The Rumour Mill

Balance: Confusion Reigns will be full of negotiation, manipulation, persuasion and potentially world altering decisions, as befits characters of such high-power status within the world. Under their public façade however, each character is at heart a mortal. They have lives outside their government roles. They have loved, lost, played the odds and made it this far... but at what cost?

More importantly, who knows the things they have worked hard to keep out of the public eye?

Enter, the Rumour Mill!

This is our system for offering bespoke levels of character connections and potential conflicts prior to the event starting.

This is completely optional and not an essential part of the overall game

Did your character have to do something unsavoury to get to where they are?
Do they have bigger ambitions that require careful gathering of allies?
Did a moment of weakness lead to a horrible incident with lasting effects?

Whatever has occurred in your character's past, the important thing now is securing their future - or facing the consequences if your secrets get out!

How it works:

Following casting, we will send out a call for players to complete a Rumour Mill Application. This is a completely optional side of the game and some players may choose not to engage with it at all.

In the form, players' wishing to engage with the additional Rumour Mill mechanic will let us know exactly what level of potential conflict and/ or damage to their character's public image they are willing to risk. There will also be an opportunity to tell us if there are any other players you would particularly like to interact with (or avoid), and any themes you are particularly keen to explore.

We will then come up with suggested background events, of an appropriate proportion for the player's choices. These will be sent to the player to approve before being finalised.

Once confirmed, appropriate characters will be given knowledge of those events to facilitate interactions between players. At the event it is up to characters what they choose to do with the information they possess.

Any player who chooses to join the Rumour Mill will receive an equal number and value of rumours to those they opted in to be known about themselves.

The more you risk, the more you stand to gain!

Levels of Rumours

Minor

Your character was the cause of a minor faux pas.

For example: They were found passed out from excessive drinking at the last party they attended.

Medium

Your character did something which if revealed would require a public apology but not throw their life of course.

For example: In a poker game, you lost a portion of your official department budget.

Major

Your character has done something hugely unethical. If news of it were to get out it could potentially end their career and send their life veering off in a very different direction.

For example: In order to secure your position you arranged for the death of a rival.