The Red ledger
The Roughshod and Riotminded; Ruffians and Redbloods.
“You know, I think it’s fucking neat that despite everything that kills us: we keep coming back. I reckon we gotta be the most stubborn, lucky, shitheads to ever live. Since if we do it right, we do it forever.” - Gustav Glasseyes; Essex Bookie. Featured Above.
“Infection’s our Gold
Blood is our Mark
No Glory in small Quarry
We Strike in the Dark
No mere Thugs are we
And we are not Crooks
But Woe be to those
Who end up in our Books
Our Bookie sets Bounties
We answer the Call
Knives Out and Grins Feral
Death comes for us All”
Heirs to the Brutal and the Brazen
The Red Ledger is a coalition of like-minded despots across the greater wastes, who unilaterally believe that if violence is not always the correct answer, it is at least a dependable mainstay in the solutions lineup. While there are other mercenary companies that operate with authority (or impunity) in many major settlements, the Red Ledger is the comfortable and chaotic backdrop that is sometimes cited as the backbone of battle culture and casual violence.
Their members range from hired muscle and brutalists, to guttersnipes and assassins. Punchdrunks, redliners and zealots all sign their name in The Red Ledger, to the purpose of glory, gold or god respectively.
The leadership backing The Red Ledger is mutable, but it is the local Bookies and their constituency that make up the bones of the organization across the Greater Wastes. Bookies levy out contracts, bounties and special jobs - as well as produce payment upon execution, of job or target.
But it is the members of the Red Ledger that set this coalition of fuckups apart from the gleaming mercenary groups that march in lockstep and military green. The Strikers, as the membership is often called, are committed to a unifying truth that safeguards them against terror, trial and (often) common sense. That Truth is that death is an inconvenience, a moment to breathe and recover. And that the other side makes you stronger.
You see, we keep coming back.
The Mortis will take us eventually, yes. But first we will pass through it. All survivors will die more than once, but between each death we will live. One day we will be too frail to return from the Amaranthine Ocean, but before that day comes we will beat back the waves of insentience and claw our way out from the primordial muck again and again and again.
And every time we do it, it will be fucking awesome.
Scions to Struggle and Strife
The Red Ledger was originally introduced at the National Dead Man’s Hand virtual event. Beyond the scope of that event, The Red Ledger serves as an In-Character Identity designed to encourage a mode of play where Leading Characters strive against other Leading Characters for glory, gold, or gumption. CvC, or Character versus Character play, is a mode of interaction that pits us not against our environment (aka Threats), but against other players armed with their own expertise, self interest, and agency - with the intention of creating a more textured challenge and a more immersive, dangerous and authentic survival-horror experience.
To to that end, Dead Man’s Hand also saw the release of a new supplementary ruleset designed to promote Opt-In CvC play at Live Games. The SES, or the Survival-Ethos-System original concept was designed by Anthony Lagomarsino, John Griffin and Thomas Kelly.
The Survival Ethos System (SES) , A Summary
The Survival Ethos System is designed to reward players who are open to playing in a deeper survival scenario, where their characters are vulnerable to all of the dangers of the world, without exception. Starvation, deprivation, violence, provoked or unprovoked CvC engagement, and sudden and vicious death. This is not an in character decision or designation, but a player choice for a more true-to-dystopia experience, where survival is its own horror. The SES is not an in character group, but rather an out-of-character play-style. The main IC vector through with SES content was initially released is The Red Ledger, but your local chapter may choose to honor SES currency in other ways as well.
The Survival Ethos system is designed to engage players interested in CvC within Dystopia Rising while making the content Opt-In as well as enjoyable for all players, both those involved in the SES and those who have not opted into this mode of play.
Local Mechanics for Live Play
Players who Opt into the Survival Ethos System must register their player number and character name with staff to be put on a list of other players who have also opted into this system. This registration supersedes the normal CVC ruleset in that players registered with the Survival Ethos System do not require negotiation or notification before engaging in CVC. Players can engage in “casual violence” without the need of a Guide present so long as there is no intention for infection loss. All time requirements and Guide requirements with LETHAL CVC remain the same.
This registration is considered public and may be checked by any player in order to allow a more organic survival game. Players may also check in with others in game space with the standard CVC hand gesture and return with the word “Registered” if they have opted into the Survival Ethos System.
Players may opt in at any time as indicated by their local staff but may only opt out at the beginning of an event at check in, after losing infection, and at the discretion of Staff/Player conversation under extenuating circumstances.
Every month a character is registered with the Survival Ethos System, that will be noted on their sheet at registration to be used as a currency for a buy lists associated with the Survival Ethos System within your local chapter.