The Purpose of Neo-Genis is to create a space for players to invest in a world in an engaging and interesting way, creating connections and relationships for their Players to explore while also adding a means for them to explore and build the world around them. This group is somewhat different from the main play group, as such the main playgroup rules have been crossed out for quick comparisons.

Contractor Creation Rules

• Contractors Players may take no more than 21 points of Assets or Liabilities (Absolute Value) Going over this limit requires Endorsed GM approval. 
• Contractors cannot be direct ripoffs of pop-culture concepts, to the point that NPCs in-game would notice the similarity. For example: you may play a heroic strong-man, but not Superman. A famous weapons developer, but not Iron Man. Given the virtual nature of the game world and the use of avatars when you go into it you are allowed to play whatever you want, either reference to media, pop-culture, etc.

• Contractors may not start out as a concept that is likely to disrupt Contracts (e.g. being a walking, talking fox, being as notorious as Osama bin Laden, having a bomb in their chest that detonates when they die, etc). Given the virtual nature of the game and that most players can create whatever persons they want to be, most designs are okay to do so long as it's not blatantly offensive, ie: Pornographic in nature, religious, idolizing terrorists, etc.

• Contractors are mundane people who would see their ambitions through regardless of access to powers. That is why a Harbinger offers Gifts, and why they are willing to risk their lives for the power to make their dreams come true. Your Ambition must be a core driver to your character's actions, like a personality of sorts that helps them focus on the world itself, it is a large point of tension for their story, and is likely to get them into trouble. Craft your Ambition carefully and be open to suggestions and changes from Playgroup Leaders in order to nail it. You play the game to have fun, fight alongside your friends, and explore new worlds, your goals could simply be to enjoy and play the game or just to build your own guild. Maybe you'd like to become strong enough to become a villain in the game, fight players and take over land, or program in your own section of the game, your choices and ambitions are all up to you.

• • Keep in mind, however, that Ambitions can (and will) change over time as your Contractor Player develops. It's simply part of character development! No matter what, Ambitions are why a Contractor Player risks their life continuing to participate in Contracts. dose what they do.

• New Contractors must be submitted for approval in The Contract Discord server, channel #maelstrom-approvals, before their first game. 
  
  • Interacting with Loose Ends, Conditions, and/or Circumstances requires Moves between games to be cleared. This connects your contractor with the world in some tangible way. 

Contractor Player Limits

• In order to facilitate more focused character concepts, Maelstrom has a hard limit on the number of Newbies and Novices that a Player can keep active. Any character housed in the Playgroup is considered active. Remove them from the Playgroup if they are no longer in-play. Moving Contractors back into the Playgroup requires Leader Approval. Maelstrom is not a parking lot, please do not treat it as such. At Maximum, a Player can only have 2 Newbies and 3 Novices active in Maelstrom at once.  Make however many characters you'd like, but don't expect all of them to get a lot of play depending on game availability.

Developing Background

• At the end of every Newbie and Novice game, Players will be assigned a question or two about their Contractor's Players background that they must answer before they participate in their next game. These answers will be stored in the Biography section, and will often be relevant to their current situation in-game. Use this creative freedom responsibly. Additionally, these background choices should be done in a roleplay sense, your character is separate from you since you are playing a game, as such think about them from that character's point of view.

Power Creation Rules

• Flavorful Powers: Manifested Gifts must be in-line with Character Concepts and require World Leader approval. Powers in the Health category are most likely to be watched. This encourages networking between other Contractors Players and NPCs when healing and curing is required.
• Logical Flavor: Players must be able to explain how and why their power works in a given situation, otherwise GMs have license to cause them to fail. For example, a Blast flavored as a ball of fire might not work underwater. But at the same time, that same Blast power might do extra damage to enemies vulnerable to fire. GMs always have final say, but must remember to make Powers feel powerful. 

Citizenship

• Active Players are expected to GM Contracts from time to time. If you have played as a Contractor in your most recent six Maelstrom Contracts, you are barred from playing in Maelstrom again until you GM a Contract yourself, unless you are attending the game of a GM who is fulfilling Citizenship Requirement themselves. This rule is temporarily null for the time being.

Loose Ends in Neo-Genis

• Treacherous Loose Ends: A Contractor who waits for a Loose End's threat to manifest without taking any precautions against it during their Downtimes will see the threat revealing itself at the worst possible moment during downtime. Ask Approved GMs and Playgroup Leaders for Moves to help control Loose Ends before they control you.
• Neutral/Unknown Loose Ends: Some Loose Ends are Unknown, meaning that they give the *Player* a hint of moving parts behind the scenes, but not necessarily the *Character*. A Neutral Loose End usually means that the dangers or benefits of the Loose End are obscured or up to the Character's actions once it manifests. Neutral Loose Ends also may or may not be known to the Contractor.
• Investments: Some Loose Ends bestow benefits at the end of their clock. Investments are usually rewards for Moves and Hustles, but might come from other sources as well. Ask Approved GMs and Playgroup Leaders for Moves to further your Contractor's goals.

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Notes on GMing in Neo-Genis

All members are encouraged to GM and run Moves, and no approval is required. Custom Scenarios likewise do not require pre-approval. 

By default, you cannot run Games or Moves for a tier that you have not played in yourself. For example, if you would like to run a Novice game, but have never played a Novice game, you must wait until you have had some experience in Novice as a Player.

Use GM Notes! This is a place to provide more detail about Circumstances, Conditions, and Loose Ends as well as important developments behind the scenes. Good GM notes makes it easier to run relevant Contracts games and Moves for characters.

Keep intros concise during game time. If you want to run more extensive introductions, try to do it before playtime. Players, in general, should not need to be wheeled-and-dealed to agree to a Contract game. A simple Letter sent to them should suffice.

World Leaders are there to help. Spoil them on Scenarios, get feedback, ask them questions. 

In general, Contracts games and Moves are subject to an "Exposure" criteria, especially when it comes to posted World Events. Contractors players in higher Gift ranges have more freedom to affect the playgroup as a whole. At Newbie/Novice, however, the outcomes games will not ever have an international reach. Though Contractors players might remember terrible things happening during their Contract game, World Events might be scaled back due to meddling from The Powers That Be.

Don't take it personally if your World Event gets edited by a Playgroup Leader. It's part of the game and our efforts to keep a consistent tone within the Playgroup.

GMs are encouraged to build interesting, consistent locations for Contractors players to explore through Contracts games and Moves. Talk to a Playgroup Leader about location development, they are happy to delegate the development of content.

Reality is a cold and unforgiving realm, where the mundane everyday folk are subjected to all manner of pain, misery, and servitude. For those that can’t cope, can’t move, can’t feel, or have all manner of imperfections that limit them, reality can be just that and so much more horrible than anyone could imagine with out being in their shoes. This world is different, this world gives you a ‘way out’, that you can visit as much as you want, that you can enjoy the pleasures of living a life different from the one you have currently.

This world gives the child dying of cancer the chance to live out their dreams, even if short-lived. It gives those who have lost their legs the ability to walk again, the man suffering from PTSD an opportunity to find a group to belong too. This world was built with the purpose of connecting those who could care little for the mundane and wish to live in a world of limited judgment, that being your avatar should be first and foremost, and that you may display who you are free of those who care enough to judge you.

In this game we’ve taken in many, those who enjoy anime, cartoons, superheroes, fantasy settings, and even mixtures of the above will find themselves a home here. The main hub world of Neo-Genis houses a full access point to every other realm in the game, each realm having its own setting, mechanics, dungeons, features, and rules. Visiting the Bosriya you’ll find a wonderful beach and ocean setting, filled with pirates, sea monsters, and even some safe locations to enjoy the beauty of the sea without worry of being attacked- unless your looking for that. While visiting Titania you’ll find that players fight in a realistic war game scenario, capturing points, engaging in squad-based tactics, and using vehicles and guns to defeat your enemies.

Every game has a reward at the end of the round or game module, these rewards range from items, artifacts, upgrades, and levels. Levels are calculated by the amount of gift points you have x 2, so a player with 6 wins can logically have 6 x 2 in level + 1 given that everyone in Neo-Genis gets a free gift on character creation. If you notice that your top bar is red, and that your over the limit of gifts by one, don't worry, you have a legal character in Neo-Genis. But that goes with out saying, what will you use your gifts for? What will you find while playing? What friends will you make while playing?

All these questions can be answered and more when you make your avatar today and join the world of Neo-GENIS.

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Patch 1.04

A player and vendor marketplace has been added for players to indulge in and use for their games as well as adventures. 

Players can buy things prior to games they start based on the finance level they have as well as a number of them related to it. Each item purchased will be usable for one game and must be done at the beginning of the game by either trading, going to a market, or doing preparation ahead of time. They cannot be stockpiled, they must be used for that contract, or the move you're involved in or they will vanish after it is completed. 

For every finance level you unlock new items to buy for each tier, you may buy things at the bottom tiers if you have something higher. You may only buy 1 item (unless you're rich) per game and it must be announced to the GM prior that your buying this item. If not announced or the game doesn't allow you access to a market prior to joining then you may not buy items. 

Finances: Average

• Healing Potion: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend an action and use up this item, you heal 1 severity. 
• Haste Potion: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend an action and use up this item, you dash 1 time without spending your action. 

Finances: Comfortable

• Esper Potion: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend an action and use up this item, you heal 1 mind damage.
• Spirit Potion: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend an action and use up this item, you regain 1 source. 
• Power Token: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend a free action and use up this item, you may cause your next roll to have a +1 dice modifier to it (can't be stacked).

Finances: Wealthy

• Mixed Drink: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend an action and use up this item, you heal 1 mind and severity damage.
• Berserker Token:  Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend a free action and use up this item, you may cause your next roll to have a +2 dice modifier to it. After this action for the next minute, you will have a -1 dice penalty (can't be stacked).
• Hyper Potion: Once during a game (contract/move) you may spend an action and use up this item, you heal 3 severity. 

Finances: Rich 

• You may buy 2 items for each contract/move to start instead of just 1.