Pandemic Theories

(This is not an A to Z post. Please scroll for those. Thanks.)

Some of the theories about the current pandemic. Are they crazy? Worse, are they true?

The Earth Theory:

Not taking climate change seriously enough? You aren't the only species living here, but you are the one causing the problem. So the Earth is getting rid of a bunch of you to save itself.
See movie: The Happening

The X-men / Heroes Theory:

Evolution has caused some people to evolve with superpowers. There's a way to prevent it, but only if the entire population is inoculated. There are already people who won't take the vaccine for polio and whatever. So a new threat was needed, one that would come with a global pandemic so laws could be passed requiring every healthy person to get the vaccine, and to do so with minimal resistance.
See TV show: Heroes

Zombie Theory:

A government was testing a virus. Because that government owes China way more money than it can pay, they opted to secretly test there. But it mutated and got out. And now it has spread across the globe. Naturally, that government will never admit to what it did. I mean, come on, you've got people being violent against anyone who likes like they might have ancestors from any part of the entire Asian continent. The person may be smart, but people are freaking stupid.
See movie: Outbreak

Time Travel Theory:

Why hasn't a time traveler come to stop this? Because time travel isn't possible? Or because a time traveler actually started this?


Robot Theory:

A company has created AI robots who can do all the jobs people do. Except people do the jobs. People not doing the jobs is called unemployment, and a high rate of that costs politicians elections. However, if there were a reason that people couldn't do jobs, if they had to stay home, then the robots could take over. The governments would give lots of their money to this company for these robots. So much so that the company would become the world's largest economy. And the robots could end wealth inequality. Robots can't allow people to suffer, therefore they can't allow poverty, starvation, homelessness. They'd have to make sure everyone had enough. They also couldn't allow wars. Some versions of this result in the robots killing all the humans.
See movies: Wall-e  I, Robot


Why am I writing about this?
🐇 Plot bunnies for stories. Does anyone want to read these stories right now? Probably not. I don't. But these things are in my head (and on the Internet, because no sooner do I think it than I see someone else mentioning it).

Different Ideas #AtoZchallenge #rpg #fantasy #prompt

My theme is a month of prompts and ideas for tabletop role-playing games or prompts for fantasy writers.

This is the last post of the BB&B campaign. Next week will be something else. So here are a few bonus prompts or ways things can go:

Different ideas.

The "Beyond" section might be a time portal. 🦖 There could be dinosaurs through those doors! It could be a journey to 💣 the Civil War times. 🌇 Maybe it's a dystopian future.
Perhaps it's a portal to another place. An alien space ship? 🛸 Maybe it's a ship out at sea. 🚢 It could be a desert landscape. 🏜 It's the island from LOST! 🏝 Or perhaps it's Antarctica.❆

Players could just be humans. Race could mean something else. There could be an "east side / west side" division. Age could also be a separator, such as teens, senior citizens, twenty-somethings, thirty and forties, and the fifty to senior set.

It could be a different kind of store. Or start online and players get transported somehow. Or perhaps the entire thing is online but players cannot log off until the game ends for some reason.

Consider the skills that were assigned to the classes. There should be challenges that require those to be used. Maybe the "beyond" section is an escape room that the players didn't know they were signed up to do.

Or maybe the government has created this "beyond" room as a way to test for humanity. They suspect there are aliens, robots, angels, elves, etc among us. This is a way to prove they're right, or wrong.


For a really odd game...




Supermarket Sweep (Yes, that episode has someone named Jamie. No, it isn't me.)

The players need to find certain items in the store, based on clues, to defeat the monsters.

Or, print out pictures of a few items from the store site. Keep the prices on a list for yourself. Drop all the pictures on the table. Players have to get between $100 to $120 in items, without being over or under. The reward is a special item or XP.


There are a lot of ways to make this work. It's a different kind of campaign for people who want to mix things up.


Please come back next week for the Endearing Hearts campaign.

Customers #AtoZchallenge #rpg #fantasy #prompt

My theme is a month of prompts and ideas for tabletop role-playing games or prompts for fantasy writers.

The characters have been created. The setting is in place. It's an object quest.
It is just an object quest, right?
The doors seal shut. The other customers and employees vanish. The lights turn dark purple. All communication is cut off. The windows are boarded up.
What's that sound? 👾

What the players need now isn't that object, it's something to protect themselves. Will they work together now? Try to feed each other to the monsters?

Everyone is trapped in the mythical "beyond" section. There are traps, monsters, whatever your imagination desires. The players only have what was declared at the start of the game, plus their cart (or whatever) items. Those are your weapons, armor, magic staffs, provisions, and mounts.

If a player takes an item out of their cart (or whatever) and allows it out of their sight or arm's length, it vanishes. Unattended shopping carts/ baskets vanish after five minutes. 🛒 Other players can take items from an unattended cart/ basket. Or another player could volunteer to watch a cart/ basket so it doesn't become unattended.

No one can leave the "beyond" section, except for the "retail workers." They can sneak off to the backroom. Once there, they can trade any one item from their cart for something in the backroom. (Fitting in a shopping cart is not a requirement for a "retail worker." So, hypothetically, they could trade a bath towel for a forklift.)

No one can return to the store selling floor without their sought object. Once out of the "beyond" section, everything on the main selling floor is in play. (Grab all the shower curtains for a net. Rip out the light fixtures to use as swords. Crank relaxing music on the sleep therapy machines.)

The "boss" will be in the store. Defeat the boss, scan the object, pay, get out. Can only one player win? Will the scanners work? Will any players who aren't "retail workers" know how to operate that scanner? (Thank goodness for self-checkout?) There is no communication with the outside world, so credit cards and phone payment isn't available. It's cash only! Which players had the foresight to list cash on their character sheet? Will it be enough money?

Getting outside means the players are no longer customers.

BB&B #AtoZchallenge #rpg #fantasy #prompt

My theme is a month of prompts and ideas for tabletop role-playing games or prompts for fantasy writers.

Yesterday I mentioned that my posts this month will have inspiration for various campaigns (or story ideas). The first one is the creation of an Urban Fantasy, what I named the "BB&B" campaign. Today you'll find out why.

But first, I promised there would be one more category for the character sheet. Will you let your players pick these (good), have them drawn out of a hat (neutral), or make them discover the truth through the game (evil)? Does that give you a hint as to what we're about to do? That's right, it's the players...

ALIGNMENT:

Lawful good - Here to purchase items on their list.

Neutral good - Regular customer. Has some items on a list, will check out the sales, and will also end up buying a bunch of other stuff.

Chaotic good - Came for the sales and bargains.

Lawful neutral - Comparison shopper here to consider making a purchase, maybe.

Neutral - Has never been to this store before.

Chaotic neutral - Here to browse, mosey around, kill time, or get in their daily steps.

Lawful evil - Here intending to steal items.

Neutral evil - Here to complain to customer service, intent on getting a refund. Might not have a receipt, might be an item that can't be returned, or maybe they're mad about something the can't control so they're here to fight over 99 cents because that's something they can do.

Chaotic evil - Here intending to wreck the place.

---

So where is "here"?

Click movie trailer

That's right. This Urban Fantasy campaign, set in 2020, takes place in a

Bed Bath and Beyond. 

(Mostly in the "beyond" section.)

Family Guy "Beyond" section clip.

Each player may put up to ten items in their basket, cart, or arms. (Or hiding spots on their person, for those lawful evil characters.) Then get the bonus items (see "A" post for details).

Attention shoppers! There's a special item here today.
Is it worth a million dollars? Is it a one of kind prototype? Maybe it's a magic lamp?
Each character believes they MUST have this object.
(It can be one item for each character, based on their desires. Or it can be a single item and the players have to fight each other.)
"Where is it?" the players ask the customer service clerk.
Past the bathrooms are a set of blue double doors. Just go in there and ask for WarLeo. Take your cart (or whatever) with you.
A white rabbit appears and the player is temporarily hypnotized in place.
Once all players are in place, the "beyond" section, the rabbit vanishes and the fun begins.

Tune in tomorrow for the next set of ideas for the BB&B campaign.

Adventure Begins #AtoZchallenge #rpg #fantasy #prompt

My theme is a month of prompts and ideas for tabletop role-playing games or prompts for fantasy writers.

The Adventure Begins!

Several different concepts and types of games will be covered this month.

To start us off, the adventure will be a sort of urban fantasy. The first campaign will be known as "BB&B."

The objective here is to inspire you to write a campaign (or story), so all of these are suggestions.

Build your characters:


Race Suggestions:

👫 Human:

• Bonus Language: Roll a D6 to determine the additional number of Earth-based languages.
• Optional deity worship. 
• Bonus of your choice.

👽 Alien disguised as human:

• Bonus Language: Ten additional Earth-based languages and Binary. 
• Deity worship takes an abnormal amount of time to be heard, thus has no use here.
• Wisdom bonus.

🤖  Robot disguised as human:

• Bonus Language: Binary. Roll a d20 to determine the additional number of Earth-based languages given to you by your programmer.
• Unable to worship a deity.  
• Intelligence bonus

👼  Angel disguised as human:

• Bonus Language: Celestial and all Earth-based languages.
• Must worship a deity, can only have one.
• Constitution bonus.

👿  Demon disguised as human:

• Bonus Language: Infernal and Earth-based languages.
• Can only worship Satan. 
• Charisma bonus.

🧝  Elf disguised as human:

• Bonus Language: Elven and two additional Earth-based languages.
• May worship up to two deities. 
• Dexterity bonus.

🐲 Dragon disguised as human:

• Bonus Language: Draconic. Roll a d10 to determine the additional number of Earth-based languages.
• Considers themselves to be a deity.
• Strength bonus.

*Common Language is assumed to be a language the majority of the nearby population speaks. Every player has this. Earth-based language choices are anything other than the selected "common." Binary is an Earth-based language related to computer coding.

Class Suggestions:

👷 Blue-collar:

• Higher Strength  
• Higher Constitution
• Best at assembling objects.
• Two bonus start items from the Storage & Cleaning category.

🚶 Street-smart:

• Higher Constitution
• Higher Charisma
• Best at quick-thinking. 
• Two bonus start items from the "Luggage, Pet, and more" category.

🏫 Brainy:

• Higher Intelligence
• Higher Wisdom
• Best at researching.
• One bonus start items from the Smart Home & Home Improvement category and one from Kitchen.

⛹ Jock:

• Higher Strength
• Higher Charisma
• Best at challenges. 
• One bonus start item from the Outdoor category and one from Health & Beauty.

🎭 Artist:

• Higher Charisma
• Higher Wisdom
• Best at using items not as intended.
• Two bonus start items from the Home Decor category.

👶 Family-centered:

• Higher Constitution
• Higher Dexterity 
• Best at finding bargains and lost items.
• One bonus start item from the Baby& Kids category and one from Kitchen.

🙏 Faith-leader:

• Higher Charisma
• Higher Wisdom
• Best at staying calm.
• Two bonus start items from the Dining category.

🛒 Retail-worker:

• Higher Constitution
• Higher Wisdom
• Back-room bonus area access. 
• Two bonus start items from each the Bedding and Bath categories.

*Players must be able to haul their items in a shopping cart, basket, or on their person.

Get your character characteristics as usual, making sure to look human. Figure out your background, education, job history, and finances. What is the character wearing at the start? What is in their pockets or purses? The main goal is to create a plausible character that could be in our 2020 Earth setting.

TOMORROW we'll find out where the setting is, what the adventure will be, plus one other character customization.

Value Life Over Profits

THIS!!!

And trolly company replies, "our service is necessary, we're allowed to keep running even when there are people on the tracks, even if there's no one in the car."

For more context and thoughts:

The cartoon is based on an old psychology experiment where a train (or trolly or whatever) comes to a split in the path. If it goes left, it kills 100 people who you've never met. If it goes right, it kills ten people you know. The experiment is to determine if you'd kill more strangers to save your own people. (Just to be difficult, there's a whole group of people that answer they'd throw themselves down so it would kill them and save everyone else.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem

This cartoon is mocking companies who value profits over people (The Trolly Company), and the people who are okay with it (the guy at the switch).

It's not about an actual trolly. Or about actual life-sustaining businesses. It's about the places that have found legal loopholes to stay open, risking lives, when they could close.

My husband works for a company. The entire company is exempt, nationwide, from being shut down. He works in a warehouse that ONLY houses very expensive office furniture. They are open because 1) the company is exempt 2) Warehouses are exempt 3) Some high-end medical places have bought furniture in the past that was shipped from this location, therefore it's a medical necessity.

Have you ever been to a doctor and concluded, "if the chairs here don't cost more than $300 each, I will die"? Ever looked at the desk in a doctor's office and decided that if the doctor didn't spend at least $2000 on that desk, that you will drop dead? Not exam tables. Just the really nice stuff in the rooms where patients don't normally go.

No. Of course not. Because that's ridiculous. And if the world had to go on without new office furniture for two-weeks, no one would die.

But the world isn't going without it. And at least one co-worker of my husband's is in the hospital with the virus right now, fighting for his life. His life, which is worth LESS THAN SOME FANCY CHAIRS AND TABLES.

And that's why I shared this meme.

Actually, I could go on about the stupid job my mom is doing that is also labeled as "life-sustaining," which zero people would ever die from if someone didn't do it. Or the job my brother is doing, which could be life-sustaining because they could make medical equipment, but are they?

There are companies using legal loopholes. I think that's wrong.

Then there's Bath & Body Works who could stay open because they sell soap and sanitizer, but they closed and are paying their people because they care. <3 And that's the example that ought to be followed. Stay open only if you really are needed, not stay open because you found a loophole and can now risk lives.

As long as you value profits over the lives of people, you can find a loophole to stay open when you're not really life-sustaining. But good luck making money off the dead. And better luck taking that money with you to Hell.#FlattenTheCurve #COVIDー19

— JamieWriter (@PenMinion) March 23, 2020

A to Z Theme Reveal #atozchallenge #rpg #writingprompts

My theme is for gamers and fantasy writers.

I am blogging a month of prompts and ideas for tabletop role-playing games or prompts for fantasy writers.

2015 was my first year doing A to Z. 
My previous themes:

2015-  pictures of animals (mostly from Cabela's)

2016-  American wedding planning

2017-  a holiday every day

2018-  coffee
2019- short story