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TLV - FAQ - The Barge Explained

The Barge Explained

Welcome to the Barge. Please make yourself at home.

What is the Barge?

The Barge is a massive ship that traverses time, space, and dimension. It draws new passengers onto it all the time, for reasons that are rarely explained to anyone.

If you're an Inmate, it is likely that the powers that be in your own world decided you could use a little rehabilitation. But you're dead! Isn't it a little late for that? Not necessarily. Look at this as a golden opportunity. Your time spent here and the lessons you’ll learn are your ticket to getting a second chance at life.

The catch? You don't have a choice. If you're here, you're here for the whole show, and you're not leaving until whatever power placed you here decides you're ready to be sent back.

If you're a Warden, you know why you're here. Unlike the Inmates, you actually had a choice. The Admiral offered you a job, and for whatever reason, you accepted it. Your deal is that by taking this position, you’ll get something in return. Maybe what you want is the chance to see a loved one again, maybe a second lease on life, maybe you’re deeply in debt, or maybe you just really wanted to help people that needed helping.


What's on the Barge?

So far, the Barge consists of a deck, seven levels below, and two levels above. There are cabins for both Inmates and Wardens on six of the sub-deck levels. The seventh sub-deck level is a cellblock where Wardens can lock up their Inmates if they misbehave. The above deck levels contain various areas just accessible to Wardens.


Above Deck

On Level +1, you’ll find the pub, a pool and spa, and a Warden conference room. This is a place for Wardens to take some time out, and is also a place they can have private meetings.

On Level +2, Wardens can enjoy the Closed Ecological System (CES), which provides a relaxing natural environment. The default setting is a lush green forest; however, the CES can and will spontaneously change to different environments that the characters come from, so long as they are an ecological system, and not a cityscape or other man-made setting. You cannot appeal to the Admiral to change the setting; just hope that you’re lucky enough when you enter that it will have what you’re looking for,

Again, these levels can only be accessed by Wardens, but if a Warden chooses, they can take their Inmate up there.


Below Deck

On Level 1, you've got the galley and the dining hall.

On Level 2, you'll find the medical ward.

On Level 3, there are two bathrooms for the Inmates, divided by gender. These contain shower stalls, toilet stalls, adjoining changing rooms and lockers.

On Level 4, you’ll find a gymnasium where you can let off steam. Or just work out.

On Level 5, you'll discover an immense library, stuffed with books from various times and places.

Level 0 is the cellblock. Each cell is a standard, two-person cell, complete with bunks, toilet, sink, and a shelf, enclosed by metal bars. Those sentenced to the cells will find that all powers and abilities are completely nullified; they will have nothing but their journal. (See below for more details.)


Do Strange Things Happen on the Barge?

All the time.

Most strangeness happens off the Barge when it stops somewhere, but every now and then, the Barge will pass close enough to a world that some of its essence will seep onto the ship. These effects usually last from four to seven days. The onset of such phenomena is usually preceded by a sudden but swiftly ending quake. The Admiral will often make an announcement to confirm such happenings.


What Are Inmates, in a Nutshell?

Inmates are villains: any baddie from any book, movie, TV show, comic book or other medium has the potential to wind up here, barring of course, those irredeemable by their very nature. The barge tends to snap them up when they die, or right before they’re about to die. That way, nobody really winds up missing them.

On arrival, Inmates’ normal powers will be reduced, and they will be tied to a Warden who’ll be looking after them for the duration of their afterlife. Some Inmates are consistently ornery, some learn what they're supposed to and return to normal life, and a few may decide they are of more use on the Barge and stay on as Wardens themselves.

If you're an Inmate, you don't get to use your powers at the same level as you normally would. Expect to have them reduced by roughly 80%. When you apply, you will need to set power limitations. The Mods will check over your reductions and ask for revisions if necessary.

Keep in mind: powers that directly affect other people - we're talking breathing fire, psychic powers etc - will likely either be gone or have their range and strength significantly reduced. Although they will still need limitations, powers that only affect you are likely to be less harshly restricted. Similarly, if it is a trait or ability that you had at birth - like being born with claws, or belonging to a race where everyone can read minds, etc. - there may be reduction, but not total removal.


What are Wardens, in a Nutshell?

Wardens are the keepers of the Inmates. They can come from any time, place or universe, but it’s pretty rare for an Inmate to be paired with a Warden from their own world. Each Warden has a unique item that points them in the right direction in ports and can also warn them if they’re in danger.

Unlike Inmates, Wardens have the option to leave when they feel like they’ve done all they can. Wardens may choose to leave after they’ve helped reform a number of Inmates, while some simply give up on an incurable Inmate and leave them alone.

If you’re a Warden with special powers, you’ll still have them on the Barge; they should be used to help your Inmate. When you get assigned, you’ll be given a file of your Inmate’s history and past crimes. It’s your job to help your Inmate to redemption.


Please see the Warden/Inmate FYI for more detailed information about the roles of Wardens and Inmates.


How Does Communication Work?

Everyone should have some contact with people other than their assigned Inmate or Warden. All people on the Barge have a communication device for voice posts, mainly for situations where you can’t just sit and write things out, but journals are still the main form of communication on the Barge.

Everyone on the Barge has a unique journal. Those from a time before computers will probably have plain pens and paper, and they’ll be surprised to find that other Inmates and Wardens can read and comment on anything they write.


Explain Ports of Call, in a Nutshell?

Every port is an optional stopover in a certain world. Some are more dangerous than others. Before landing, the Admiral will announce the port and explain any specific tasks he wants the Warden and Inmate pairs to do while they’re there. Usually, tasks laid down will specifically have to do with the further growth of the Inmate, but sometimes a task will challenge the Warden as well.

Only Inmates with Wardens may go off-ship, though interim Wardens can be assigned to unpaired Inmates. If a pair choose to leave, they step into whatever world the Barge has stopped at. They might be returning to a world where an Inmate or Warden used to live, or they might be stopping somewhere entirely new.

In port, Wardens and Inmates have to blend in, do what the Admiral asks and stay alive. Pairs need to find some way to work together, as their survival may depend on cooperation.

Separations

Sometimes in port, a Warden and Inmate will be split apart. This doesn’t mean the Inmate wandered off while they were in port - which is bound to happen, by the way - actual separation is a great deal more dangerous and a lot more trouble.

Separations happen when someone falls off, steps off or is thrown off the Barge before it docks in port.

Falling off the Barge causes the person to become integrated into the port world. They’ll have no memory of who they really are, they could be anybody, they might want to hurt you and it’s the job of the other half of the Warden Inmate pairing to find them and bring them back.


Can People Die on the Barge?

As the Barge seems to exist outside of time and space and is largely populated by the dead, is it still possible to die? The short answer is yes. The barge is, essentially, a sort of waiting room, an interruption on the route to the afterlife in its truest sense. It is a place where life and death both exist, but are a little more elastic than they should be.

One of the many perks of being a Warden is that if you die you will be restored to life by the Admiral somewhere between eight and twenty four hours later, no matter what the circumstances. However, if you're an Inmate? Your restoration is conditional to your Warden requesting your return to life.

Another thing to remember is that despite these flexibilities, death is still a dark, painful, visceral experience. There are naturally going to be physical and emotional consequences. When anyone, Warden or Inmate, is recovering from death, they’ll experience a number of symptoms known as the Death Toll.


What Exactly is the Death Toll?

The Death Toll is an umbrella term for any and all of the symptoms which will affect Wardens and Inmates for a period after they are restored to life.


Effects of the Death Toll

1. Fatigue for at least 72 hours.

2. General malaise for at least 72 hours.

3. Ghost pains of any injuries for at least a week. These will decrease in severity as time passes. These pains should reflect the way you died! The rule of thumb is: severe injuries will create more severe pains for a shorter period of time, while minor injuries will generate less intense pains over a longer period. (For example, a severed leg may cause intense pain and probably a limp at first, but the pain will only stay for a few days, while a broken arm may cause a dull ache for a whole week but won't impair your ability to move.)

5. Nausea/inability to hold down food for the first few days.

6. Headache lasting from 24-72 hours (longer if desired).

7. Dizziness lasting from 24-72 hours (longer if desired).

8. Impaired motor skills for at least 48 hours.

9. Lack of control over bodily functions for at most 48 hours (Note: THIS IS OPTIONAL).


The severity of the death toll and how long these effects last are also dependent on the character. If you have enhanced stamina, strength, endurance, then you'll probably overcome the Death Toll faster than somebody who doesn’t have any enhanced physical capacities. (Read: If you’re human and you don’t have powers and you aren’t an Olympic athlete, you'll most likely feel the full effect of the Death Toll.)


What Powers Do Wardens Have to Punish Inmates?

Wardens have a plethora of options on how to control, reward and punish their inmates. For starters, there’s communication. Wardens can filter, monitor, or temporarily restrict journal use by their Inmates. They can ask the Admiral to take away luxuries, and request other interventions which the Admiral may or may not grant. There are no official restrictions on how Wardens choose to deal with their inmates, so technically they can use whatever means they see fit to penalize their charges. However, one of the more common forms of punishing Inmates, is to stick them in one of the cells in Level 0 for a while.


So, what’s Level 0?

Level 0 is the Barge's equivalent of a brig. It’s a place where Wardens can drag their Inmates when they need to sit and think about what they’ve done. It contains about ten standard prison cells which Inmates can be confined to for up to seven days. If more than ten Inmates are sentenced there at one time, or if Wardens are feeling mean, Inmates may end up sharing a cell.

The keys to the cells are the items belonging to whichever Warden is in charge of the Inmate occupying that particular cell. Unoccupied cells can be opened by any Warden. If an Inmate is causing trouble and their own Warden isn’t present to deal with them, or they aren't yet assigned, other Wardens can intercede.

An Inmate’s cell can only be opened by their Warden, and only if the Warden has their special Warden item with them. For Inmates who don't have an assigned Warden, only the Warden who sentenced them to Level 0 can let them out. However, this can be overruled by the other Wardens if they feel the sentencing if unfair.

While Inmates are allowed to visit one another in Level 0, they are unable to do this without a willing Warden to let them in and supervise the visit.

Level 0 also contains a number of facilities set aside for Wardens to use if necessary. These are:


Observation Room - This is a place where Wardens who're going to stay down in Level 0 to guard/watch their Inmate can rest while keeping the cells in sight. Like the cells, it has to be opened by a Warden who has their item on their person. So, it a sort of stand-alone room with a big plexiglass sort of window, a bed, private toiletries, etc.

Interrogation Room - This is where Wardens can drag an Inmate they need to question in person, where they won’t be interrupted by naysayers, troublemakers, etc. Also like the cells, it has to be opened by a Warden who has their item on their person.


For reference, here is the layout of Level 0: