Sign-Up.

Keep all content Rated T. In-character you are allowed to portray tame romance, occasionally toss around a mild profanity, and involve yourself in non-gorey cartoon violence. Things of a darker nature such as physical or sexual abuse, hard drug usage, and other associated topics are to be avoided. If you need to suggest an event or quirk that borders on that territory, or if you're unsure an idea would be allowed or not, don't hesitate to contact me! And as always, follow the general guidelines set up for this section and forum as a whole.

Respect the GM and Writing Standard. Trust my ability to run this game and see me if you have a concern or request. That being said, please write in past-tense so we're all on the same page.

Inactivity puts your player status at risk. You are expected to make a post every eight days, or ten if the upcoming entry is a Joint Post. I will try my best to notify those approaching their deadline, but this service is not a requirement of my position and I hold the right to free up your player slot at any time after your due date. If your character is taken out of the roleplay, you may not sign back up with a new one. Of course, life happens: if you are sure that you need an extension or are unable to continue participating, or want to switch out the character you are currently playing for another, send me a PM! Additionally, I have the ability to do anything I desire with a character whose player has dropped the game; like make them an NPC, write them off, retcon their actions, etc.

No Godmodding or Bunnying without permission. Your character is not invincible, and any imposed conditions or rewards/punishments they receive are to be heeded. If you actively defy the rules or my word as GM, or harass others in the game, your character will be removed and you will be banned from posting in any associated threads. Additionally, you are never allowed to control the actions or words of any character you did not create unless given explicit permission by the creator. Said creator has to notify the GM and approve the post in which their character is bunny'd. Any joint posts must be approved by all parties involved before being posted to the IC Thread.

No-one is omnipresent, and no directly sharing Private Messages. Your character knows as much as they have been told or personally discovered. Just because you might know something out-of-character about an Intrigue Plot or Secret, that doesn't mean your character would suddenly know the same thing or have a "gut feeling" towards the truth. You may receive private messages that will contain Secrets, effect your character, or allow you to affect someone else's. While you may share the knowledge you receive within one as you wish, there is no tolerance for directly quoting these messages or forwarding them to other players unless given specific permission.

Aesthetic. Social structures resemble those that exist in our real-world present. The overall aesthetic of this roleplay, however, is late-40's-to-50's America. This filter makes all the buildings, technology, clothes, and music to appear as they did during that time period: the payphones in the foyer would look like (this) and journalists would be using cameras like (this), while affluent lady customers sport looks reminiscent of (this) and their gentlemen callers to woo them in garb like (this). But this doesn't mean former human culture died in 1959; although they held onto the look of this time period longer than we did, modern-day things like video games and videotapes did exist and their husks still do, albeit it with more post-WW2 flair. As for what's available in this new Pok?-society: things likes cars, trains, and TVs have been reclaimed (though the predominant mediums are radio, newsprint, and live music) but more advanced things like the internet, cellular devices, and computers have either not been reestablished or bothered with. As for time-period slang, I don't mind either way; it's pretty fun if your character uses it but I'm certainly not requiring it or denying the usage of more modern slang. I encourage you to get into the grove of the aesthetic, because (at least I think) it's more fun to embrace than struggle against it trying to make more "modern" things and settings work.

Setting. We are in an unnamed city that was taken over by pioneering travelers a few decades ago in the same undisclosed non-canon region as "Cornered on the Market!" a year after the plot of that roleplay. I know, really unspecific, but it's meant to be. The only place that you'll be exploring as characters will be Finer Things and the environment surrounding it, so unless circumstances bring you to another location - that I will flesh out for you - we will contain the present action to the restaurant. Now this isn't to say you can't mention other towns or parts of the city, or expand upon your backstory via flashbacks, you certainly can! I simply ask that you let me dictate the state of the world; as in, you can make up a bank name or your hometown, but mentioning a tumultuous 100-year war battled in darkness is a no-no. Canon regions do exist, and they are inhabited by Pok?mon now, but they are very far away from this place. The vast majority of citizens that live in the city were born somewhere in this region. Also, since Cornered didn't properly finish, the events of the Summer Festival past anything established in the IC are not to be mentioned.

Humans. No one is sure why or how they faded into antiquity, but they weren't apocalyptically wiped out by some disaster. They more slowly and quietly began to disappear, as if they were just migrating to somewhere else, before vanishing completely. After some period of abandonment, Pok?mon took over their role, and anything they didn't reclaim got overtaken by nature. Those who have faint childhood memories of humanity have become relics themselves.

Food Chain. While certain dishes can include things that were extracted or produced by Pok?mon physiology (like Slowpoke Tails or the sap from Bulbasaur's bud), no-one at the restaurant is being served soylent green. Meat has been nearly been replaced with fruit or vegetable substitutes, and it's generally assumed that when someone is referring to something like "steak," that it's the alternative created to serve the new Pok?-society. Large real animals do not exist, but there are small creatures that are nondescript and black like a silhouette - like insects, fish, mice - these critters don't have a proper name or any sentience: many just refer to these beings as "prey." But back in the day, predatory systems were totally a thing, and some feral colonies still exist that operate on these basic instincts. So feel free to play on your instinctual fears or predator/prey dynamics if you want, but just keep in mind that unabashedly hating certain species of Pok?mon will be treated akin to bigotry.

Job. You're a multi-purpose server that is expected to be able to do anything on a whim, because that position accommodates both the mechanics of the roleplay and justifies your ability to move freely around the building and take on a variety of tasks in as many different locations as possible without issue. Your character can think of this job as the first step to getting a permanent one within this particular establishment, having aspirations to be a Cook or Manager or whatever, if you want.

Names. Think of it like the inverse of our world: it's odd to find someone who doesn't have a proper surname, so it'd be just as odd to find someone in this fictional world that does have a "surname" or "family name" without a justification. I'm lenient on this rule so long as there aren't too many applicants trying to bypass it and I get to hear the "why," as people in the world are going to be curious about it and I certainly am!

Aging and Education. Since the term "Pok?mon" applies to a variety of critters, any given person's individual aging system is going to be different than their neighbor's. Instead, you are sorted into age groups based off where you are developmentally. This general disparity puts a wrench into traditionally approaching the school system, so institutions would have to cater to every student's needs individually, making formal education a bit of a luxury. Teaching a certain trade or labor, homeschooling, or a schoolhouse-esc approach to education would be more common in the world as a whole and in less developed areas. The city itself houses both public and private schools, and a college.

Abilities and Natures. These things can be easily incorporated into your character's descriptive quirks or dispositions. For instance, I integrated Trumbeak's Keen Eye ability into Carmine by saying he "has a keen sense of eyesight."

Mega-Evolution. It exists solely as a cosmetic preference; it does not make you stronger in any practical sense. Unlike the games, the only thing you need to trigger the form shift is to be in proximity to the appropriate Mega Stone. If you choose to be a Mega, creatively incorporate this stone somewhere in your appearance and stick with it: don't be constantly shifting in-and-out.

Moves. You should always somehow declare that your character is using one or utilizing an aspect of their power while writing in-character. As you'd expect, suddenly engaging in a battle is discouraged in civilized society. That doesn't mean that one can't suddenly crop up or that they're prohibited from happening in the roleplay. And remember, moves can prove useful in other ways. As for how they exist in the world and their relation to your natural abilities, Disclosed put it best when she said: "I don't consider moves to be anything more than a convenience, a human-created concept to categorize 'acceptable' techniques for activities like battling. Every 'new' move is really just a different, discovered way to apply a Pok?mon's natural abilities in that sort of context. It would mean both Mightyena and Grumpig could technically bite someone but only Mightyena would get any real mileage from using its teeth in a fight."

Seasoning and Utensils. You might get "Seasoned," which is a skinned catch-all term for any buff or condition that affects your character's physical or mental status. A "Utensil" is a one-use item that you can clandestinely hide on your person, and you are permitted up to two at any given time. If you want to pick up a third, you must drop one of them.

Expressing Flaws. Don't worry, you're not gonna be forced to play a kiss-ass unless you choose to do so. This game is more about how your character reacts to issues as they appear, and every opportunity that you encounter may not be entirely well-looked upon, per se. I want you to feel free to express all your character's flaws and personality traits; your idiosyncrasies might earn you a lot of unintentional favor or special Seasonings and creating your own dilemmas and reacting to them in-character can net you some rewards! The favor system is just an extra challenge to keep in mind; after all, your character is at their profession or part-time gig. Aren't you the same person when you go to work, only operating under different responsibilities?

Credit. That would go to the lovely (Ech), who drew mugshots of Carmine, Lombardi, and PJ Clarke just for this roleplay! Also, credit to ferdeederdeetrerre on Reddit for his Trifecta flag.

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Storefront & Firepit

The restaurant was converted from the old Wishmaker Church, boasting an attractive stonework exterior and an ornate wooden entrance. The priests were known for their love of arboriculture, and long ago planted seeds that now stand beside the structure as picturesque autumn-colored Bell Tower trees. The well to the left of the building became a firepit for those who want to take advantage of the idyllic outdoor setting. Remains of gutted interior walls were repurposed as material for a cute garden path that travels through the pit area towards the front steps of the Patio Conservatory.

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Foyer

The congregation now consists of wealthy clientele trying to get a table, and pews are lined up here containing menus for them to leaf through as they wait. While the room has been accused of being excessively cold, it?s beautifully decorated: rows of stain-glass windows transmute all varieties of light into intricate patterns, and the walls hold up memorabilia, accolades, and expensive knickknacks. Anyone hankering for chit-chat can utilize the two payphones hung up opposite the Coat Check and Office, or hit up the host standing behind a podium just right of the restaurant proper.

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Coat Check

A chalkboard on the right of the room no longer teaches psalms, and is instead used to note who submitted their fog jackets and synthetic furs to temporarily take up residence along four large clothes racks. The wall of cubbies in the back claims to be a Lost and Found, hiding its true nature as a hungry beast that draws all missing items into its maw: it has become a museum of abandoned tchotchkes, never to be returned to their owner. Those banished to work their shift here are urged to not touch anything as they stand behind a halved door and are forced to wear a cute green concierge hat.

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Managerial Office

A locked door and the shadow of the Owner as they pass by the tinted window is all that you've been permitted to know about the office. Rumors about it spring up whenever it's a slow day, which include but are certainly not limited to: it actually being an elevator to a lush underground hotel, where your boss performs unholy rituals to keep the business afloat, it being entirely constructed out of candy, etc. Chances are it's just a regular office, but that hasn't stopped all of the non-paycheck staff from participating in a betting pool to see who can get in and take a picture of the room first.

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Dining Room

All the real action takes place here to the sound of smooth jazz, the waiters nearly dancing as they avoid smashing into the extensive salad bar and weave through crowds enjoying the vintage industrial atmosphere. Two spiral staircases lead up to a balcony that snakes around the perimeter of the room; the live entertainment usually stations themselves right above the bar. One could probably reach the hatch to the bell tower from up there, if the rope that opened it wasn?t heavily guarded by a Chandelure that hangs above the space acting as decoration and the restaurant?s bouncer.

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Patio Conservatory

Often bought out by private parties, the room caters those who want a slower-paced experience underneath the stars and be pampered a little more than usual. Most of the flower arrangements and troughs of plantlife were purchased from a floral shop in Jubilee, and depending on your tastes, they have made the space smell either fragrant or disgusting; if you?re of the latter opinion, sticks of cleansing incense are laid out on every table. Those scientific few among you should know that amid the wicker chairs is a telescope right next to the old-fashioned record player.

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Cigar Lounge

The introduction of tufted brown leather furniture and well-loved ashtrays has transformed this small library into a quiet sitting room for esteemed businessmen to deliberate risky propositions. The lights are dimmed to a cordial gleam, providing plenty of shadows for staff to remain discreet as they deliver expensive smokes to intellectuals. It's pretty difficult to breathe in here if you're not used to the smell and thickness of the air, but the room can prove indispensable if you're looking for an antique book to read. Honored guests wait here and are served tapas instead of freezing in the Foyer.

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Lavatories

The bathrooms, sans an emergency chemical shower and eyewash station in each, are still original. While clean, the doors are prone to giving splinters and the faucets never provide anything above a begrudging tepid. There?s the standard set of two: one for gentlemen and one for ladies, but those without biological sex can just use whatever they?re comfortable with. Each one's the same, after all: with a row of stalls, sinks, mirrors, and a tiny restocking closet with a dirt floor. Attendants are sometimes stationed here, providing complimentary peppermints as you leave!

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Kitchen

All the shiny silver stoves and shelves makes this place a tight squeeze; the only way to navigate the room is through a disjointed one-person lane carved out betwixt all the equipment. It also wasn?t renovated all that well, so the floor and ceiling threaten to cave in from water damage. Temperaments often spike during the lunch and dinner rushes, so if you find yourself in this cave of pots and ladles, be weary of flour avalanches and literal or emotional wounds. For convenience, food and order tickets should be placed near the stainless steel doors to the Dining Room.

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Back Alley

The backdoor of the Kitchen leads behind the restaurant, where employees dispose of waste in huge dumpsters and occasionally shoot the breeze over a cigarette. The adjacent buildings are mainly multi-family housing projects and other businesses, and the residents have taken to stringing up lanterns from windows and fire-escapes. The most interesting feature has to be the out-of-commission fountain that remains mounted in the middle of the alleyway, which people have fashioned into a makeshift shrine to the forgotten Wishmaker; leaving random baubles and dangling trinkets off it as offerings.

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Wine Cellar

Electric lights were never installed down here so oil lamps are provided at the bottom of the stairs. It's a shame everything is covered in a fine layer of dust, because the place's labyrinthine design really speaks volumes of inspiration. It contains what you'd expect: bottles in racks, barrels, mixers, surplus deliveries, creaky floorboards, and a washing machine where the laundry shoot drops off. There?s a hallway-like Mechanics room off to the side that contains the boiler and other important maintenance machinery. Some say it's haunted, even after the ghost-type squatters were forcibly evicted.

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Cold Storage

Finding no purpose in keeping a series of old bedrooms in a restaurant, the Owner knocked down the walls to make room for a massive walk-in freezer. The temperature only gets more frigid and harsh the farther you walk in, and it?s easy to lose your footing as you try to navigate floors that would feel more at home inside a skating rink. In a rather callous display towards the history of the establishment, many relics and ancient artworks from the original church that weren?t able to be pawned off or couldn?t serve decorative purposes now lay forgotten here.