The Civil Service

[Aberrant Starlight]

The Sanctuary Civil Force are those who are directly employed by the  government of Sanctuary. Although players are free to submit  applications for various specific roles (such as a Clerk or Record  Keeper), generally speaking most characters in this faction will receive  official position through dedicated association on behalf of one of the  Political Guilds of Sanctuary.

As a reward for loyalty and service, characters may be offered the  opportunity to serve as a Prefect (or Magistrate) of Sanctuary - given  the responsibility and authority to judge cases and work directly on  behalf of the Directorate. Additionally, exceptional and long-lived PCs  may even be able to, through election, win the right to serve as one of  the Directors of the Sanctuary Directorate.

I wish to begin with a disclaimer, what I am going to say now is the assumption that OOC and IC information and policies are misaligned at the moment.

This OOC information about the civil service, provided freely here is incorrect. It seems to imply that there are special positions available (none of which are even detailed on the civil service forum) for application. Further, it implies that Prefects are drawn from the civil service first in return for political service or on a need to be appointed basis, and that prefects from other sources are exceptions to a rule. It even goes to say that the civil service is a viable, and recommended path to the directorate.

This doesn't seem to be the case, at all.

I understand that IC developments may have differentiated policy from what was OOCly represented by the Civil Service. In my mind, the Civil Service is a Springboard for politically active PCs who want to Represent one of the guilds. In return for loyalty and furthering their agenda, clerks would be given due recognition, raises, etcetera.

It may be a problem from a lack of prominent clerks or exciting PCs in the civil service, but I see a serious problem here when most our politically prominent PCs have never even been in the civil service before achieving a position well above a rank and file clerk. It seems to me, at the moment, clerk is a dead end route, and you're better off making a player faction that supports one of the guilds in order to advance in government.

Maybe I am just misunderstanding, or simply the vision of the faction- a place where PCs can advocate for red or black and advance in government/authority in this association, has changed- or am I missing the point entirely?

Regardless, this is a suggestion thread, so I want to make the following suggestions:

Make it clear that those in the civil service will be viewed as the primary reservoir for those seeking political appointments, if this is the case. (Prefects, Secretaries to Directorate Members) each with certain perks (answering the mail for Directorate members is pretty cool).

That guild pathways offer certain perks for civil servant members.
The perk is that you're privy to electoral information gathered by said guild, that you have no need to bother with 30 signatures and a large coin fee to run for the Directorate, and so on, when elections come along- but for those clerks who want immediate, tangible benefits, it's something that everyone gets. Access to the Game room in the stadium if black, cheaper goods at trade hall if red. Civil Servants should perhaps have application only position in the Guilds respectively that let them organize members and have a degree of authority in presenting platforms and offering opinion of new and exciting developments. Further, there should be options to serve directly under Directorate Members as personal assistants, each with perks of their own.

Just a few ideas, I haven't fully explored the civil service, but it appears that any advancement is DM intensive and implicitly reliant on how interested DMs are in your PC and what the Civil Service is up to.

Sort of rambled there, but yea- those are my thoughts.

[Moonlighter]

I played a Civil Servant (Elaine Raati) fairly recently, and frankly I agree with a lot of what this post says. To me, the association was fairly lackluster outside of the Wage, and really only picked up with being interesting when there was an election on. Once that was over, so was all of the intrigue and direction with it.

It really seems like a dead end at the moment. The two PC Prefects I've been aware of were not selected from the Civil Service, and hadn't really even come close to being involved with it before their appointment, which to me made it feel like the association was entirely unnecessary in the first place.

There's a lack of any progression within (barring earning medals, perhaps?) and as Aberrant Starlight said, a complete and utter lack of any explanation as to what the other ranks than 'Clerk' truly are. As it stands, the Clerks really seem to function as everything! Pencil pushers, lawyers, couriers, and secretaries. And this is fine, but it makes the association entry seem rather outdated when it makes it seem like there is potential for movement within.

I would say the association itself may be in need of a bit of an overhaul or restructuring just from an OOC standpoint. The uniform and the wage are neat, and I loved that, and helping new characters and players get acquainted with arriving in Sanctuary was fun (when given the opportunity. most experienced players don't feel the need to be shown around sanctuary on their new PCs, for example...) but outside of the Election times it was painfully dull.

Consider creating ranks or subdivisions or otherwise coming up with a scripted way to spice things up somehow. The quest is a nice addition, I will admit, as it gives you a chance to help new characters to get established, but even then...

To me, and others I'm sure, it really just felt like a way to make coin on a 'Sanctuary-bound' PC.

[The Old Hack]

I feel I should present -- not as much an opposing viewpoint as rather one with a variant impression. I am not in any way disagreeing with either Moonlight or Starlighter (or Starlight and Moonlighter, as you may prefer), but I actually did not have Shannon become a Clerk in the impression that it would put her on the fast track to becoming Prefect. Rather, I did it because Shannon ICly desired to learn how the Sanctuary government and judicial system worked and to contribute to it, and I achieved these aims. Shannon did desire to become Prefect but I was always under the impression that this would require IC accomplishments beyond merely serving as a Clerk.

That being said, I agree with both Star and Moon that the faction could use work and that its text should be changed to reflect OOC realities rather than OOC original intentions as it seems to me that these have diverged. I will say that I personally loved being in the faction as it was but even so I like the idea of further fleshing it out.

[Deepdrake]

I must be boring but I love pencil pushers.

[tala_kai]

I'd like to address something here:

This OOC information about the civil service, provided freely here is incorrect. It seems to imply that there are special positions available (none of which are even detailed on the civil service forum) for application. Further, it implies that Prefects are drawn from the civil service first in return for political service or on a need to be appointed basis, and that prefects from other sources are exceptions to a rule. It even goes to say that the civil service is a viable, and recommended path to the directorate.

There is nothing of the sort written here. No mention of clerks. It addresses for:
prefects - as a reward for loyalty and service:

As a reward for loyalty and service, characters may be offered the opportunity to serve as a Prefect (or Magistrate) of Sanctuary

Direcotrate:

exceptional and long-lived PCs may even be able to, through election, win the right to serve as one of the Directors of the Sanctuary Directorate.

My point is, both prefects and directors do belong to the civil service (the faction), hence, why their mentioned in the description of the faction. But nowhere in the description of the faction it says what you said Starlight. There is no mentioning that prefects and directors are drawn from the civil service. It talks about all PCs in general and not about clerks specifically. That's at least how I see it.

[Aberrant Starlight]

The fact it is discussed in the civil service association thread, Tala Kai, gives the impression that Prefects and Directorates would be drawn from the Civil Service. Much like Sergeants and Inspectors are drawn from the Watchers. What if an adventurer, a leader of a player faction, was suddenly promoted and given Sergeant/inspector authority? This is what seems to be the comparison here. Individuals with no record of civil service suddenly gaining positions over those individuals who do. It even states in the biography of Hyram Sinclair that he was a clerk as well in the civil service, and rose quickly.

This shouldn't be a case of "Anybody can become a Prefect/Director", just as it isn't a case of "Anybody can become an Inspector/Sergeant, Auxiliary Captain/Chief Engineer." If it is the case, then what hope of advancement do civil service members have, as it is, it's far more fun to have an interesting faction concept and pursue guild support from outside the civil, and reap in the perks of such.

[Random_White_Guy]

A band of adventurers suddenly becoming a Sergeant would be awesome! Integrating mercenary company forces into the Watchers and negotiating the boost of the Watch's rank with fresh men. In return the Captain of the company is made a sergeant with his men under his command.

Yes Please.

To me the Civil Service seems an awesome sandbox to play in. Sometimes you have to make your own fun in EFU. I fully encourage the present hap-hazard method of the worker bees.

[The Old Hack]

A band of adventurers suddenly becoming a Sergeant would be awesome! Integrating mercenary company forces into the Watchers and negotiating the boost of the Watch's rank with fresh men. In return the Captain of the company is made a sergeant with his men under his command.

Yes Please.

This was actually done with the Muster during the Mistlocke area and turned out to be awesome. There was tremendous conflict between what essentially proved to be two competing law enforcement organisations and cooperation came only slowly and reluctantly. I still fondly remember playing Lucita de Ferbourg during this era.

[Howlando]

I don't think it's very unclear and am confused at what the issue is.

The Civil Service is the catch-all term/faction for PCs who work for the Sanctuary Government.

Players can play a Clerk with a NPC or prominent PC recommendation. In exchange they receive a wage, various minor perks (like access to a special quest), access to a lot of information, and the responsibility to see to various duties. Alternatively, players can "apply" for a special position that would serve some useful role - what those roles might be, I really have no idea. I think we have a Janitor PC now? Presumably there might be a player some day who wanted to roleplay being a trash collector, or courier (which we also had, I believe).

Devoted PCs in the civil service that earn a reputation for their sense of justice and receive support from a Guild in exchange for their work may well be offered a chance to become a Prefect (which has happened, I believe). A famous Prefect might in turn have a good chance of earning support to run as a Director. But by no means is laboring as a Clerk the only way to achieve such positions!

Personally I dislike paperwork and do not see the appeal of roleplaying a Clerk in the Civil Service. I do, however, appreciate that the role such PCs play in making the management of our little sim-society work better. But I would not expect many plots based around the Civil Service from me, at least.

[Mia]

As a player who has had the most characters in this faction. I will say that the most important part about joining the Civil Service is having an activity planned. Ask yourself: When you're part of the Civil Service, what will you be doing? Renee wrote a newspaper. I had Naema organize Trivia nights and gamble events. One of the first Civil Servants was a courier.

Introducing new players, helping a candidate during the election or organizing a team for the great game are just small things you can do -sometimes-. Just like working in the courtroom. But they aren't the activities you will be busying yourself with. So relying on them makes for a poor character concept. There is a very good reason you need a DM to become part of this association. It's simply because you need to be able to find an activity for yourself.

And yes, not a single PC was ever chosen to be prefect from a Clerk position. Renee tried, but failed. But that is only the fault of the players themselves. As a Clerk you get the most chances to learn and meet some of the Directors or other prominent NPCs. You get to learn the system, and curry favours. It makes becoming a prefect easier, but it is definitely not the breaking point to becoming a prefect. You will have to seek that elsewhere.

[xXCrystal_Rose]

The whole point of this that Thomas is trying to make is the association description pointedly says prefects and directors rise from the ranks of the civil service. This is not true. Prefects and directors rise from anywhere, so either the part of the description should be more heavily enforced and prefects-to-be ought serve a period in the civil service or just completely remove that part of the association description since it does not pertain to the civil service, but rather, to citizens of sanctuary by and large. It shouldn't be specified as a reward for loyal service in the civil service when it is a reward for anyone who seeks to pursue it in general.

[PanamaLane]

Before becoming president, Ronald Reagan was in the B movie, "Bedtime for Bonzo," his co-star was a chimpanzee. That's politics, bitch! (I'm not being mean, that's from Always Sunny)

Point being, politicians rise and fall from many places. Some are generals, some are actors, some do rise from within governmental agencies. When it comes to votes/appointments however, if you want it, got to get your ducks in a row. As others have said here, be proactive. Appointments don't happen by themselves, you need lobbies/funding/campaign/charimsa/"it"

Maybe I am beating a dead horse?

[petey512]

To go off of what Mia said, it's best to join the clerks and do something that you already wanted to do, (and get paid for it.)

I won't get too much into it because I don't want to spoil anything, but I sure as hell didn't have my character join the civil service to do anymore paperwork than was necessary. It's sort of a sandbox faction. Join it and do whatever you think a clerk could get away with doing. Until the Chief Herald yells at you.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't wait for an NPC to promote you to anything. Just claim it.

[Jayde Moon]

There is nothing wrong with the description of the Association as written.