Influences

Defining your influences

Influences on this MUSH amalgamate all of a character's mortal allies, contacts, and overall control in specific areas. In Game, see '+listinfo backgrounds' for a list of available influence areas. Then '+explain <influence type>' to get more particularized information.

What your influences mean for your character are ultimately decided by negotiation between an Architect and you. The results of this negotiation are memorialized by way of +jnotes. Regardless of what your character application or secret info says and regardless of what your influence rating might be, you can only rely upon the influences as they are described and set in a +jnote.

In negotiating your influence +jnote, you are limited first by your creativity and then second by your influence stat. The +explain data for your influence area provides more specificity as to the upper limits of each influence level. You cannot negotiate your influences past these parameters.

Using your Influences

Each time that your character takes an influence action, your character must expend a current influence point. An influence action includes doing anything related to your influences that could affect any other character, and it also includes anything with your influences that requires staff assistance to resolve. This also means that if you do not have current influence points, you cannot take an influence action.

Influence actions are resolved by negotiation. There is no way to avoid this, for influences are complicated matters. Fortunately, an influence's +jnote can be shown to other players. This permits players to determine with each other what +contests, if any, are necessary to resolve an influence action. Otherwise, an Architect can be contacted to facilitate the resolution of such matters.

If your character negotiates an influence effect with an Architect that might be used often, you may have a separate +jnote set for this separate effect. However, staff will be reluctant to set more than one of these effects, so choose carefully.

List of Available Influences

Academic Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the academic world. The academic world includes universities, community colleges, school boards, students, professors, teachers, deans, Greek orders, et cetera. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over one K-12 school or a collegiate department.
2. Limited influence over a small, K-12 school district or a small college. Or control over one K-12 school or collegiate department.
3. Control of a small, K-12 school district or a small college, or limited influence over a large, K-12 school district or a university.
4. Control over a large, K-12 school district or a large university, or limited influence of all K-12 school districts or colleges in a single domain.
5. Control of all K-12 school districts or universities in a single domain, or limited influence over all K-12 school districts or universities throughout greater Los Angeles.

Art Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the art world. It can be used to influence art dealers, agents, gallery owners, and sometimes artists. The types of art are varied, but the following are some rough guidelines per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over a small gallery, museum, or studio.
2. Control over a small gallery, museum, or studio. Or limited influence over a large gallery, museum, or studio.
3. Control of a large gallery, museum, or studio. Or limited influence over many galleries, museums, or studios in a Domain.
4. Control of many galleries, museums, or studios in a Domain. Or limited influence over many galleries, museums, or studios throughout greater Los Angeles.
5. Control of many galleries, museums, or studios throughout greater Los Angeles. Or limited influence of galleries, museums, or studios throughout the West Coast.

Church Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the world of orthodox religion. It can be used to influence events in the church. More esoteric religions are usually covered by the Occult Influence background. The types of orthodox religions are varied, but the following are some rough guidelines per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over a single church, synagogue, or temple.
2. Control of a single church, synagogue, or temple. Or limited influence over a diocese (i.e. several related churches in a Domain) or its equivalent.
3. Control of a diocese or its equivalent. Or limited influence of all related churches, synagogues, or temples of one religion in a domain.
4. Control of all related churches, synagogues, or temples of a religion in a domain. Or limited influence over an archdiocese (e.g. all related churches throughout greater Los Angeles) or its equivalent.
5. Control of an archdiocese or its equivalent, or limited influence of an orthodox religion throughout the Western United States.

Civil Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the local government bureaucracies and related entities. It can be used to influence events in the local government bureaucracy and the services it controls. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over a minor government building or localized department (e.g. a branch library, a public park, a DMV office).
2. Control of a minor government building or a localized department. Or limited influence over a minor government department (e.g. park district, library district, or building inspectors) within an average-sized Neighborhood (e.g, see '+map/list').
3. Control of a minor government department within an averaged-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence over a large government department (e.g. planning commissions, tax assessors, zoning boards) in a Domain.
4. Control of a large government department within a Domain. Or limited influence over several government departments within a Domain.
5. Control of several government departments within a Domain. Or limited influence over many government departments throughout all of Greater Los Angeles.

Corporate Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the world of business enterprises, whether in the manufacturing or service sector, that are not covered by any other influence category. It focuses on the world of management. For influence over workers, see Union Influence. The following are the general parameters per level of this influence:

1. Limited influence over the management of a corporation or its division corporation with up to 50 employees.
2. Control of the management of a corporation or its division with up to 50 employees. Or limited influence over the management of corporations or their divisions with up to 500 employees.
3. Control of the management of corporations or their divisions with up to 500 employees. Or limited influence over the management corporations or their divisions with up to 5,000 employees.
4. Control of the management of corporations or their divisions with up to 5,000 employees. Or limited influence over the management of corporations or their divisions with up to 50,000 employees.
5. Control of the management of corporations or their divisions with up to 50,000 employees. Or limited influence over corporations or their divisions with many, many employees.

Criminal Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the organized, criminal underworld. This influence is distinct from Gang and Street Influence. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence with one small, criminal organization that has little territory and engages in modest criminal activities.
2. Control of one small, criminal organization that has little territory and engages in modest criminal activities. Or limited influence over one criminal organization with a presence in one average-sized 'neighborhood'.
3. Control of one criminal organization with a presence in one average-sized 'neighborhood.' Or limited influence over the criminal operations of a large syndicate in a Domain.
4. Control of the criminal operations of a large syndicate in a Domain. Or limited influence over the criminal operations of a large syndicate throughout Greater Los Angeles.
5. Control of the criminal operations of a large syndicate throughout Greater Los Angeles. Or limited influence over the criminal operations

of a large syndicate throughout Southern California.

Financial Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the world of high finance and financial institutions: equity brokerage firms, stock markets, mutual funds, real estate brokers, banks, et cetera. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over a local, financial institution or a branch office of a regional institution.
2. Control of a local, financial institution or a branch office of a regional institution. Or limited influence over a regional financial institution.
3. Control of a regional financial institution. Or limited influence over a national financial institution.
4. Control of a national financial institution. Or limited influence over a financial sector throughout greater Los Angeles.
5. Control of a financial sector throughout greater Los Angeles. Or limited influence of a financial sector throughout the region.

Gang Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the multifarious gangs of Los Angeles. This is separate from Criminal Influence. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence with one, small gang with a loose organization and little territory.
2. Control of one, small gang with a loose organization and little territory. Or limited influence with a somewhat organized gang that has a presence in one average-sized Neighborhood.
3. Control of a somewhat organized gang that has a presence in one average-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence with one, organized gang with a presence throughout a Domain.
4. Control of one, organized gang with a presence throughout a Domain. Or limited influence with several gangs in a Domain.
5. Control of several gangs in a Domain. Or limited influence over several gangs throughout Greater Los Angeles.

Health Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the world of organized Health Care, including hospitals, mental asylums, and HMO's. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over a hospital ward or a private medical practice.
2. Control of a hospital ward or a private medical practice. Or limited influence over a hospital or asylum.
3. Control of a hospital or asylum. Or limited influence over a hospital system or HMO in a Domain.
4. Control of a hospital system or HMO in a Domain. Or limited influence of a hospital system or HMO throughout greater Los Angeles. Or limited influence over all hospitals in a Domain.
5. Control of a hospital system or HMO throughout greater Los Angeles. Or control of all hospitals in a Domain.

Hollywood Influence

Not to be confused with Media Influence or Stage Influence, this background shows your degree of control and involvement in the world of studios, producers, casting agents, and starlets. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence in a small talent agency or an independent production studio.
2. Control of a small talent agency or an independent production studio. Or limited influence in a large talent agency or a minor, mainstream production studio and distributor.
3. Control of a large talent agency or a minor, mainstream production studio and distributor. Limited influence in a major production studio and distributor.
4. Control of a major production studio and distributor. Or limited influence in a large talent agency and up to two major production studios and distributors.
5. Control of a large talent agency and up to two major production studios and distributors. Or limited influence in all major production studios and distributors in greater Los Angeles.

Legal Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the legal world; lawyers, judges, bailiffs, etc. It can be used to influence events in the legal world. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Control of one lawyer. Or limited influence over a small law firm or a small office of government lawyers (e.g. a small office of Legal Aid, of a District Attorney, or of a Public Defender).
2. Control of a small law firm or a small office of government lawyers. Or limited influence over a large law firm, one courthouse, or a department of government lawyers (e.g. Legal Aid, District Attorney, or Public Defender departments of a municipality within a Domain.)
3. Control of a large law firm, one courthouse, or a department of government lawyers. Or limited influence over the equivalent to a large law firm, a courthouse, and a department of government lawyers within a Domain.
4. Control of the equivalent to a large firm, a courthouse, and a department of government lawyers within a Domain. Or limited influence over several large firms, courthouses, and departments of government attorneys throughout greater Los Angeles.
5. Control of several large firms, courthouses, and departments of government attorneys throughout greater Los Angeles. Or limited influence over many large firms, courthouses, and departments of government lawyers throughout the State of California.

Media Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the media; newspapers, radio, television, et cetera. It can be used to influence events in the media. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Control of one minor reporter. Or limited influence over a section of one minor newspaper or a local television or radio program.
2. Control of a section of one minor newspaper or a local television or radio program. Or limited influence over a local television or radio station, a minor newspaper or a section of one major newspaper.
3. Control of a local television or radio station, a minor newspaper, or a section of one major newspaper. Or limited influence over a couple of local radio or television stations or a major newspaper.
4. Control of a couple of local radio or television stations or a major newspaper. Or limited influence over a couple of local radio and

television stations and a major newspaper.

Occult Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the occult world. It can be used to influence events in the world of the occultists. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence among the occult communities of an average-sized Neighborhood.
2. Substantial influence among the occult communities of an average-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence among the occult communities of several Neighborhoods.
3. Substantial influence among the occult communities of several Neighborhoods. Or limited influence among the occult communities of a Domain.
4. Substantial influence among the occult communities of a Domain. Or limited influence among the occult communities of Greater Los Angeles.
5. Substantial influence among the occult communities of Greater Los Angeles.

Police Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the police. It can be used to influence the police. Please note that there are over two dozen separate police departments in Los Angeles, as well as Sheriffs and CHP. The following are general parameters per level of influence:

1. Control of one police officer. Or limited influence over one police station.
2. Control of one police station. Or limited influence with a division of a police department within an average-sized Neighborhood.
3. Control of a division of one police department within an average-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence over one police department in several Neighborhoods.
4. Control of one police department in several Neighborhoods. Or limited influence over one police department throughout a Domain.
5. Control of one police department throughout a Domain. Or limited influence with police departments throughout Greater Los Angeles.

Political Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the organized party politics. It can be used to influence political events, and possibly even events in government care of elected officials. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence with the organization of one political party within an average-sized Neighborhood.
2. Substantial influence with the organization of one political party within an average-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence with the organization of one political party within several Neighborhoods.
3. Substantial influence with the organization of one political party within several Neighborhoods. Or limited influence with the organization of one political party within a Domain.
4. Substantial influence with the organization of one political party in a Domain. Or limited influence with the organization of one party throughout Los Angeles.
5. Substantial influence with the organization of one political party throughout Greater Los Angeles. Or limited influence with the organization of one political party throughout California.

Society Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in the high society of Los Angeles. This influence can be closely related to other influences, such as Hollywood and Political, but Society Influence is purely social. Its virtue is access. This is the arena for bypassing the red-velvet rope and to obtain exclusive dinner reservations. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence among the high society of an average-sized Neighborhood.
2. Substantial influence among the high society of an average-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence among the high society of several Neighborhoods.
3. Substantial influence among the high society of several Neighborhoods. Or limited influence among the high society of a Domain.
4. Substantial influence among the high society of a Domain. Or limited influence among the high society of Greater Los Angeles.
5. Substantial influence among the high society of Greater Los Angeles.

Stage Influence

This background shows your degree of influence in the non-Hollywood entertainment industry. This is a diverse industry that relates to any form of live act, including music, dance, theatrical, or performance art, as well as related production companies (e.g. record companies). This influence specifically excludes anything covered by Hollywood Influence or Media Influence. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence over an independent record label, a performance troupe/act, or a theatre.
2. Control of an independent record label, a performance troupe/act, or theatre. Or limited influence over a large performance company, a few major acts, a minor record label, or several theatres.
3. Control of a large performance company, a couple of major acts, a minor record label, or several theatres. Or limited influence over a major record label, several major acts, or a ticket company.
4. Control of a major record label, several major acts, or a ticket company. Or limited influence over a major record label, several major acts, and a ticket company.
5. Control of a major record label, several major acts, and a ticket company.

Street Influence

This background shows your degree of influence on the streets; with, prostitutes, the homeless, travelers, and bartenders. It can be used to influence events at street level. This is separate from Gang and Criminal Influence. The following are the general parameters per level of influence:

1. Limited influence on the streets of an average-sized Neighborhood.
2. Substantial influence on the streets of an average-sized Neighborhood. Or limited influence on the streets of several Neighborhoods.
3. Substantial influence on the streets of several Neighborhoods. Or limited influence on the streets of a Domain.
4. Substantial influence on the streets of a Domain. Or limited influence on the streets of Greater Los Angeles.
5. Substantial influence on the streets of Greater Los Angeles.

Union Influence

This background shows your degree of control and involvement in organized labor movements in the public sector or private enterprises. The following are the general parameters per level of this influence:

1. Limited influence with a union with up to 50 members.
2. Control of a union with up to 50 members. Or Limited influence with unions with combined membership of up to 500.
3. Control of unions with combined membership of up to 500. Or limited influence with unions with a combined membership of up to 5,000.
4. Control of unions with a combined membership of up to 5,000. Or limited influence with unions with a combined membership of up to 50,000.
5. Control of unions with a combined membership of up to 50,000. Or limited influence over unions with many, many members.

Utility Influence

This background shows your degree of influence over the various utility companies (e.g. water, garbage, gas and electric, cable, et cetera) in Los Angeles. The following are the general parameters per level of this influence:

1. Limited influence over one utility within an average-sized Neighborhood.
2. Substantial influence over one utility within an average-sized neighborhood. Or limited influence over one utility in several Neighborhoods.
3. Substantial influence over one utility in several Neighborhoods. Or limited influence over one utility in a Domain.
4. Substantial influence over one utility in a Domain. Or limited influence of a utility throughout Greater Los Angeles.
5. Control of one utility throughout Greater Los Angeles.